Thought for the day - November 14th

Subject: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Nov 99 - 11:53 PM

Contemplating nothingness, the great void, stilling the mind to the point where nothing distracts, allows the body time to regenerate, to heal without reacting to the constant stimuli of stress, good or bad. It also enables one to be open to the inspiration of great creativity and the boundless hope that follows. Be still and know....

kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 10:24 AM

Know that the warm pile of fur in your lap is there because it wants to be. Know that the warmth of your bodies is reciprocal, he gains from you the heat of life, and you gain from him the calm of rest. Know that the cat is there, because he knows you will not betray him, because she enjoys your presence and she desires company.

(and not just because she's done something disgusting behind the couch....)

LTS

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 12:45 PM

Very important thought MamaSageWalker

Everyone has their own path to quieting the mind hoping to discover the Great Oneness only found in the nothingness.
Liz may find to in the warmth of a content kitty. Others may find it in their music, holding a child, in a passionate moment with a lover or in the eyes of someone they deeply trust. I have found it canoeing in the wilderness.

It becomes very difficult to quiet the mind that is allowed to rampage about with no discipline. For some it is helpful to learn meditation, the discipline of quieting the mind.

I believe the greatest things of importance are:
to be of service to others and to quiet the mind.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 02:30 PM

All true, Neo, but what I was really meaning was an absolute stilling of the mind. I don't think we can do that with any stimuli, including a cat, lover, nature, etc. We humans are so geared to be aware and react that to just sit our arse down and close down the mind, all thought, is usually pretty difficult. Once we've gotten there, the stimulus of a cat or touch of a lover may not disturb, but until then, they can be a distraction from that stillness of absolutes. Even when we think we are still with the examples cited, there is still that stimuli of how to react to the cat's purrs, the lover's touch, the path of the canoe, etc. Our bodies are still on "alert" mode, thus we are not *giving* up to whatever force we might believe in to allow whatever healing or calming we are striving for to happen. BY becoming totally thought-less, we are allowing that greater Force a presence in our body for mending without physiological hindrance.

My Opinion Only - To Each Her/His Own,

katSW

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 02:43 PM

As we say in Mahayana, the still centre of the turning wheel of the mind.....
or, as the Mystic Sage remarked, So you wish to contemplate the great void, the emptiness of nothingness? Have you watched Richard Gere act recently?
yours, Peter T. (HoHoHoAum)

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:07 PM

Mama KatSW, have you ever heard the saying..........
'our minds are like an elephant in a china store?"
Our brains are in constant motion, rambling on with a broken tape of thought going round and round. If our minds are constantly keeping ourselves busy with 'thinking filler' how do we ever reach stillness?

To reach the absolute stillness of the mind I feel it helps to at least start moving toward partial stillness. This allows a taste of our potential.
Partial stillness is the kitty on Liz's lap or for me the wind blowing through old white pines. People seeking stillnes of the mind in meditation may only experience partial stillness. But it is better than none and I feel it is a good navigator on the road to experiencing a flicker of the nothingness stillness or a glimpse of the great Force.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:19 PM

I agree, Little Neo, the last sesshin I was in (a 7 day retreat) only ended in the kind of partial stillness that can be achieved by contemplating the intense vacuousness created by Celine Dion's "Theme from Titanic"; for absolute stillness only the contemplation of Neil Diamond records, Al Gore empathy tapes, and the creators of Pokemon can give us that movement past the flicker of nothingness into the full light of ultimate prajna nothingness.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:21 PM

Cute, Peter, very cute:-)

I hear you LilNeo and it maybe that those steps will help you to achive this stillness of which I speak and which Peter spoke of. Believe me, it is possible.

Two years ago, I went into seclusion, for two weeks, in my home. Turned off the phones when I was home alone, no radio, no television, no newspaper,no talking with anyone outside of Rog, the *pets*, and our daughter who was still living here and that was minimal. They were pretty respectful of my need to do this and kept the tv and radio down low in the evenings when they were home.

I had just gone on oxygen for a serious health challenge; been through a healing in a sweat lodge with a wonderful medicine man form south dakota, and wanted to continue in that vain; really shutting down on all of the people I felt were relying on me too heavily, through my own fault, and the world woes which were dragging me down. Literally weighing heavily on my heart.

Each hour during the day, I would sit in a comfortable chair and shut down, go into complete stilling of my mind. At first I could only do this for about five minutes at a time; gradually it became easier and I began to go into a deep and healing sleep after each session, not worrying about a strict adherence to the every hour thing because I knew healing was taking place; I was allowing my body to replenish.

This is not an easy thing to do, this shutting away the world and completely stilling the mind, but done on a consistent basis, in moderation, it can manifest great benefits for our bodies and minds, which in turn effect our work, relationships, etc.

The Rosicrucian Order AMORC, of which I am a member, has a special facility in Canada for people who want to experince this in a sacred place set up expresly for thsi kind of contemplation. It is called the Domain of Silence. Some day I hope to make it up there for a visit.

Thanks for listening,

katSsWIhope

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:38 PM

Dear Kat, It used to be called Maple Leaf Gardens. (Canadian joke: The Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team played in this shrine until earlier this year). The other Domain of Silence here is our daycare, homeless, poverty agenda.

Sorry, not really mocking, but hard to resist, from someone who has spent years on Zen cushions. You have to laugh, otherwise you'd achieve enlightenment. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:41 PM

Yowsah! LOL! And THEN where woodja be!? Up the Nirvana crick without a paddle?! 's all about balance, isn't it.

katLAUGHING

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 03:46 PM

Since you sent me off to the Cat Who Went to Heavn, kat, have you ever read Max Picard's book, The World of Silence? The most profound book on silence I have ever read.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Nov 99 - 04:01 PM

No, but I will look into getting a copy. Is he any relation to Jean-Luc? Did he write it on a visit on the Enterprise in the silence of space? **BG** And, WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT WORK ON A SUNDAY!???

Have you read the Cat who went to heaven, yet? Whaddya think?

No silence here, right now! NPR is playing a program called American Roots with a clip of Hank Willimas, from an original live radio show, the Health & Happiness Hour! YES!

Ta, kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - November 14th
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Nov 99 - 10:51 AM

refresh. Peter: I want answers!**BG**