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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 22 2015 : 05:38:06 AM
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mr gabriel the man of real world and more  |
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sunyata
USA
1513 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2015 : 07:59:35 AM
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| Happy Holidays!! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2015 : 4:32:44 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Charliedog
Words are the son of God....if spoken from silence words can be God self.
I like it. 
Happy Holidays, Kumar and Sunyata!! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2015 : 8:14:24 PM
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Blog #55: Hello, Iguana
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-55-hello-iguana/
Last night I had a dream that I was sitting next to a fountain. It was dark, and there was an iguana perched on the edge of the basin. He looked at me, calmly, then started to crawl in my direction. I grew a little timid, because I wasn't sure if he might be dangerous. But my inner silence allowed me to stay still, and he crawled up my left arm and settled on my shoulder—staring deeply into my eyes. There was power there, in the green, reptilian, scaly coldness. Once we were merged and relaxed, skin against skin, there was not any fear, but rather a mutual understanding and tranquil admiration.
A few days ago I had a long conversation with a Catholic priest, and we touched upon a similar theme. He told me a story of being on a missionary trip in the jungle, when late at night he was overwhelmed by an ominous presence and saw a ghastly face peering through his tent. He was sure it was Satan. He lay still, paralyzed in a state of shallow breathing until the apparition vanished. The next morning, he sought consolation in the New Testament, and found a verse from Timothy that was particularly reassuring: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
However, the priest was certain he would experience another encounter. A couple years after the terror in the jungle, his premonition came true when he was overtaken once again, this time in a house. The room darkened totally, blocking out all light from the outside. But he was prepared for the demon, and said to it, matter-of-factly: "Oh, there you are, Satan." With this casual acknowledgement, the darkness dispelled, and that was the last time he ever saw the devil.
Now, when it comes to both the priest's story and my dream, we are dealing with scenery from the interior. Does that make these episodes completely irrelevant or unimportant? No. We just have to regard them with the proverbial grain of salt. In AYP, inner scenery is neither obsessed over, nor deliberately avoided. We just take things as they come—staying the course towards broad purification and opening of the nervous system, without much concern for particular peaks or valleys. The permanent silence is the continual thread that weaves all the contrasting pieces together.
With that being said, I would still like to put a little contemplative attention on the topic of darkness, or lower vibrations.
In the Arabic language, the name "Satan" can be translated to mean "distant" or "astray". That definition is a little different than the more adversarial or evil depiction of Satan that is often portrayed in religious mythologies. When it comes to "distant", we begin to deal not so much in the realm of good vs. evil, but rather in the context of proximity and closeness. In the relativity of space and time, there doesn't necessarily have to be a moral spin on the objects contained therein.
If we consider the possibility that stillness, meaning complete and total peace, is at the center of our self, and even the entire universe, then our perception of reality begins to shift from a view previously clouded with imaginary lines, to a view now opened up to infinite dimensions of Being and experience. Through the lens of cosmic consciousness, the darkness is not really an evil entity with some kind of threatening power. It's more like a variation of the Light existing for the sake of amusement and diversification. Cosmic drama, cosmic comedy.
That's not to say that there aren't threats in life, or that moral labels are totally useless or meaningless. I'm merely pointing to the Oneness that captures all parts of the play. From the perspective of stillness, the threats are more easily mitigated, and even better, transformed. Nothing is wasted.
Merry Christmas! |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2520 Posts |
Posted - Dec 26 2015 : 02:13:05 AM
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quote:
In the Arabic language, the name "Satan" can be translated to mean "distant" or "astray"
 my first language is arabic and i did not know that
so i searched it , the name satan in arabic is indeed derived from a verb (that i never heard of ) that means to be astray
the arabic language is inndeed a rich complicated language |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2015 : 10:11:10 PM
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Maheswari!! I love reading your Arabic Facebook posts even though I don't understand a word of them! The script is beautiful even without the meaning.  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2015 : 10:16:28 PM
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Blog #56: Point Break Revisited
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-57-poin...k-revisited/
"We stand for something. To those dead souls inching along the freeways in their metal coffins—we show them that the human spirit is still alive." —Bodhi, in the original Point Break
This weekend I saw a remake of the cult classic Point Break. I'm quite fond of the original film, so I wasn't holding high expectations for the second version to rise to the level of majesty achieved by its predecessor.
