Enlightenment is an accident. Meditation makes you more accident-prone. – Baker Roshi
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Last night was the inaugural sit of Blue Ridge Meditation, and we were thrilled to have a really solid turnout. Besides Emily and I, there were 7 other people who showed up, and most of them we had never met. It was a great group of people.
We started off the evening sitting together for around 40 minutes, and then I led a “mini-dharma talk” on the topic of Meditation. The audio above is the recording of that talk, so if you’re interested feel free to check it out. It’s only about 15 minutes long. After the talk we had an open period of discussion and conversation about various topics of practice. We wanted to offer this talk, even though it was only a small part of the evening, to all those people who are interested in participating from a distance.
Next week, Emily will be leading the group, and I’m told the topic will be “Love.” If you’re in the area, feel free to come on by and join us.
Great talk, wish I could be there sometime in person.
Would you mind expanding on your discussion of your current definition of enlightenment a bit? I think that would be helpful for me. You mentioned it as the answer to the question, “who am I”. How would you now answer that question or has the question ceased to be relevant anymore?
Thanks
Hi Shane,
Good questions…
The reason I sort of avoided going into the definition of enlightenment more, is because it gets really complicated, really quickly. I think my attempt at a pithy definition, of a radical shift of identification wherein there is no longer any “fixed position” is the best I can do in a short space. That feels like it’s getting to the heart of it for me.
Then there’s all sorts of questions about what the process of enlightenment is like (through time), what the timeless nature of enlightenment is like, how enlightenment affects the human being (or does it?), what the implications are on how we live (or are there?), what is going on in the physical brain-body system, how universal are all of these things and to what degree are they shaped or scripted by our interpretive frameworks?
I’ve seen such variation in these answers, from those who I think are legitimately awakened, that it’s very, very difficult to not stay open to these questions. I mean, I could freeze this moment and give you my best attempt at answering them, but then they would change, or I would find more experiences that would contradict my position, and I’d feel thrown back into an open and fluid relationship to these questions. At least, that’s where I am now. ;-D
In terms of the question, “who am I?” It’s still a useful question for me, as it helps to loosen up identity. But as to being driven to answer it, and seeking some final answer, no it isn’t relevant in that way anymore. I know that there is no fixed position, so deeply that looking for one is no longer a viable option. Does that make me special? No.
Wow, cool stuff and good description. You put into words experiences I have gone through in a way that I cannot. No longer a “fixed position”….I like that
Thanks for the thoughtful response…it really helped.