Not really any pressing news here. For a homebody like myself, COVID hasn't changed the routine all that much.
Have been on kick of getting my habits in order. For 49 days I kept a couple of index cards of habits I wanted to work on (exercise, only eating sweets once a week, sleeping without any devices around me) and I would cross them off every day. Half of them fell to the wayside (sweets got me early on, haha), but the other half (exercise, flossing, meditating, etc.) show numerous X's...showing I was committed.
Now I floss out of habit. Pretty amazing, huh?
I've started another set of index cards to continue building these routines. The intention is that they'll become so ingrained in my life, I won't have to think twice about doing them.
Meditation has been interesting. Have been doing an array of different types every day--this patchwork quilt of practices would probably be frowned on by any teacher, haha.
I had, at some point, an experience that has been the whole object of meditation for a while now, where one sees "the self", or what is thought of, at least conventionally, as the self, as an illusion. Some people call this the awakening experience (an unnecessarily fanciful term!), or stream entry, though it's tough to say for sure since it's something that can only be verified over time. Regardless, just having the glimpse was so interesting. And funny. It was realizing one has carried around "the self" on one's back one's entire life, when it is entirely not needed to live life. I could not stop laughing the night of that particular "glimpse".
After that, everything began unfolding like people said it would. Life just happens. And without the "I" saying "what about me, me, me, me" incessantly in the background. There was more stuff that happened but I can't quite describe it without sounding like a maniac.
One of the meditation practices that pointed the way has been a method called "direct inquiry", where one is asked a specific question. The meditation follows from there. Loch Kelly is an instructor who teaches one type of inquiry. This is one of his guided meditations, which has helped some people experience a "glimpse" of the nature of what some call the "true self", without the problem-solving "I" constantly in the way. https://insighttimer.com/lochkelly/guided-meditations/no-problem-to-solve.
Oops, I started a comment and lost it. I'll try again. I did watch that YouTube video in your last post. I see what you mean about funny and not funny at the same time.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a great time to be developing a meditation practice. I know people have strong opinions about what the best method is, but I think the best method is the one you will actually DO! And it sounds like whatever you are doing is working for you.
So I'm curious about the 3000 straws name. I went back to your first post but did not see an explanation. Is there a story here?
Hi Galen! Oh, it was just 3000 straws I picked up at Costco a decade ago...it took me many years to get through that box. I wish it there was a more mysterious or significant explanation, but there sadly isn't! lol. I have no idea why that popped up in my head when I thought of a user name. Straws aren't very environmentally friendly...I know that now...
DeletePS -- I saw in an earlier post that you started A Course in Miracles. How is that going for you? If you'd like to chat about it, email me at galenpearl@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks Galen! I certainly will! I stopped after a few days because I felt I had too many meditation practices going on at once, but it may be something I pick up again. I know it has helped so many people. <3
DeleteDang, lost my comment when I hit on the link. You do have me curious what my "self" looks like. I do hope it is humorous and not scary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation of the 3000 straws. I would never have guessed that. Now I will check the link--after I publish.
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