The original version has a certain kind of grittiness and simplicity, along with a cinematic continuity that blends the plot and characters together delightfully well. The remake, it turns out, is more like a fragmented highlight reel of stunts and extreme sport demonstrations, lacking the depth of character development and emotional potency contained in the original. I don't regret seeing the latest release though, and there is some good material for self-inquiry within both movies.
In 1991, Patrick Swayze played the character of Bodhi (derived from the word bodhisattva, which is a term describing someone on the path of enlightenment). Bodhi is a surfer who, along with fellow surfer accomplices, robs banks—not just for the money, but, as he says, to rebel against "the system that kills the human spirit". He is a criminal with high ideals. He has a great love for the ocean, as well as the thrills and calmness that come from riding waves. He is a mischievous saint: the perfect hybrid for a Hollywood production.
So, why is it that some villains are secretly liked by the viewers, especially in caper stories involving intricate heists and charming conspirators?
Well, I have a couple ideas. First, there is something deep within the human psyche that wants to penetrate the veils which obscure hidden treasures. That impulse cannot be denied. Second, there is a natural desire not only to bask in abundance and wealth, but to share that wealth with the community at large. The archetype of Robin Hood is the classic embodiment of a hero that re-distributes previously hoarded gold to the deprived and unprivileged lower class, who are victims of the monarchy's greed. Through his noble thievery, balance is restored.
In fact, in the newest Point Break, that's exactly what happens. The athletic thieves hi-jack a plane full of cash, then strategically dump the cash onto an impoverished village far below. Millions of dollars rain down from the sky and get scooped up by the jubilantly surprised villagers on the ground. Alas, it is like manna...from heaven.
Believe it or not, these fairy-tale scenarios can be related to the practical aspects of enlightenment and awakening of the nervous system. While implementing AYP may never result in a bundle of money falling from the sky, what will result is the descending of divine energy into the receptive channels of our organism. This has been called grace, and there is a reason why the gift comes from above. We are designed to start from the bottom and reach to the top, and to let the top pour down its contents into our medium of fertility, for the purpose of growth and illumination. Spinal Breathing Pranayama in particular takes advantage of this dynamic.
Similarly, Deep Meditation grants access to the hidden aspects of consciousness. The mantra becomes like a key to unlock the vast regions of inner space. And when it comes to giving away the goods, samyama is the icing on the cake—the movement of stillness outward into the environment.
So, while I'm not plotting any bank robberies, I do enjoy how Point Break has motivated and inspired me to plumb the depths of my own consciousness, and to bring something back to the surface that is worth giving away.
Vaya con Dios. |
Edited by - Bodhi Tree on Dec 28 2015 10:45:45 PM |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2015 : 04:00:21 AM
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quote:
Believe it or not, these fairy-tale scenarios can be related to the practical aspects of enlightenment and awakening of the nervous system. While implementing AYP may never result in a bundle of money falling from the sky, what will result is the descending of divine energy into the receptive channels of our organism. This has been called grace, and there is a reason why the gift comes from above.
Yes, myths, fairytales, holy scriptures, and hollywood scenario's. Interesting to compare them with the inside journey, especially the holy scriptures imo. New way of reading, fascinating is it.   |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2015 : 07:06:56 AM
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| And perhaps no accident you chose the multidimensional "Bodhi" as a handle? |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2015 : 07:44:41 AM
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Yes, Bodhi's writings have that too, they have most of the time many layers in them, they fascinate me, can not help it Dogboy. The unraveling of scriptures and poetry is only my perspective of this moment, I am aware of that too,
in fact I am at this moment in a phase that I sometimes doubt if someone really hear what I am saying, or makes his own conceptual story of it .....so maybe what I unravel is completely different from what the writer has meant. Life is a paradox. Let's enjoy |
Edited by - Charliedog on Dec 29 2015 10:01:21 AM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2015 : 11:58:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Dogboy
And perhaps no accident you chose the multidimensional "Bodhi" as a handle?
Oh yes, he is part of the Ishta, definitely!
quote:
Originally posted by Charliedog
In fact I am at this moment in a phase that I sometimes doubt if someone really hear what I am saying, or makes his own conceptual story of it .....so maybe what I unravel is completely different from what the writer has meant. Life is a paradox. Let's enjoy.
Love that. It's true, there is plenty of room for interpretation. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2016 : 11:46:32 PM
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Blog #57: Fully Alive on the Edge of Death
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-57-full...ge-of-death/
Lately I've been watching rock climbing videos on YouTube. There is one climber in particular who is really fascinating, and his name is Alex Honnold. He specializes in what's called free soloing, which is climbing without any ropes or mechanical aid. Obviously, if one falls off a vertical wall of any significant height, the plunge will result in violent death of the body, since there is no belay to catch the plummeting free soloist.
