Meditation Teacher 3

Meditation Teacher 3 is to Learn from the Mirror.

Kaliji says this is cleaning a mirror and that we should see where the thoughts are coming from. This is the basis of self inquiry.

Reflection

Taking time to reflect.

I find in my mind, that there are a variety of voices, imagination, memory, emotional movements, and sensory data.

As the mind becomes quiet one begins to sense the quality of thought. In thinking there is a focus on an object, it may be a mental object such as an intellectual topic, it may be involved in a situation and expand into an imaginary object, a world of the mind. As your attention is placed on these then you will involve the emotions, via judgment or emotional reaction, and the memory brining up similar situations, associations. Further you will begin to work with imagination either by contrasting or creating a possibility.

The above shows how much is going on.

By quieting the mind one becomes more sensitive to the flow of consciousness and one begins to train the mind to be open and receptive to higher guidance. The mirror becomes clear to reflect accurately that guidance, to see clearly what is really going on, creating a space for intuition and deeper movements of the heart to arise.

It is one thing to look in the mirror it is another to see the self.

If we have a tendency to avoid the unknown, or to avoid painful things then we may distract the mind, and those contents will have a secret agenda. They will mask the real intent. For instance let's suppose you were attracted to someone, but that person or yourself was unavailable. Rather than confront your own feelings, you harbor a secret desire, at the same time you have a feeling of inhibition. This ambivalence may show up in your mind via remembering the Bee Gee's song Night Fever. As you sit in meditation your mind is filled with the song, and try as you might it won't enter into a quiet state until you examine the song and confront the feelings. Then the reason and will can be applied and you can act on the higher wisdom.

It is often the case that people will busy themselves never having time for reflection in order to avoid feelings. Or to act always on the known compulsion rather then enter the unknown territory of the mind. People will also end up in a state of overwhelm where they are unable to decide, which is an emotional act of judgment, even though reason may be thorough, because they don't understand their emotional situation and not able to form clear intent, or set priorities. Here self inquiry and the ability to accept, to clear the mirror are gifts.

The flows bring the body and breath to into harmony allowing the prana to flow. This will purify your mind, life, and body. It will invigorate and strengthen your will, your capacity to feel and concentrate. In turn one can accept what comes and take that as part of the flow, moving onward, letting go, and entering into the bliss.