Highwhistler's views on "How does one "look" within?"

[Highwhistler]

If I write you this bio, you will openly answer others' questions? I'm prepared to do this if this is your condition.

I'm also extremely busy, but I've never cited time as a reason why I won't respond to others.

You are free to write your bio and share it, or not. It is up to you. Don't write it for me. Write it for yourself and everyone ... if YOU choose to do so.

I put no conditions on any of your communications. No one has to jump through any hoops for me.

You are free to post any messages, respond to any questions ... that's all up to you. I have no interest in directing, editing or controlling what you want to share.

Like you, I am free, too. My messages have no conditions ... just like everyone's.
 

[p340]

From my own first-hand experience: Highwhistler does not seem to be able to grasp the reasonable critic in its entirety. That's why he still answers in the same manner. My own first-hand guess would be that there are no words, that could cut through to him. Maybe it will be a moderators decision what to do with this situation.

But the equanimity of the discussants is remarkable!

Metta
p

[Dharmic Tui]

I put no conditions on any of your communications. No one has to jump through any hoops for me.

Clearly your messages have conditions. We are expected to accept them without clarification or elaboration depending on your whim and personal desires. We are also at the mercy of your arbitrarily defined conditions of your time.

There is a blurring of honesty here, we could make theories as to how far that might reach, however I'm sure the fullness of time will be the decider.

[Highwhistler]

From my own first-hand experience: Highwhistler does not seem to be able to grasp the reasonable critic in its entirety. That's why he still answers in the same manner. My own first-hand guess would be that there are no words, that could cut through to him. Maybe it will be a moderators decision what to do with this situation.

But the equanimity of the discussants is remarkable!

Thank you for posting that message p340, with such poise and emotional grace.

Maybe you are correct, when you say that the reason my answers are similar, is because "Highwhistler does not seem to be able to grasp the reasonable critic in its entirety." I hear what you are saying, and I will ponder that.

Maybe you are right, when you suggest that I have a hard shell, and that I do not listen well, when you say "that there are no words, that could cut through to him." I will ponder that point of view, too.

I do not feel challenged or threatened when others have different experiences than mine, and different points of view. In fact: I encourage them! I encourage YOU!

And I appreciate your good review about our "equanimity ... is remarkable!"

[Highwhistler]

Clearly your messages have conditions. We are expected to accept them without clarification or elaboration depending on your whim and personal desires. We are also at the mercy of your arbitrarily defined conditions of your time.

There is a blurring of honesty here, we could make theories as to how far that might reach, however I'm sure the fullness of time will be the decider.

I do not expect you or anyone to accept my messages.

In fact, I say over an over again: Please have your own experiences. Come to your own conclusions. I welcome your experiences and conclusions, to be totally and completely different than mine! I welcome everyone to not accept, or to accept, or to be neutral, about what I share. Wherever you're at with Vipassana meditation -- I support you.

In my messages, I'm being truthful and as clear as possible. I elaborate as much as possible ... trying my best to create messages that, first, are truthful translations of my own first-hand experiences ... and secondly, that might be useful to a wide spectrum of readers.

My messages are not required reading for anyone. No way! Hence, no one is at the mercy of my messages, or my schedule, or the free time that I have to create postings ... unless they want to experience that point of view.

People are free to experience the feeling "We are at the mercy" ... that is up to them. They can feel anything they want.

Hey, I have a good idea. Why don't you tell us about your own direct, first-hand, ongoing experiences of emptiness. Tell us about the "structure of the emptiness experience" ... kind of like, the anatomy of the emptiness experience -- that YOU are having.

You can also share your own, fist-hand, wide-awake Out of Body Experiences. It will be fascinating to hear what you have to say.

And ... when you report that your experiences are different than mine. Fine. I'm perfectly OK with that. I support you messages. Your experiences are certainly equal to mine, and as valid as mine. And I thank you, in advance.

[Attachless]

Usually what one would do here is roll ones eyes once and leave this alone.

At least that´s my (own first-hand direct) intuitive response to this by now. May be a good way to go

In regards to out of body experiences, this may be an interesting topic to be dealt with in a different topic, probably in a different section of the forum as well (at least I don`t know if it fits into the practice of vipassana per se). It`s an interesting topic for sure, paired with the topic of "who am I" (in regards to consciousness/"Presence") etc., as I`ve made certain experiences and heard of experiences from others on certain substances that would come to different - actually even opposing - conclusions with quite the same experience you describe. So this all seems to be a matter of interpretation and point of view, hence speculation beyond the (direct first-hand^^) experience itself. Labeling, interpreting an experience is not "truth" itself - only the experience as such is, yes?