Alex is constantly asked questions about how he deals with the severity of such a looming consequence, and here is one of his typical responses: "I don't think it's any different than a race car driver driving super-fast close to the edge of the track, which to me would be terrifying, but to somebody whose spent their whole life racing cars, I'm sure it's totally casual."
So, what he's saying is that the risk is much lower than what people might suppose, precisely because he thoroughly trains and prepares for the ropeless ascents. The possible consequence of death doesn't get removed, but the likelihood of death occurring is greatly mitigated by the physical and mental skill that is exercised on the route. It makes sense.
I haven't done much rock climbing, but when I worked in Alaska for a summer, I did climb a 30-foot wall we found on a hiking trail. I was feeling cocky and did it without a rope to impress a friend who was watching. If I had fell, it probably would have resulted in broken bones. I was also drinking a lot during that time, and it was not a wise move. I wasn't prepared or trained properly.
Another time, I was drunk and riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle speeding down the highway. I was all hyped up and decided to climb on the roof of the car while it was cruising at 70+ mph. Again, another moronic move that was playing dangerously with risk and adventure.
As I've said many times before, I don't think sobriety and spirituality are meant to kill the adventurous spirit. All that changes is the channeling of the primal desires into safer, more reasonable, and more creative modalities. Incidentally, Alex Honnold is completely sober and doesn't drink a drop of alcohol.
When it comes to climbing, there is a spiritual connection even in the language itself. Transcendence, which is a word I use in the AYP for Recovery motto, is derived from Latin root words meaning "to climb across". Instead of climbing across the face of a mountain, we are climbing across the knots and entanglements of suffering, which are in place from limited identification.
In recovery, the identity of being an addict or alcoholic begins to be passed over, much like Honnold deftly navigates the footholds and cracks embedded like scars in the sheer granite of a precipice in Yosemite National Park. Much skill is required to arrive at the top. It's not just a matter of checking out into abstract headspace, or claiming final victory over the journey that has been traversed. It requires diligent effort, flawless technique, and most importantly, relentless devotion to the ongoing pursuit.
In some sense, Honnold is mastering being on the edge of death. Accomplished yogis have done the same thing. Paramahansa Yogananda once said: "Breathlessness is deathlessness." What he meant was that during deep states of stillness, breathing will actually cease as the vital energy withdraws from the organs and into the central channel of the spine. It doesn't get much stiller than that. And stillness is eternal, beyond death. (Note: We don't directly pursue breathlessness in AYP; it's just a side effect that may happen during Deep Meditation.)
In his book Alone on the Wall, Honnold writes: "What keeps me motivated is an insatiable hunger and curiosity. The best way I can sum it up is to paraphrase the end of my op-ed piece for the New York Times: The mountains are calling, and I must go."
Sober enlightenment is calling me, and that's where I must go. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2016 : 10:58:29 PM
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Blog #58: Rest in Peace, Granny
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-58-rest...eace-granny/
My maternal grandmother passed away a couple days ago. I had written about her in a previous blog.
I got a phone call from my mom at 5:18 AM on Friday shortly before dawn. Normally, I would have been asleep, but I happened to be awake due to having worked a late shift that night. I immediately drove to my grandmother's house, where my mom had been taking care of her ever since she suffered a stroke several years ago that rendered her unable to speak or even swallow.
I went to the bedroom where her body lay, and I sat for a while. Though her body was lifeless and not moving, there was nevertheless a pulsing energy around her figure. It was like her aura was still breathing, though her lungs were not. Odd as it may sound, her presence seemed more alive than I had perceived in quite some time, but again, that aliveness was showing in a subtle way, less concrete and not as obvious as the physical frame.
My mom walked into the room, and I said: "It seems like she's still here." My mom immediately replied: "She always will be." I silently nodded in affirmation.
To some extent, it might seem like life is playing a cruel joke on us with the inevitable expiration of this fleshy bag of bones, blood, and tissue that we inhabit for a lifespan. But I'm more inclined to resonate with Walt Whitman's observation on the matter, in which he proclaimed: "The smallest sprout shows there is really no death, and if ever there was, it led forward life, and does not wait at the end to arrest it, and ceased the moment life appeared. All goes onward and outward; nothing collapses. And to die is different from what anyone supposed, and luckier."
