The Truth of the Matter is...
Vipassana meditation has just ended. One more under my belt and two in the last 6 months. My first Vipassana was 7 years ago. So what brings me this time to have two, so very close together; two encounters with silence and retreat for ten days of my life? Comforts are out sight and out of touch. The curtain of austerity is drawn and the scene is set. Arrrgh! I can only add that natural instinct or perhaps my occult, deepest desire prompted me to take a more profound glimpse into the depths of my psyche or what makes my mind tick; To hopefully get to the truth of what is arising, the ten hours of silent meditation every day is a great help. Why? Because there is no escaping!
To get to the Truth about anything is a serious task. Whether it is in just day to day interactions or whether meditation, are we really aware? We tend to miss so much of the detail of life. Our minds are always onto the next thing denying the present moment. Scattered mind cannot remain present.
Vipassana meditation requires us to turn consciousness inward and awareness out; a psychic dissection of mind through matter, our gross body matter. This precise technique teaches and trains you to objectify thoughts and feelings as they come up. (see My last blog MYOB-Vipassana Meditation)
Emotional antennae are strong and coloured with personal perceptions that will definitely lead you astray from getting to the routes containing ‘the truth of the matter’. Whether it is a thought or a sensation on the body we are required to just observe without criticism or emotional reaction. It’s actually, to coin a phrase “mind over matter” in these gruelling times of painful recognitions. (dukkha; suffering and misery through attachment and desire)
As S.N Goenka says, the first truth at the experiential level is the truth of change, everything is constantly changing. And What you experience in the framework of the body is part of nature’s natural law of impermanence, Anicca. Therefore, meditation requires equanamous observation whether it is the good, flowing vibrations or the condensed stuck vibrations of matter without attachment.
At times I am able to do this and that’s the turning point when the deeper aspects of being reveals itself. The layers are many, sometimes your body just dissolves into pure energy alone, Samadhi, sometimes you find yourself in another place and time, a portal seems to open but oh so brief just a glimpse of something other than the reality you know. This is when we can delve into the Kelapas of physical matter, the subatomic particles of what makes us solid; sub atomic particle arises and passes trillions of times in one second and 22 zeros after – (Scientifically proven with the Bubble chamber in 1960, by Nobel Prize Laureate Donald A. Glasser )
This is our reality but also in Buddhist terms the non-reality, non-essence of existence (Anatta) is where you dissolve into the abyss of nothing.
It was said that Buddha had seen all of his past lives and the complexities of Sankhara (mental formation or pre-dispositions) creating the never ending cycle of Samsara. The Truth for Buddha is to arrive at the path of Dhamma, universal law of nature to release the suffering of existence. The Vipassana technique guides us onto that path, the path of Dhamma – to experience things for what they really are, to experience the deeper dimensions of what the universe is offering. You know when you are on the path because a sense of contentment, freedom and bliss permeates to our most essential being but keeping in mind that it is our non- essence of being, Anatta that relinquishes all of our likes and dislikes, opinions and desires, wants and needs. They just all dissolve as the patterns of mind’s pre-dispositions are broken down we have the opportunity to recreate ourselves. From the deepest cellular level Kelapas we are arising and passing away, Annica.
Meditation allows us to find our own truth regardless of what any teacher is advocating. We all need to look deep within ourselves. Aligning ourselves with this order of nature Dhamma allows us to surrender to life in a harmonious way of being and brings to light our deepest self, one that is born of humility, and love for all.
Understanding Annica, Dukkha and Anatta in Buddha’s tradition are the keys in overriding your attachments physically or mentally to progress toward your own innate intelligence on route to enlightenment.
Annica means the impermanence of things and it is that word that permeates throughout mind/body during meditation course. A beautiful reminder for when things get tough, that nothing is permanent and all we are doing is riding the waves of duality, Pain becomes Bliss and Bliss, Pain.