BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Meditation The Place of Nature

Thanks for the directions Susan. Now I�m here I�d like to describe a simple aid to peace of mind, how and why it works, that any body can do anywhere at any time. It is what has helped me for a long time, and through great trials. It helps me still. The beauty of it is its simplicity.

It is a form of meditation and it doesn�t require any paraphernalia of any kind. And as long as I am not fully engaged in action it doesn�t matter what is happening around me, though quiet helps to begin with, to get your bearings. If you can focus your attention that�s enough, and if you can�t your attention can be brought to bear, you can be reminded.

The need for meditation arises from the problem of mind thinking and being emotional. In the extreme as worry, anger, fear, etc. Such minding is only a problem when I give my attention to it as if it really matters.

And that�s the key, what I give my attention to grows. Not unlike a flower I might particularly love, if I tend to it the flower grows, if I don�t it dies.

The question arises; what else is there besides thought or emotion to give my attention to? And the answer is simple. Sense.

Sense as the five senses, the reciprocal of the inner sense or sensation as the tingling or pressure or pulsing you can feel at any time you are not thinking or emotional.

Sense, as the sight, sound, smell, touch and taste of Nature. Sense, beautiful sense. Beautiful because I can leave any problem behind by giving my attention to the pure sense of it, Nature.

Nature as the colour of a leaf, the texture of sand under my feet, the sound of the bird calling, the touch of the breeze, the smell of the forest blooming, the taste of the � sun? Nature is everything I can sense that isn�t man made.

Remember, what I give my attention to grows. What I don�t give my attention to dies, unless there is some value in it. But you must check this in your experience. Is it true?

If you are moved right now to think about something you don�t actually need to think about what happens when you give your attention to some sense of nature? Thought dies. When thought dies there is only what is now, sense. And there is no problem now unless I think there is and so I make the problem.

Nature works best in the �outer� sense because it is god made, not man made with all the mental associations that go with that. It is the easiest place to separate mind as thought and emotion from sense.

When this is done enough it is possible to be in a concrete jungle and still be in sense, no problem. There are always the clouds or stars and the sky, or a crack in the pavement where a little nature grows, the sun always shines, the wind blows. There is always, somewhere, something of Nature as sense.

And who doesn�t want to make sense? Does this make sense?

Hi Mark, your point of view does make sense. I've particularly noticed that what I give attention to thrives.

How do others feel about the ideas Mark has brought up?

MarkB said "The need for meditation arises from the problem of mind thinking and being emotional. In the extreme as worry, anger, fear, etc. Such minding is only a problem when I give my attention to it as if it really matters."

I agree with you Mark. If it weren't for the fears, anxieties, worries, and constant mind-thinking I believe there would be little reason for meditation altogether. Meditation is that which takes my mind away from the constant chatter that is normally going on in my head.

I can usually focus my mind on the senses of nature with guided meditation tapes and with the assistance of smell. I use essential oils to signal my brain that it's time for my mind to go to that other place.

But there are times, such as lately when I have so much on my mind when I go to meditate that half way into my session I realize I haven't actually effectively meditated at all, that I in fact have been thinking, thinking, thinking on a number of different things that are going on around me lately.

I almost wonder if one is going to be so distracted if they should meditate at all or perhaps try a different technique than what they are used to.

Another theory I have is that the time that I set aside to sit in silence I may at times actually be setting it aside to figure things out and that might be why my mind is so active and doing so much thinking. It's a perfect time to come out on the other side of issues with answers in hand. It's like entering a loud tunnel, but coming out on the other end into less noise.

At any rate, I trust that I eventually with get back to a quiet tranquil place of Zen nothingness/completeness without thought in the traditional meditation.

Hello Susan and Deb.

Deb, that's a very good point you raise regarding the purpose of your sitting. Am I sitting here to meditate or to work things out?