Furthermore, I think what is most often disconcerting is not death itself, but the circumstances surrounding death. HOW we die is very important. In the scope of humanity, we've witnessed countless deaths from violence, or disease, or the kind of slow, disfiguring decline that my grandmother experienced. In fact, one of my uncles said, in reference to my grandmother's poor condition: "Don't dare let me die that way."
The good news is that as our consciousness evolves on the Earth plane, I believe we will begin to see more yogic dying. The more we are saturated in pure bliss consciousness, the smoother the transition will be. Fortunately, we have accounts of masters that have left their bodies in great style—even "kicking the frame" while in a seated, meditative posture (see Chapter 27 in Autobiography of a Yogi).
More importantly, as Yogani writes:
"So, if there is a secret dying technique, it is to cultivate human spiritual transformation as far in advance as possible, and gradually open to the subject of death when it arises. If we become abiding inner silence, ecstatic bliss, and outpouring divine love, the rest will take care of itself. It is always we who choose, now and later. Now is obviously paramount, because later does not exist, except as a result of now—a future now. This is why each day we engage in practices like deep meditation, spinal breathing pranayama, etc. It boils down to what we are doing about our spiritual condition today and every day, right up to the end of our life. "Graceful and conscious" is as useful in life as it is at death. It is the same thing."
My paternal grandmother, who is still alive, told me yesterday that I will probably experience a reemergence of memories of my grandmother as time passes. She said that the good memories will become more lucid, and more present. I look forward to that resurrection, and I eagerly await the coming and going of meaningful scenery, in stillness. When my mind is receptive and ready, I will most likely write a blog paying more homage to Granny's priceless contributions to my life, which are worth more than any dollar could ever account for.
In fact, even now, I recall being a young teenager and fumbling through her literature collection and finding a book on yoga. I wasn't ready then, but the seeds planted long ago often pay off when given enough time to germinate. Nothing is wasted.
In Memoriam...Mary Ruth Ellis (1927-2016) |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2016 : 12:48:21 AM
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| to you |
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Dogboy
USA
2294 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2016 : 06:28:58 AM
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| I was blessed to be present at my fathers death, to take the baton as he passed through the curtain. The memories indeed richer in the coming days, and his eulogy wrote itself as a result, I was merely the instrument. to you and your loved ones |
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sunyata
USA
1513 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2016 : 10:11:53 PM
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| Sorry to hear about your loss. . I remember reading about her in your past posts. Stay strong. It's hard when a loved one passes. |
Edited by - sunyata on Jan 12 2016 10:20:17 PM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2016 : 7:54:56 PM
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| That's profound, Dogboy. Divine instrumentation. Thank you for sharing. Thank you, Charliedog and Sunyata. |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1571 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 05:05:19 AM
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Sey |
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kumar ul islam
United Kingdom
791 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 08:36:04 AM
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2016 : 10:23:06 PM
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Blog #59: Pink Floyd and the Dark Side
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-59-pink...e-dark-side/
I remember first hearing the song "Time" on Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon. I thought: Oh boy, now this is different. And it was most definitely different, especially in comparison to other pop music I had been exposed to as a child and young adolescent.
The introduction alone is captivating. It begins with the faint ticking of antique, grandfather clocks that soon explode into a cacophony of chimes and high-pitched ringing. Then come the roto-toms with their crisp, hollow thumps, interspersed with the long, drawn-out notes of electric bass and guitar, not to mention the sparkles from the Wurlitzer piano and Farfisa organ that accent the meandering solo of the drums.
Finally, the first verse emerges: "Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day. You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way. Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown. Waiting for someone or something to show you the way."
Boom! The malaise and disillusionment of modern man is perfectly captured against a backdrop of exquisitely crafted percussion and melody. Musical genius at its best! I immediately related to the sentiment.
Ironically, getting stoned and watching The Wizard of Oz in timed synchronization with the tracks from The Dark Side of the Moon wasn't exactly answering the deeper questions itching in my mind. My sojourn into psychedelics was at times euphoric and glamorous, but it was mostly dull and taxing on my nervous system.
A little more than a decade after first smoking pot and listening to Pink Floyd—when I sobered up—I stumbled upon some words not too dissimilar from the aforementioned opening lines of "Time". But the new message I had found contained much more hope and optimism than the dreary echoes of the legendary British band. The fresh, digital lesson I had tapped into offered an invitation and a challenge to surge ahead into new territory. Here is what it said:
quote:
But too often we drift along hoping someone will open a door for us. If only they would, we'd run right through. Or would we? This is the first crucial step, wanting to run through to that something more in us. Being willing to do it. Craving it. Being desperate for it. I am here because I have been one of those for many years, and I know there must be others. I want to throw out some methods, some methods that work. Tools, you know. They are for your consideration. The rest is up to you.