Well, darn, I got into this too now.. I will roll eyes and leave alone, and follow my own (direct first-hand) advice :-D

[Highwhistler]

Hi Attachless. I believe that the out-of-body experience that I'm talking about in this thread, pertains to the topic of this thread in two ways:

1. I report on my first-hand, repeatable, wide-awake, fully alert, OB experiences while doing Vispassana-based meditation. My main message on OBE is here: http://www.vipassanaforum.net/forum/index.php/topic,2880.25.html

2. The title of this thread is "Highwhistler's views on "How does one "look" within?" ... and certainly the OBE that I describe, falls into that category.

Labeling, interpreting an experience is not "truth" itself - only the experience as such is, yes?

I think in Buddhism, truth is had through direct, first-hand experiences. It is called direct knowledge, or insight knowledge.

Truth is not had by reading about it in a book, or repeating what a teacher or a tradition has told you. Truth is attained, assimilated and understood by direct, first-hand, ongoing experiences.

Furthermore, it is best to have the authentic insight experiences to be repeatable within your here and now experience, being in a bright, wide awake state of mind -- rather than to simply recall your truths from memories, which can be highly inaccurate. 

Labeling and interpreting first-hand experiences are truth for the individual who is having the experience, if s/he is speaking as truthfully as possible. Other people, upon hearing the description of a person's first-hand experiences, may or may not think them to be true.

Even the Buddha, after his enlightening experiences, shared his interpretation of his experiences by translating the actual inner experiences into words, phrases and concepts ... that became the written word of Buddhist scriptures. And so you, I, and everyone down through the ages, are contemplating the Buddha's translation into words, of his personal experiences, and his personal insights.

Thank you.

[Dharmic Tui]

I do not expect you or anyone to accept my messages.

In fact, I say over an over again: Please have your own experiences.

I don't believe it's individual experience which is being called into question here.

In my messages, I'm being truthful and as clear as possible. I elaborate as much as possible ... trying my best to create messages that, first, are truthful translations of my own first-hand experiences

As some potential advise for you then, you would improve the possibility of making your messages as truthful and clear as possible, by answering others' more truthfully are clearly. You are putting more effort into being evasive and elusive than you are in being open and direct.

I am wondering what value the word "Sangha" holds with you.

Hey, I have a good idea. Why don't you tell us about your own direct, first-hand, ongoing experiences of emptiness. Tell us about the "structure of the emptiness experience" ... kind of like, the anatomy of the emptiness experience -- that YOU are having.

This is something that isn't as easy for me as it appears to be for you. My experience of emptiness brings with it a lack of attachment to words used to describe it, otherwise I wouldn't attribute the label emptiness to it. Perhaps an increase in analysis is something that gets re-introduced to practice with greater time under my belt, it is hard to say.

You can also share your own, fist-hand, wide-awake Out of Body Experiences. It will be fascinating to hear what you have to say.

I have lacked any wide awake out of body experiences, for I lack the ability to experience anything outside of my body (I am however able to observe things outside of my own body, using other senses like my sight and hearing). Perhaps that is fascinating.

And ... when you report that your experiences are different than mine. Fine. I'm perfectly OK with that. I support you messages. Your experiences are certainly equal to mine, and as valid as mine. And I thank you, in advance.

I appreciate the level of equanimity and acceptance you inject into your words.

[Matthew]

Highwhistler,

You don't seem to be able to see the highly passive aggressive tone of your comments to other community members.

Or maybe you do? I'm calling you out as a troll. You're behaviour is disrupting to members of the community, you are trying to instruct people in the "World according to Highwhistler". Jeez .. you already listed an upcoming schedule of what you intend to teach everyone next.

Seriously, you did miss the lesson from your Zen master about letting go: at least you missed what it means. Meditation for you has built ego. Ego therefore infects your every word, your every interpretation of experiences in meditation.

