 106. Meditation |
"If the soul takes its departure in a state of purity, not carrying with it any clinging impurities which during life, it never willingly shared in but always avoided; gathering itself into itself and making this separation from the body its aim and study. . . well then, so prepared the soul departs to that invisible region of the divine, the immortal and the wise."
-Plato (Pheado)
The proper use of meditation-self-cultivation is not to stop your thoughts and thinking by "force" although some struggle and self control are necessary at first. If you struggle to stop your thoughts or to replace them with new and different thought patterns, you will only be reinforcing the very thing (the ego) that you (as spirit) are trying to get away from. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:39, when he said: "Resist not evil." In the practice of meditation-self-cultivation, one can "get away" (actually abandon) one's own thoughts not by "fighting" with the brain but by "doing something else." By using the power of your attention and awareness to follow and being aware of one's own breathing in the "here and now" of the present moment. If you practice long enough, each day the "habitual" thinking process will gradually slow down and finally stop through "non-use." The bad habit of thinking is left behind and ignored and is replaced with a new process of SELF-AWARENESS and peace of mind. Any bad habits will finally go away if you just replace it with something different. Being aware of your self in the present moment is that "something different." You cannot be thinking and be aware of your SELF and body in the "present moment" at the same time. Either you are present in the here and now moment or you are thinking; you cannot do both at the same time. Thinking involves the brain function and being "here and now" in the present moment involves SELF-AWARENESS. This is what Jesus was trying to teach when he said that "Ye can not serve two masters." Either you serve God by the practice of being, "Ye therefore perfect as your (our) Father in heaven is perfect" (pure awareness without thought), or you serve "Mammon" (the physical creation of one's "own" body and bio-computer brain), the ego-I.
During meditation-self-cultivation the thought process will stop (hopefully). In this space, you may receive "insights" and "revelations" to the nature of all things. Simply observe them and store them into your memory and then continue with your practice of self-awareness here and now; do not let the "insights" and "revelations" distract you from your goal of God-self-realization. Always remember to "KNOW-THY-SELF, as eternal spirit. "Insights" may distract you in such a way that they (insights) may lead you to start "thinking" about them and you may never return to eternal peace as eternal SELF prior to "thought" and "thinking."
The ancient Chinese version of Ye cannot serve two masters is, Wi-Wu-Wi which means action without action, that is, the action of the SELF in the condition of universal SELF awareness and not the action (activity) of the psychological-ego-I.
Original Gnosticism has its roots in the far east spiritual schools. Ancient Taoism was the guardian of the "way" and internal alchemy. Gnosticism is a spiritual teaching, not a religion. A spiritual school gives spiritual instructions on how to save yourself, i.e., Self-salvation (meditation). Self salvation was and is the true teaching of Lao Tzu, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, the Kabbalhists, the Greek mystery schools and the essences. In a religion your salvation is in the hands of another person and depends on the obedience of religious laws.
