What Do We Want?

2008-5-12 05:38:00

Mindy has been getting some comments from my posts on her blog. Here are a couple:

Quoting JJ:

"I have said numerous times that contemplation is the highest form of meditation. Instead of letting the mind go blank and seeking peace and formlessness the seeker finds a phrase, idea or thought to plant in his mind. Instead of nothingness leading to bliss and peace he experiences a stirring of thought leading to higher thought."

"R" responds:

"So speaks a person who has had so little success at meditation, probably due to not being taught it properly or even self taught, that they've given up on it and got into thinking upon concepts instead. Contemplation is not superior to true meditation, it is an excuse of those that do not or cannot do the Work due to laziness or their capacity being wanting; any true master will tell you that."

"P" says:

"Thanks, Mindy! I do not think I would go so far as Rob about this issue, knowing, as I do, something about JJ! But he certainly does seem to refute all the major maps we know about, concerning stages and levels of meditation, and which one is the highest form.....which is why I thought it fun to blog about! Am I correct that what he says here is a peculiarly Theosophic (!) approach to this matter.Ot just his OWN slant...or...?

"I mean, Ernest Wood, Christmas Humphries, lessee, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Muktananda,,,,,,you name 'em!!--JJ's comment refutes them all.

"Unexpected!"

"R" says:

"The contemplation he is talking about is a side product of true meditation not superior to it. In fact once you start concentrating upon it, no matter how glorious the revelations that come from it, you have fallen into a very subtle trap and the Work will not be furthered until one can detach oneself from the revelations of this contemplation and return to true meditation which is to do with return to the source and the evolution of consciousness not the evolution of thought forms and concepts."

"P":

"Flowers, aside the path.

"Sniff, sniff...but...keep going...."

JJ:

To make any sense from this discussion one must ask this question: What benefits am I seeking from meditation?

Do you just want to smell flowers, or perhaps something much loftier as in creating flowers? Perhaps that would involve creating flowers that have never been and sharing beauty that has not before been comprehended.

If one merely wants to smell flowers then the negative meditation of letting go and focussing on the now and the stillness works fine. But if one wants to do something greater as in creating the flowers (or some other creation) then he must contemplate. If one desires to create then contemplation is the highest form of meditation.

Even in this the seeker must use the two forms of the art. He must plant a seed or seeds into the still dark soil of the mind and the formless higher realms. Then he must water this soil with his focussed attention. Then in a period where he relaxes and rests in a negative meditation the seeds sprouts up and grow as if on its own. The seeker then examines the new plant and guides its creation and learns therefrom. He thus shares in the joy of creation.

Can we expect anything greater from any meditation than pure joy?

Nay.

This is why contemplation is the highest form of meditation, for without contemplation the highest joy cannot be found.

"Joy settles within the heart But has winged its way from the secret place within the head. I am that bird of joy, Therefore, with joy I serve."
-- Djwhal Khul [DK]

Word of the Day

Parenthetically -- Similar word to parenthesis. A message that departs from the main subject -- a remark or passage that departs from the theme of a discourse.