Ask a nondual "person"

[Debater Slayer]

Apologies. I presumed you meant during meditation.

Best while performing a task to be exclusively mindful of the task, mainly for safety reasons, but this can also be a great exercise in centering the mind and quieting its tendencies to wander. If one finds one's mind wandering away from the task simply bring focus back. Focusing exclusively on the task is every bit as good as focusing exclusively on the breaths.

Don't want to be driving down the freeway focusing on counting breaths while tuning out the traffic around you.

Excellent advice. Your post reminded me of one of my favorite excerpts from Thich Nhat Hanh's The Miracle of Mindfulness:

“While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes.”

… “The fact that I am standing there and washing these bowls is a wondrous reality. I’m being completely myself, following my breath, conscious of my presence, and conscious of my thoughts and actions. There’s no way I can be tossed around mindlessly like a bottle slapped here and there on the waves.”

Be Mindful Even if you're Washing the Dishes

It doesn't mean we should love washing the dishes, nor become a dishwasher. The point is to be mindful, not just in washing the dishes but in everything we do — wherever you are or whatever the condition is.

www.craftdeology.com

The book has made me reconsider how often I try to multitask. I'm realizing more and more that sometimes I don't truly "multitask"; I just end up losing sufficient focus and not properly focusing on any one task when I try to juggle multiple things at once instead of finishing each one mindfully.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Excellent advice. Your post reminded me of one of my favorite excerpts from Thich Nhat Hanh's The Miracle of Mindfulness:

Be Mindful Even if you're Washing the Dishes

It doesn't mean we should love washing the dishes, nor become a dishwasher. The point is to be mindful, not just in washing the dishes but in everything we do — wherever you are or whatever the condition is.

www.craftdeology.com

The book has made me reconsider how often I try to multitask. I'm realizing more and more that sometimes I don't truly "multitask"; I just end up losing sufficient focus and not properly focusing on any one task when I try to juggle multiple things at once instead of finishing each one mindfully.

Interesting. I quite enjoy spacing out to my thoughts while doing the dishes. But I have a habit of doing that at assembly work too, which can cause issues

 

[Debater Slayer]

Interesting. I quite enjoy spacing out to my thoughts while doing the dishes. But I have a habit of doing that at assembly work too, which can cause issues

Yeah, it can be pretty consequential to space out during a task. I tend to think of mindfulness during smaller tasks as partially a rehearsal for also being mindful during bigger ones. Chances are everything will be perfectly fine if I space out a bit while dusting my nightstand or doing the dishes, but habitually spacing out during everyday tasks won't help me to cultivate the practice of continual mindfulness.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Inspired by @VoidCat's Ask a nonbinary person thread. Ask me anything nondual (or about nonduality of you so wish). Keep in mind I'm only speaking from my own experience and no one else's and I don't speak on behalf of any religion or philosophy. Flood the thread with any argument you wish. I'm game. If you want to attack me or my view, I won't put you on ignore, but I will ignore you. However, I won't ignore you if you tell me I (mind and body) don't exist. I might even agree with you.

What are your favorite times and places to meditate, if any?

 

[SalixIncendium]

What are your favorite times and places to meditate, if any?

I meditate during Brahmamuhurta which is a 48 minute period that starts an hour and 36 minutes before sunrise and ends 48 minutes before sunrise (about to meditate after posting this and ordering incense). I find this time of day to be ideal, because it's it's said to be and auspicious time of day, and there are no disruptions. During this time, I meditate in front of my shrine.

I wake at 3:40, take care of bathroom business, shower, and then meditate (only got on the computer and this time to order incense; as I was lighting it, I realized I'm down to my last box). My morning meditation lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

This is the only daily scheduled meditation session I have. Others are spontaneous and are done anywhere.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I meditate during Brahmamuhurta which is a 48 minute period that starts an hour and 36 minutes before sunrise and ends 48 minutes before sunrise (about to meditate after posting this and ordering incense). I find this time of day to be ideal, because it's it's said to be and auspicious time of day, and there are no disruptions. During this time, I meditate in front of my shrine.

