'G' sent me an email enquiring what practices I followed which led to my realisation (or clear-seeing – or whatever term we may wish to use).
The simple answer is none.
I was never a seeker as such. I took an interest in Zen for many years following my first glimpse of the true nature of reality. These early experiences are detailed in my first posts on this site. Preceding these first glimpses, there was no practice at all and no interest in anything of a spiritual nature. Following these first glimpses, I began to have an appreciation of Zen and the concept of there being something more. I described these first glimpses as being what I imagine people felt when they ‘found God’. My only preparation and practice that I can really identify is having an unhappy youth and medicating myself with drink and drugs to the point of having a total breakdown. It was at the low point of my life that I saw the sky, the birds and the trees entirely differently. I didn’t at that time have a vocabulary to describe these glimpses but I an now say that I saw outside of my body as entirely connected and one with my mind-body – a non-dual experiencing of life.
I don’t recommend anyone follow this route (!) nor do I think that it is the only way to experience a shift. I am not one of these people that criticise spiritual practice or seeking but I do believe that things just happen when they happen for complex and wonderfully unknown (and unknowable) reasons.
The latest stage of my ‘shift’ – and the one that has remained with me intimately during every moment of my life now (although I am not arrogant enough to suggest that I am complete in any way…. we never truly ‘arrive’!) was prefaced by a long period of physical pain. It interests me that my earlier glimpses were prefaced by emotional pain – there seems (in my own experience) to be a low point that shocks the mind-body into clearer seeing. Why this is, I can only surmise.
Apologies that this is not more prescriptive. I have been determined that I would not (and actually could not) offer solutions, prescriptions or panaceas but simply describe how things are experienced from where I am. Please feel free to correspond further and ask as many questions as you wish. The recent increase in website visits following Jerry’s link, and the questions that have come from you has drawn me back. I want this site to be a dialogue rather than a monologue and will continue to write all the time there is an urge within me and a desire from others.
The simple answer is none.
I was never a seeker as such. I took an interest in Zen for many years following my first glimpse of the true nature of reality. These early experiences are detailed in my first posts on this site. Preceding these first glimpses, there was no practice at all and no interest in anything of a spiritual nature. Following these first glimpses, I began to have an appreciation of Zen and the concept of there being something more. I described these first glimpses as being what I imagine people felt when they ‘found God’. My only preparation and practice that I can really identify is having an unhappy youth and medicating myself with drink and drugs to the point of having a total breakdown. It was at the low point of my life that I saw the sky, the birds and the trees entirely differently. I didn’t at that time have a vocabulary to describe these glimpses but I an now say that I saw outside of my body as entirely connected and one with my mind-body – a non-dual experiencing of life.
I don’t recommend anyone follow this route (!) nor do I think that it is the only way to experience a shift. I am not one of these people that criticise spiritual practice or seeking but I do believe that things just happen when they happen for complex and wonderfully unknown (and unknowable) reasons.
The latest stage of my ‘shift’ – and the one that has remained with me intimately during every moment of my life now (although I am not arrogant enough to suggest that I am complete in any way…. we never truly ‘arrive’!) was prefaced by a long period of physical pain. It interests me that my earlier glimpses were prefaced by emotional pain – there seems (in my own experience) to be a low point that shocks the mind-body into clearer seeing. Why this is, I can only surmise.
Apologies that this is not more prescriptive. I have been determined that I would not (and actually could not) offer solutions, prescriptions or panaceas but simply describe how things are experienced from where I am. Please feel free to correspond further and ask as many questions as you wish. The recent increase in website visits following Jerry’s link, and the questions that have come from you has drawn me back. I want this site to be a dialogue rather than a monologue and will continue to write all the time there is an urge within me and a desire from others.
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