nirvana & meditation

   There are no stages, no levels, no advanced levels and beginner levels. That is just the invention of the mind which cannot see the whole thing, and instead of sincerely admitting it cannot see, invents partial seeing.'I don't quite see the whole thing, but I see a little bit, and tomorrow I will see more and the next time more' . says such a mind.

  In actuality, it doesn't see anything at all. You either see the whole thing or nothing at all is seen. Because the fragment is part of the same movement as the whole, so you cannot see the fragment but not the movement, which is the very whole. The fragment is not static, it's moving, and if one is unaware of this movement, which is the whole, then what is seen is but an image of the fragment:now that image of the fragment belongs to a completely different movement, which has nothing to do with the whole.

  Calmness cannot be pre-requisite of insight because insight is need to come to calmness, let's not get the wrong end of the stick.

I think I do sometimes Till. I very much value you both . I'll give you an example of something Troy said that opened my mind .I talked about letting go , and Troy told me it was for a purpose . He was right . Whenever I don't engage the problems my mind formulates it's for a purpose . To be healthy or to see more clearly what I am . I'm curious though how Troy finds truth and peace without a practice . Whether or not he has any meditation technique whatsoever . Also whether he ever records the insights he has. Does anyone meditate for years and never map their journey once ?

  What exactly you want me to clarify?

  Contradiction: 'now' is outside of time--obviously...And so when you say 'now' is not meditation but meditation is outside of time you have made it all intellectual, a mental construct, to use your words. And a contradictory mental construct at that.

Nearly every post Troy, for example 359.

Maybe you can shortly explain what you think meditation is. 

  No need to record insights--that would indicate, to me, a fear of losing them, with the implication that one will never be able to have those insights again.

  A meditating mind lives on insights, from the smallest details to the bigger affairs in life. But a meditating mind needs a certain opening of the door, if you will. Without that, meditation never happens.

  If meditation and the present moment are two different things, as xaming wrote, then it's just an escape: anything that doesn't include the present moment is an escape, I think you would agree to this.

  So if meditation is all about the present moment, how can it happen? Normally, we miss the present moment. This is normally not accepted, so I 'll stop here for now.

Yes very good, now I got your point and I also think you are right. Keep it up 

  So the question remains: how does it happen? This swift change in perception: the present moment is a whole different dimension.

Nirvana is a Buddhist concept and they do not believe in a soul.  Do you want to clarify the question?

Where was 'now' last night when you slept?  If you are here, you are in time even if you observe 'now'.  That is not Nirvana. 

  Who cares about concepts? Really. Nirvana, not Nirvana, Heaven, not Heaven, the only thing that matters is to live peacefully, a life devoid of conflicts--that is much more to it, much more behind simply not having any conflict whatsoever, and that may be the real Nirvana, not a concept.

  That is the beauty: the present moment doesn't stop once you go to sleep: it continues, not the moment but the movement.

  But what we do is this: we go after concepts, simply thinking that the present moment is something we are experiencing already. Only we aren't, so we keep chasing wonderful concepts which have nothing to do with the present moment.

  Come to this present moment, and see if you will be asking questions about Nirvana during sleep after that.

  To 372.

Troy, I don't mean to be troublesome but I just don't get you.  You are anti everything.  Now its concepts.  Dinner is a concept, you accept it as such and you eat.  Marriage is a concept.  Are you married or have you determined it is just a concept so you won't go there?  Everything is a concept or as the Greeks said 'an idea'.  And if the only thing that metters is to live peacefully then I suggest you start before the concept of time catches up with you and takes you to the next concept.

Snicker snicker.

Is Meditation Really Beneficial, or Is It Just Ridiculous?

I've seen you guys post a few things about the benefits of meditation, and I only have one question: Really? I'm pretty skeptical. Is there some actual science behind meditation benefits, or is this just one of those trends?

The meditation you've been hearing about isn't quite as stereotypical as you're probably thinking. And indeed, there is some science behind it: meditation has been a hot topic for all sorts of studies recently, and the supposed benefits range from jump-starting your productivity to improving your memory. Let's start by defining what meditation actually is, what the benefits are, and how you can implement it into your daily schedule.

What Meditation Really Is

If you see the word meditation and immediately conjure up religious images or deadbeats wasting time at work, you're not alone—but that's not exactly what we're talking about here. Mindful meditation, despite it's awkward name, is really just about training your brain to concentrate and focus better. As professor David Levy describes it to USA Today, meditation is just another exercise:

Meditation is a lot like doing reps at a gym. It strengthens your attention muscle.

That's it. You don't need to buy yoga pants, burn incense, or even sit a particular way. The purpose of meditation is to train your brain just like you do the rest of your muscles. In this case, that means concentrating and focusing on one thing in your brain for a little while. As The New York Times points out, it's about being mindful of what you're doing:

Though the concept originates in ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese traditions, when it comes to experimental psychology, mindfulness is less about spirituality and more about concentration: the ability to quiet your mind, focus your attention on the present, and dismiss any distractions that come your way.

So, if you're struggling with concentration and focus, it's thought that meditation is one simple way to train yourself to get better at it. All it really takes is the ability to intentionally not think about anything for a little while.

The Benefits of Meditation

It's long been thought that meditation plays some role in concentration and focus, but only recently have we started to see studies that actually reflect the common wisdom.

For example, one study from the University of Washington showed that meditation can increase productivity and help you focus, another study published in Brain Research Bulletin suggests meditation can decrease stress, and another by the University of Massachussetts Medical School has shown medidation can boost your overall brain power in a number of ways. Simply put, while researchers are still gathering evidence about the effects of meditation, it looks like even short stints of meditation have a positive effect on the brain's ability to concentrate. That in turn makes it easier to focus, retain memories, and be more productive.

How Meditating for Eight Weeks Can Boost Your Brain

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On a more circumstantial level, meditation can also help you avoid information overload to help reduce the amount of noisy news around you all the time. Meditation is also helpful when you want to improve your powers of observation, or change habits and craving.

Avoid Information Overload with Regular Meditation

How to Meditate

We've put together a guide to meditation before, and it's just as simple as it sounds. There really aren't any special tricks, magic incantations, or weird brain hacks. It's just about sitting quietly and concentrating for a while. The The Harvard Business Review has a meditation system we can all use:

Sit with your back straight enough that your breathing is comfortable—on a chair or a cushion on the floor—and set a timer for however many minutes you want to meditate. Once you start the timer, close your eyes, relax, and don't move except to breathe, until the timer goes off. Focus on your breath going in and out. Every time you have a thought or an urge, notice it and bring yourself back to your breath.

While a lot of the studies above dig into longer meditation periods, you don't need to dedicate that large of a chunk of time. two minutes a day is beneficial, and you can even use apps to help you calm down for those short periods of time no matter where you are.

Develop a Two-Minute Meditation Habit and Make It Stick

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So, while it might seem strange to you, take a few minutes everyday to just relax, clear your mind, and concentrate on your breathing. It's simple, doesn't take up that much of your day, and has been shown to have substantial benefits in all kinds of ways. If nothing else, it at least gets you away from your desk (and work) for a couple minutes

  Beneficial in the sense of not being an escape, such as anything that doesn't include the present moment.