My Zen master taught me that sometimes you just have to let go. Experience over eight years of administering this forum has taught me that the longer you stay posting the worse things will get. We get someone like you coming along once or twice a year. It often becomes acrimonious and it is starting to here. Before I've always taken the attitude of "give them enough rope", yet that always leads to greater division and tension in the end.

So it's time to say goodbye. I'm banning you with immediate effect before this propagates into further nonsense.

If anyone in the community has an issue with that decision please raise it with myself or Vivek - it's open to reconsideration if a majority of members feel this action to be mistaken.

[Dharmic Tui]

Sad but probably necessary.

[Attachless]

Goes well with my "Usually what one would do here is roll ones eyes once and leave this alone.", although I`m happy I don`t have to make that decision (am I a do-gooder?).

[p340]

Sad but probably necessary.

Ya.. Thanks for doing the hard things..

[Liongate]

Well, that went to hell in a handbasket, didn't it?

I've taken the time to read virtually all of the posts in this thread, with the exception of some of he rather lengthy diatribes by Mr. Highwhistler. What I've gathered from the discussion that exploded from the rather simple question, "how does one look within[?]" is the rather simple answer "just keep looking without expectation and you'll find out."

It has compelled me to ask the further questions, "what is the difference between Vipassana and Advaita[?]" (condensed version, please) and also, "how does one find a genuine master to learn from?"

Additionally, @Matthew, you mentioned that I should not use music but I've found it helpful in masking some of the more distracting noises in the home while I meditate in the morning. I don't use it as a point of focus but it does come in and out of awareness like other things.

[Attachless]

@Liongate

I always have Ohropax with me (since I'm traveling atm). Very recommendable. They are very cheap, and can be reused many times (in fact I use them almost 2 months now and have not even put my fingers on 2 of the 4 available pairs).

Also interested in Advaita vs. Vipassana, maybe new topic for this one? :-)

[Liongate]

Done! So you apparently agree that music is a distraction. Incidentally, I use music from YouTube described as "Tibetan Meditation Music" or "Tibetan Bells," not Thin Lizzy... not that it matters. So is it sensory deprivation that is the goal then?

[Attachless]

It is unreliability of sensory tools I guess that is the goal, not deprivation per se, and sensory deprivation is just helpful, just a means. I meditate with noises around me too, but when I got the earplugs, it's just more comfortable to have outer silence, for me to establish the inner silence. Have noise the rest of the day anyway, so.. =)

And I havn't meditated much with music, but I believe it should be used just as a spring board for people who have many problems even focusing a bit, relaxing a bit. If you are not one of these persons but just mind the noise around you, maybe try earplugs imo.

[Matthew]

@Liongate

Music can get in the way, yet if for you at the moment it helps .. then use it.

Sad but probably necessary.

Indeed.

Ya.. Thanks for doing the hard things..

Thank you. It''s not pleasant.

[Liongate]

And I haven't meditated much with music, but I believe it should be used just as a spring board for people who have many problems even focusing a bit, relaxing a bit. If you are not one of these persons but just mind the noise around you, maybe try earplugs imo.

From your suggestions, I started using a recording of rain falling or just the hum of repeated "om." That works fine too. I meditate in the morning before work so my wife is getting ready, the dog is barking at people outside on the sidewalk, etc. I just like to put earbuds in and have some white noise to cover the noise of the activity.

[Dharmic Tui]

Last week I was having a sitting whereby my family invaded - dog started barking, kids cranked up the TV loud and then decided to talk over the top of it to boot. In the past that would have had me spring up and tell everyone to be quiet, however in this instance I noted they were there and then continued with my sitting.

That might be a useless anecdote except to say hopefully over time the buds aren't needed as you develop more of a Teflon mind.

[Liongate]

That might be a useless anecdote except to say hopefully over time the buds aren't needed as you develop more of a Teflon mind.

I have a Bernese Mountain Dog who has quite a loud bark. It's funny -- early on in my practice I became aware of how much of a physical reaction I had to it. If he barked, I really jumped. Now, even without the earbuds I have been able to experience it without jumping, or at least after the first surprise shock. Now it's just a noise and I can let it go. I have discovered I can be much calmer in the face of loud noises.

[p340]

It's not the noise disturbing you, it's you disturbing the noise...

[Attachless]

It's not the noise disturbing you, it's you disturbing the noise...

=)

[Liongate]

It's not the noise disturbing you, it's you disturbing the noise...

Rather we're one and the same...