The same thing happens at times when I sit, I'm sure it's true for everybody. If there's something I need to think about then I need to think about it. It's more that the thinking comes after a period of looking and in the looking the possibilities are revealed. If I see what needs to be done about a certain thing I can then stop thinking about it, it can help to write it down so as to settle the mind regarding my remembering it. If all I can see are possibilities and none are ripe for actualisation then I have to be firm and intimate to myself I can look at it again later, to defuse the momentum of the mind to think regardless of need.

Since stilling the mind is the purpose of meditation then that is also meditation, or serves it.

I might also need to get up and do something if it plays on my mind. That action also stills the mind so I can go back to meditation.

Years ago I used the affirmation; 'I am sitting here to meditate, there is nothing else I need to do or think about right now.' If there is I need to do it or think about it to get rid of it. The key is not to make a problem of it. So I can meditate.

Thanks for your reply, Mark. I should mention that your nature photos are quite superb and you might like submitting some of them to Bellaonline's Literary Magazine - Mused. Check it out as well as back issues at the following site...
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Aren't his photos fantastic?!?

I know this wasn't where this conversation started out, but the direction it has taken really caught my attention (meditating as emptying vs. working)

Isn't part of the process of meditation the working to empty one's mind?

So the way I have always looked at it (I guess) is that meditation is kind of a 2-part process. The first part of meditation is to sit (or walk , or however you choose) to empty your mind. So this might take the form of working through problems. Thinking slowly and calmly about the problems instead of in a dizzying whirl. Then once we have gotten a peace with whatever problem, we can empty it out and open ourselves up to whatever new inspiration there is.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, Michellle - you're 2-Part explanation is right on with how I feel the process works sometimes. It's not always a traditional sit dow, quiet your mind of all thoughts, and then you get up refreshed and all is well. It IS sometimes a working through type of meditation whether it be a meditation sitting pose or your daily walk or just laying stretched out on your living room floor for 10 minutes staring at the ceiling. In the true definition of meditation it says "Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference." Well that might be an issue that you're working on at a given point in time. Then you might move on to another issue (if you have several). But if you stay in a state of calmness, lack of anxiousness and in a state of answer-seeking (similar to when you are reading Tarot cards), your meditation efforts will not be without vain.

On perfect days meditation sessions are unclouded with no outside thinking, but to be honest they are purely relaxation sessions. I appreciate the mediation sessions to which I also figure things out as well. Isn't that what Wayne Dyer call Satori. It's that aha moment.

The Aha Moment shows meditation is working to expand mind consciousness!

First off, I trust replying to a number of people in the same post is ok. I have to make the most of the net connectivity opportunities where I am, it changes with the wind.

Hello Deb, glad you like the photo's. I will look at your suggestion of submitting something when I have time, am in the middle of a move to Brisbane, change of work, etc.

I started another blog recently just for the best of my photos at macromeditations.com , just Dragonflies so far.

Hello Susan, hope you don't mind me mentioning that.(have to be careful of assumtions) And I see you are a grandmother. It gladdens my heart to see a child get a good start, in preparation for the inevitable.

And Michelle, fancy meeting you here! You are not wrong. The way I see it anything you do single pointedly is a form of meditation. What separates 'meditation' from the forms of it is intent. In this case to still the mind of thinking needlessly, as a momentum, which helps put emotion in perspective - as an indication of something rather than a possession or obsession. Whatever aids in this aim, contemplation on some issue in order to resolve it for instance or allow space for inspiration, is also meditative in that it frees the attention for what I call right focus. In my practice that is the sensation in the body. This is the work-ing, the denial of the unnecessary and so invasive thought, that leads to the AHA, the remarkable effortless state of no movement of the mind, in my experience. And what I acknowledge in this way I get more of, the emptying that comes by grace.

I think Deb hits the nail on the head. If I am relaxed, with all my experience and knowing of the world, never stressed - no small thing, what else do I need?

Mark, my best to you for the New Year and your change of location and job. Thanks for participating and sharing your insight here.

Susan