As a personal “note to self,” here are a few thoughts I’ve had lately, both when I was awake and also while I was asleep (which happens quite often to me in lucid dreams):
First, while meditation on the sounds of birds chirping outside this morning, I was in a terrific state, and then each time I heard a bird chirp, my body shook or jerked in response to the sound. That was new, but I think it’s a good thing.
Second, you can’t overestimate how much yoga and meditation were frowned upon in the United States during the 1970s. As just one example, Ram Dass notes that he was called a “yogurt” by some men in the military (rather than a “yogi”). There are many more examples of this, including my dad, who called many people “flakes.”
Third, I’ve noted here before that I have hypnopompic hallucinations when I wake up during the night, and at that time I often see colors, words, and other things. A few nights ago I saw many words scrolling by very fast, and all I could catch was one specific phrase that said, “One specific thing: freedom.” (That was one small phrase out of many lines of scrolling text.)
Fourth, I don’t know how to phrase this without sounding like an egomaniac, but trying to complete the enlightenment/awakening path while living in a loud house with others who have no interest in meditation and mindfulness is roughly 1,000 times harder than aerospace engineering or functional programming.
books by alvin
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