VIPASSANA

The journey of learning to see life as it truly is.

Through the lenses of presence

The begging Part 1

At the of ten days of Vipassana Meditation, my first glance at the outside world presented me this picture.

It humoured me, as I gazed with a new perspective upon a picture of what I had perceived meditation to be.

In the Ten days I went through heaven and hell. I experienced places of pain and torture, as well as moments of euphoric bliss and ecstasy. Within my mind, my ego became a film star. Each hour I played a new part in a different Hollywood movie. Whether it was fan

tasy, horror, comedy or drama, each had its own plot, cast, and foreign setting.

Everything would change moment to moment, minute to minute, leaving me sitting on the edge of my cushion in an anticipation for the climax of the story.

After a few 10 hour days of this movie marathon I sat exhausted, confused, and wondering how anyone can say meditation is supposed to be “peaceful” and “relaxing”?

Frustrated with attempting to comprehend the madness of the minds illusions and projections I gave up trying and opened my eyes! It was within the act of surrender that I finally saw the truth

of my momentary reality and realised there was nothing more to understand.

As I gazed around it became obvious that I was not in a Hollywood movie set and for the first time I was able to see things as they really were. I was no longer reacting to the minds collaboration of thoughts or attached with desire to understand, I was simply just observing the present reality as it was.

Effortlessly resting within the present aided in transforming the black and white fluctuation into a subtle shade of grey. Remaining equanimous to these turbulent waves allowed me to see that memories of the past only contained perceptions and thoughts of the future were only creative painted visions.

A seed of freedom from thought began to sprout and it was within that very moment that I understood the true peace of meditation. It was not a perception of peace created from mimicking the act of meditation but a clarity that arose from a deep inner knowing.

So when I gazed upon the image that was aimed to represent peace, I viewed it in a new light.

With a new understanding I recognised that was not the straight spine, lotus legged, hand mudra, soft pouty lips or eyes closed action that depicted the true essence of meditation. Instead it was the suffering of the agonizing hip ache, sore back and frustrated filled crazy mind content that truly guides the path of inner peace.

https://www.dhamma.org.au/meditation.htm