I wake at 3:40, take care of bathroom business, shower, and then meditate (only got on the computer and this time to order incense; as I was lighting it, I realized I'm down to my last box). My morning meditation lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

This is the only daily scheduled meditation session I have. Others are spontaneous and are done anywhere.

I like late night and early morning for meditation, too. Sometimes I do it in bed before sleep.

It's interesting that you mentioned showering before meditation; I love combining meditation and bathing. It's a great way to relax and focus on nothing but the breath and one's surroundings.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I like late night and early morning for meditation, too. Sometimes I do it in bed before sleep.

I tend to fall asleep if I attempt to meditate at night.

It's interesting that you mentioned showering before meditation; I love combining meditation and bathing. It's a great way to relax and focus on nothing but the breath and one's surroundings.

I rinse in entirely cold water. It slows the heart rate and breathing which I find conducive to meditation.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I've been a member since mid-2011. This is one of my favorite threads that I've seen during the course of my membership here.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I've been a member since mid-2011. This is one of my favorite threads that I've seen during the course of my membership here.

I just scanned back through it and was unaware until now that it had grown to 15 pages in length!

 

[Yerda]

I think so. There are different type of monism, and while there are similarities, none really fit with my brand of nondualism, which posits that the apparent plurality is a result of time/space/causation, and that they appear on the substrate of an absolute rather than appearing from a single substance.

What is your brand of nondualism?

 

[SalixIncendium]

What is your brand of nondualism?

Advaita Vedanta.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Advaita Vedanta.

Does it suck to be an English speaking practitioner? Don't you feel like you are at a disadvantage having to learn all those foreign words?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Does it suck to be an English speaking practitioner? Don't you feel like you are at a disadvantage having to learn all those foreign words?

Not really. There are quite a few good English translations of scripture from Sanskrit. The Vedanta societies in New York and southern California have a plethora of lectures in English that contain scripture read in Sanskrit. I've actually managed to learn some Sanskrit in my journey.

 

[YmirGF]

Knowledge of what I am results in my being unaffected by actions of others or what happens in transactional reality.

No questions, as of yet, but I was struck by this statement. This is what I have been putting into action these last few years. My mantra, "I can only control my reactions." At first, the "being unaffected" rubbed me the wrong way, but then I realized I do that talking to the other guys in recovery. I cannot be of help if I am sobbing and emotionally bowled over by their current plight.

 

[The Hammer]

No questions, as of yet, but I was struck by this statement. This is what I have been putting into action these last few years. My mantra, "I can only control my reactions." At first, the "being unaffected" rubbed me the wrong way, but then I realized I do that talking to the other guys in recovery. I cannot be of help if I am sobbing and emotionally bowled over by their current plight.

How does one balance that while also maintaining empathy for their plight? (ie not coming off as unemotional?).

 

[YmirGF]

How does one balance that while also maintaining empathy for their plight? (ie not coming off as unemotional?).

I'm not sure how to describe this. It is certainly not an exact science, as everyone is different.

Got it.

I stay "present" and by that I mean that I am here, now, not off in my head somewhere. I remain calm, keep breathing regularly, and mostly just listen. Likewise, I also use mirroring to make them understand I am HEARING them correctly. The recognition that comes from being understood is surprisingly therapeutic.

 

[icehorse]

The book has made me reconsider how often I try to multitask. I'm realizing more and more that sometimes I don't truly "multitask"; I just end up losing sufficient focus and not properly focusing on any one task when I try to juggle multiple things at once instead of finishing each one mindfully.

You might like "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass

 

[icehorse]

No questions, as of yet, but I was struck by this statement. This is what I have been putting into action these last few years. My mantra, "I can only control my reactions." At first, the "being unaffected" rubbed me the wrong way, but then I realized I do that talking to the other guys in recovery. I cannot be of help if I am sobbing and emotionally bowled over by their current plight.

Around our house we have a saying we stole from flight attendants:

Put on your own oxygen mask first..

 

[Valjean]

You might like "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass

That's probably his least comprehensible work, for someone not already familiar with Hindu 'theology' and Sanskrit terms.

 

[icehorse]

That's probably his least comprehensible work, for someone not already familiar with Hindu 'theology' and Sanskrit terms.

That's an interesting perspective, can you say more?

(I might have said "least comprehensible for someone who never got high" )