The 9 Stages of Meditation

Sometimes meditation can be difficult and sometimes you might not know what you are experiencing and why. I found out that there are 9 levels of the mind during meditation and I found a great website explaining it all.

gnosticteachings.org...

Unfortunately, I would like to provide more information, but I have to go for now, so I'll just let the link do all the talking.

Pure ethics: Harmful activities greatly disturb the mind. In order to learn how to meditate, such activities must be completely stopped. Harmful activities include any actions (even in the heart and mind) which cause harm to ourselves or to others. Examples include ingesting intoxicants, engaging in sexual misbehavior (including masturbation), lying, stealing, killing, and more. All of these actions create karma and negatively impact the mind.

Crap!!!! I'm out!

Seriously though, great link and thanks for sharing : )

Originally posted by wrathofall

Pure ethics: Harmful activities greatly disturb the mind. In order to learn how to meditate, such activities must be completely stopped. Harmful activities include any actions (even in the heart and mind) which cause harm to ourselves or to others. Examples include ingesting intoxicants, engaging in sexual misbehavior (including masturbation), lying, stealing, killing, and more. All of these actions create karma and negatively impact the mind.

Crap!!!! I'm out!

Seriously though, great link and thanks for sharing : )

Yeah I mean, imo and in my experience, you don't have to be completely pure to be successful in meditation. I have experienced intoxicants as a hinderance, but everything else only slightly makes a difference.

reply to post by smithjustinb


Interesting. Do you apply these '9 levels' to your maditation practices?

As to point 4 in the list....unless you live totally off the grid (like a budhist monk) then I cannot see how anybody can achieve this point and hardly ever any of the others.

I suppose I should point out that I have taught meditation for almost 20 years, and yes there are many 'disciplines' or 'types' of meditation, but each individual has to find their own way, because unless you decide to live a totally 'secular' and 'off the grid' life and dedicate your life almost like a religious practice, then this form of meditation is nigh on imposible to the majority of people. IMHO.

Interesting info though.

Rainbows
Jane

Originally posted by angelchemuel
reply to post by smithjustinb

 

Interesting. Do you apply these '9 levels' to your maditation practices?

As to point 4 in the list....unless you live totally off the grid (like a budhist monk) then I cannot see how anybody can achieve this point and hardly ever any of the others.

Its definitely possible, and I have been successful in the past of achieving all but prerequisite 4 and 6. Like you said, I'm on the grid, and I can't get out at this point.

I suppose I should point out that I have taught meditation for almost 20 years, and yes there are many 'disciplines' or 'types' of meditation, but each individual has to find their own way, because unless you decide to live a totally 'secular' and 'off the grid' life and dedicate your life almost like a religious practice, then this form of meditation is nigh on imposible to the majority of people. IMHO.

Interesting info though.

Rainbows
Jane

I agree that you have to find your own way. But as far as the levels of states of mind go, that is pretty much precisely explained in the link. It's not that its a different form of meditation, its just a level of success and a level of clarity of mind. All those things if done are most if not all of what it takes for complete clarity. Being successful at meditation doesn't necessarily mean you have to adhere to all of those techniques, but those techniques, or "prerequisites", are all helpful.

Well, it's not that impossible. However leaving the grid is nessesary, even if it's done in the form of a "retreat" for small portions of time(several days/weeks up to months/years at a time). A good 90% or more of the people who meditate can never get to any high levels of awareness if all they can actually focus on is what they need to do for work/kids/life or whatever. Meditation can be great for relaxation, and that might be fine for some. However there are the few of us who use it for the actual purpose it was intended for, enlightenment.

As to the no sex/masturbastion, no drugs, no crime rule...it has absolutely nothing to do with attainment in meditation, except insofar as living in society is bad. All those things are considered bad because people can become addicted to it and it could mess with the practice. If you are thinking about some girl/guy all the time, your mind will never truely quiet( ie you are too horny to concentrate). Same goes for drugs, if you become addicted your mind can not become quiet because you want to get high all the time. And crime is just the same, people get addicted to the false power, it can be as little as stealing for a rush or as crazy as killing for sport. If you are being chased by people you have wronged it also hard to quiet the mind.

If you can't do without sex,drugs,and or violence you have to moderate it to be as natural as possible. Only have sex when offered, never go looking or caring if it happens, have no attachment but still be willing to share yourself with others. For drugs, if it doesn't grow out of the earth and isn't based seasonally you should refrain.That includes all phama meds. Violence only has negative impact when it's not part of defending oneself. But if attacked, unleash. Or put yourself in some sort of protector type role. Why do think there are forms of moving meditation that can double as a defence?

But hey, if you don't like the buddhist route go the way of the dao...

Originally posted by wrathofall

Pure ethics: Harmful activities greatly disturb the mind. In order to learn how to meditate, such activities must be completely stopped. Harmful activities include any actions (even in the heart and mind) which cause harm to ourselves or to others. Examples include ingesting intoxicants, engaging in sexual misbehavior (including masturbation), lying, stealing, killing, and more. All of these actions create karma and negatively impact the mind.

Crap!!!! I'm out!

Seriously though, great link and thanks for sharing : )

So now having a good old wank at home is wrong?

Originally posted by LordBaskettIV
Well, it's not that impossible. However leaving the grid is nessesary, even if it's done in the form of a "retreat" for small portions of time(several days/weeks up to months/years at a time). A good 90% or more of the people who meditate can never get to any high levels of awareness if all they can actually focus on is what they need to do for work/kids/life or whatever. Meditation can be great for relaxation, and that might be fine for some. However there are the few of us who use it for the actual purpose it was intended for, enlightenment.

As to the no sex/masturbastion, no drugs, no crime rule...it has absolutely nothing to do with attainment in meditation, except insofar as living in society is bad. All those things are considered bad because people can become addicted to it and it could mess with the practice. If you are thinking about some girl/guy all the time, your mind will never truely quiet( ie you are too horny to concentrate). Same goes for drugs, if you become addicted your mind can not become quiet because you want to get high all the time. And crime is just the same, people get addicted to the false power, it can be as little as stealing for a rush or as crazy as killing for sport. If you are being chased by people you have wronged it also hard to quiet the mind.

In my experience, a day or two after getting high or drunk, I always had trouble getting to that expansive meditative state. It might just be me though. Also, I understand how its good to have an awareness of nature and spiritual stuff and what not, but this doesn't necessarily (for me) require seclusion. I can still practice spirituality in a group of people that aren't.

meditation is a constant process

when cleaning, clean.
when eating, eat.
when walking, walk.

and so on

meditation is living consciously

and much like life, there is no set guidelines

do what you will


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reply to post by AnotherYOU


agreed

reply to post by smithjustinb


Everybody is different, so adjust according to ones needs I guess. The puritanical rules are simply so the whole situation can be avoided. However, think of who is writing said rules...a monk. You can't have monks who cant hold thier rice wine making a comotion in a temple while others are in meditation or whatever. A layperson has an entirely different set of rules/guidence.


However, the mind goes pretty deep and some of those places are nigh on impossible to go to unless you sit in a state of meditation for longer and longer periods of time. Infact many monestaries have "rooms" that a monk(or layperson) can take a "retreat" in. You sit in total darkness and meditate, food is served through a double door like tunnel so the person bringing the food is not seen by or is disturbing the practitioner. Obviously not everyone lives next to a bunch of monks willing to feed them. So, when not meditating you cultivate food...but this is just moving meditation as one advances. This is how you de-program all the brainwashing from society. After some time all past affairs become pointless and "you never come down from the mountain". It's not for everyone, and could be illegal depending on how you do it.