The Activity Of Meditation

I would like to explore the idea of stillness during meditation. I believe that many people who do not meditate mistakenly think that meditation is all about being very still. However, stillness is not what I achieve when I meditate. In my experience, meditation is filled with activity and creativity. Allow me to explain what happens when I meditate.
One of the first books that I read on the practice of meditation by a highly realized Tibetan Buddhist teacher is Meditation In Action, by Chogyam Trungpa. The title itself says a lot about what the book reveals. I mention it here because of our ongoing discussion of meditation, creativity, activity and stillness.

From the description of Meditation In Action:

"He explores the six activities associated with meditation in action—generosity, discipline, patience, energy, clarity, and wisdom—revealing that through simple, direct experience, one can attain real wisdom: the ability to see clearly into situations and deal with them skillfully, without the self-consciousness connected with ego."

From the book, opposite the title page:

"The design on the cover is based on one of the seals of the Trungpa Tulkus (reincarted Trungpa Lamas). It is the Sanskrit word "Evam", meaning "Thus" and is used at the beginning of all sutras "Thus I have heard". At another level "E" represents the passive, and "Vam" the active force in the Universe. At a still deeper level "E" represents Emptiness, and "Vam", the Clear Light."

The multidimensional symbol of "Evam" is another reason I thought it appropriate to include the book cover here. There is no doubt that the creation of the seal of the Trungpa Tulkus was developed from a deeply meditative state. This is an example of the act of creation of a graphic symbol artistically developed to convey a profound multidimensional meaning. Furthermore, this symbol represents both the unity of passive and active forces in the universe, and the unity of emptiness and clear light.

For me, there is no stillness, even while seated in deep meditation. The universe is constantly in motion. The meditative technique includes body awareness. All my senses are working while I witness my breath going in and out, my heart beating, the incense filling my nostrils, the sight of the flickering candle, environmental sounds, the stress of the muscles in my arms, legs, spine and neck, etc. In addition, I practice walking meditation, which in that case involves walking around in circles. Sometimes meditation involves mental analysis. The practice of a Puja requires chanting, hand gestures, visualization techniques and sometimes playing a musical instrument or manipulating a ritual object. So there is activity of all sorts during meditation.

Really the only difference for me between mundane activities and meditation, is that meditation removes ego and increases realization of the ultimate nature of reality.

What happens for me during Vipassana (insight) meditation is that as I sit and concentrate on my breath, I become more in the moment. Extraneous, random and distracting thoughts disappear. I become aware of the Universe as it really is. Sometimes inspirational thoughts emerge.

From Wikipedia:

Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi (vipaśyin). Vipassana is one of the world's most ancient techniques of sitting meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha. It is a practice of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection to the extent that sitting with a steadfast mind becomes an active experience of change and impermanence. In English, vipassanā meditation is often referred to simply as "insight meditation".

This point is very important to me regarding insight meditation, awareness "becomes an active experience of change and impermanence." This is the awareness of the ultimate nature of reality; the union of Emptiness and Clear Light.

As is in keeping with the realization of the union of Emptiness and Clear Light, the experience of insight meditation is itself a creative act. The mind is not "turned off," it is simply in touch with the essence of reality.

Therefore, this is a prime opportunity to practice creative multidimensional thinking and to open myself to visualizations of geometric symbols representative of higher states of consciousness. The nature of how the Universe works is revealed during meditation, why not participate actively in the dance at that very moment? The better question is, "How can you sit still and not participate?"

Synergetics Geometry Studio

MISSION STATEMENT 
A STUDIO where positive IN-tention and pure, unstained action of body, speech and mind, occurs spontaneously IN the moment, aligning effortlessly with the natural rhythmic cycling of the IN-wardly spiraling, self-IN-terfering, associative material energies, and the OUT-wardly spiraling, radially expanding, dis-associative, light energies, provided by Earth, Sun, Moon, planets, stars and galaxies, IN harmony with the most subtle vibrations of cosmic consciousness, universal law, truth, beauty, symmetry and awareness of the IN-terconnectedness of self and all other beings.

A STUDIO where such positively intended vectors of body, speech and mind, forming a minimum, triangular, right-hand spiral unite with a minimum, triangular left-hand spiral comprised of the vectors of truth, beauty and symmetry to form a Synergetic abstract tetrahedral minimum system, which being the IN-tuitive, IN-tellectual heart of the STUDIO, divides the entire universe at this locus into three consideration sets:

1. The micro-cosmic volume of un-manifest no-thing-ness and all beings taking refuge IN-side the STUDIO
2. An integrated, holistic, creative-living system comprised of structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO itself
3. The macro-cosmic other-ness of all energies and beings, both positive and negative, OUT-side the STUDIO.

A STUDIO where the micro-cosmic volume of un-manifest no-thing-ness IN-side the STUDIO resonates with the positively IN-tended right-hand spiraling vectors of body, speech and mind of the beings IN-habiting the STUDIO, resulting in un-IN-hibited and IN-spired re-structuring of material and energetic natural resources with-IN the STUDIO, thus re-forming the resources IN-to ART-SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY physical artifacts that re-flect the left-hand spiraling vectors of truth, beauty and symmetry, which ultimately re-IN-forces the abstract tetrahedral minimum system at the heart of the STUDIO.