I was hooked instantly. There was no way I could turn away from chasing the carrot that was dangling in front of my face. Even today, five years after first reading that lesson, I'm still on fire, and even more so than originally. The bhakti is all-consuming.
In a couple months I'll be starting school to get a massage therapy license. It's not something I would have predicted pre-AYP. But the power of touch is calling, and inner silence is moving me to walk through a new door. Let's see what happens.
"And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear, you shout and no one seems to hear. And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes, I'll see you on the dark side of the moon." |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2016 : 07:02:14 AM
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In a couple months I'll be starting school to get a massage therapy license.
quote:
But too often we drift along hoping someone will open a door for us. If only they would, we'd run right through. Or would we? This is the first crucial step, wanting to run through to that something more in us. Being willing to do it. Craving it. Being desperate for it. I am here because I have been one of those for many years, and I know there must be others. I want to throw out some methods, some methods that work. Tools, you know. They are for your consideration. The rest is up to you.
quote:
I was hooked instantly. There was no way I could turn away from chasing the carrot that was dangling in front of my face. Even today, five years after first reading that lesson, I'm still on fire, and even more so than originally. The bhakti is all-consuming.
Beautiful blog |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2016 : 10:55:00 AM
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| Charlie-D |
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sunyata
USA
1513 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2016 : 11:41:57 AM
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Nice, Bodhi. Good Luck with massage school. . My cousins would listen to Pink Floyd growing up and ended up listening with them. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2016 : 5:01:58 PM
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| Thank you, sunyata! Shine on. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jan 22 2016 : 11:38:08 PM
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Blog #60: Shedding Light on DJ Shadow
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-60-shed...n-dj-shadow/
Being totally addicted to Deep Meditation, I'm not a big fan of guided meditations involving external cues. When the mind has to stay focused on something on the outside, it robs one of the opportunity to plunge deep into consciousness and explore the obscured layers hidden underneath. With Deep Meditation, the cue is the unspoken mantra uttered by our own inner voice, and that implicitly turns our gaze inward, to where the heart of stillness resides.
That being said, I certainly understand why some people choose guided meditations to pick up a little serenity. Also, I have a great love for ambient music and transcendental lyrics that soothe the soul. For instance, there is a powerful song by DJ Shadow called "Blood on the Motorway".
The song begins with a piping church organ and an ethereal voice that echoes with the proclamation: "And now...eternity..." Then, a more subtle piano begins playing simple chords at a slow tempo, and a new voice enters the soundscape. It is the voice of a calm, reassuring man, and he says:
Be still now. I am with you. I am deep within you. You are at peace. You cannot be harmed. You will not suffer.
Breathe deeply. Breathe in the healing love of the universe, and breathe out the sickness which has taken you. I am with you.
I definitely get plenty of ecstatic goosebumps when that part creeps in. The words are profound, and his tone of voice resonates with a sturdy and genuine timbre. His healing guidance also reminds me of a peripheral AYP technique called heart breathing, in which the inhalation and exhalation of breathing are used to draw in the chosen ideal and release obstructions (see AYP Plus for more details).
Anyway, the song changes course, and another voice chimes in—this time with much more gusto and exaltation:
You have not betrayed your ideals. Your ideals betrayed you. What are you going to do?
Your eyes will not close. Your tongue barely speaks. But I can still feel you. I can still feel you.
So come, come relax. Grin. Let the changes in. Come on, come relax.
Grin. Let the laughter, let the laughter, let the laughter begin.
Grin, let the changes in.
Grin, let the changes in.
Alas, the instrumental chorus and synthesizer explode into a break-dancing kind of rhythm, and DJ Shadow's drumming pumps plenty of exuberance and joy into the final plateau of the tune as it fades away and tapers off into silence. It's one of my favorites, by far. I highly recommend it.
But I want to highlight the last part of the verse...the mention of an ideal betraying its aspirant. This is very important. The ideal we choose will shape our path. If the ideal is shallow and lacking deep substance—like drugs, alcohol, or the pursuit of money for its own sake—then we will definitely hit a wall and find ourselves in a trap. However, if the chosen ideal is imbued with essences of ecstatic bliss, stillness in action, and an outpouring of divine love, then we are bound for success.
So, choose wisely, and relax. Grin. Let the changes in. |
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AYP for Recovery