A STUDIO where such positively IN-tended right-hand spiraling vectors of body, speech and mind of the beings STUDIO IN-habitants spontaneously, and safely IN-teract with material and energetic natural resources with-IN the STUDIO to creatively form spiral-orbital re-structurings of these resources, thereby un-knotting the self-IN-terfering, associative physical structures of the material resources through the controlled application of sacred spiral radiating, dis-associative energies, ultimately forming artifacts that re-flect truth, beauty and symmetry which may then be propagated and distributed OUT-side the STUDIO to benefit unlimited numbers of beings.

A STUDIO where the creative activities of STUDIO IN-habitants are supported by the structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO, which itself is an IN-spired artifact (tool for creative living), IN harmony with IN-habitants' physical and meta-physical requirements, thereby forming a REFUGE that both protects and nurtures while simultaneously enabling the safe and un-IN-hibited manipulation of material and energetic resources for the purpose of positively IN-tended artifact development.

A STUDIO where the macro-cosmic other-ness of all energies and beings, both positive and negative, OUT-side the STUDIO are brought IN-to the compassionate awareness and creative consideration of STUDIO IN-habitants, and because the STUDIO IN-habitants' physical and meta-physical positive growth requirements are met elegantly and efficiently IN harmony with the planet's regenerative systems, the STUDIO IN-habitants spontaneously, with wisdom, IN-telligence and skillful means, safely leverage the un-bounded, IN-spiraling associative and OUT-spiralling dis-associative cosmic energies, carefully applied to physical and energetic resources, empowered by the structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO, to form ART-SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY physical artifacts to be distributed to beings OUT-side the STUDIO, in a manner which reflects the axioms of truth, beauty and symmetry at the abstract of heart of the STUDIO, forming a sacred bond of realized IN-terconnectedness with those beings receiving the artifacts OUT-side the STUDIO, ultimately expanding the STUDIO's positive vibrations at the most subtle level of cosmic consciousness, following planetary lines of energy, causing sympathetic vibrational modes in all planetary GREAT CIRCLE wave lines, thereby healing planetary dis-harmony, resulting in planet-wide peace and happiness.

30 Transcendent Virtues
by Tom Greenbaum

Ayn Rand on Art and Creativity

A tenent that I particularly appreciate in Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is that the stated role of art in human life is to transform man's widest metaphysical ideas, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form—a work of art—that he can comprehend and to which he can respond emotionally.


Ayn Rand said, “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.”

Some Notable Ayn Rand Quotes

I heard the following quote on a recent episode of Criminal Minds television show. I am a big fan of this TV show and a much bigger fan of Ayn Rand. I read Ayn Rands' The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged in college; both books had a big impact on me. It has been a while since I thought about Ayn Rand and so I felt a compulsion to record this excellent quote.

“Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it. Do not count on them. Leave them alone.”

The last two sentences of the quote were not mentioned in the Criminal Minds episode. Of course, the FBI agents would not have much to do if they followed the last bit of advice.
My challenge is to "leave them alone" as Ayn Rand says. Definitely a tough one for me. I am a student of reason and find it frustrating when I encounter someone who denies reason. It is almost a feeling of religious zealotry that grips me. I feel the need to convert the person to a belief in reason. This is especially difficult for me in dealing with my father who I feel often denies reason for the sole purpose of winnning an argument.

“The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.”

Then we come to this quote about truth and the persons who seek it. This tempers my need to convert people to the belief in reason because it is also the path of the truth seeker. Who am I to force someone on the path to seek truth? Truth can only be found by following reason. Therefore, someone who denies reason has no interest in the truth. Do you agree?

What about religious truth? Can this be found using reason? The Buddhists believe this. The seeker applies intellect, logic and reason to the path of truth in order to test all assumptions and relative truths. It is only after exhausting these tools that we come to the end of the path and find the absolute truth which is beyond logic and reason.

Teyata Om Gate Gate Para Gate Para Sohm Gate Bodhi Swaha

This is the great mantra from the "Heart Sutra" also known as the Prajnaparamita Sutra. It means Beyond, Beyond, The Great Beyond, Beyond That Beyond, Awaken, Rejoice!

Ayn Rand reminds us that reason is the source of all great creative acts. Can we include the "highest religious abstraction" among the artifacts of our reason as she states? Some may have a problem with this. I believe this is true, because language itself is a product of reason.

“From the smallest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and everything we have comes from one attribute of man -- the function of his reasoning mind.”

The Buddha says that words [religious abstraction] are but fingers pointing at the moon. They are not the moon itself. The intent is to look at the moon and not focus on the fingers. In this way, the religious abstraction, an artifact of reason, can point to the absolute truth beyond the reasoning mind.

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others”

Which brings us to creative compassion, or compassionate creativity. This is the foundation of Ayn Rand's philosophy. The reasoning mind, with its tremendous power to create is motivated by compassion. A wonderful, beautiful and hopeful thought indeed. Something that is needed especially in troubling times when world finance is controlled not by compassionate creative people, but by destructive, anti-creative scammers (anti-truth seekers) motivated by greed.