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shamanseeker
27th September 2013, 14:03
http://www.davidicke.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Flickr-Meditation-HaPe_Gera-300x225.jpg

"We can all see that life on planet Earth is moving towards some inexorable, perhaps unknowable massive change. Years ago I decided my best path was to follow the tradition of ancient primordial metaphysical teachings and find Wisdom Truth within me. Here is what I learned.

We have to do this alone! If we want to Liberation from our self-created temporal illusory holographic entrapment, we have to learn how to be alone. When I say alone – I mean literally, absolutely, physically and mentally alone.

Here’s the eternal Secret of the Ages:

For at the very least 3 days isolate yourself, preferably in Nature. For 3 days remain totally alone – no people, no family, no lovers, no close friends, no drugs or alcohol, no meat, no telephone calls, NO TV!, no radio, no internet or computer, no newspapers or magazines, etc. Unplug!

For 3 days stay alone! Train yourself, your consciousness to withdraw your energy from the external illusory-reality and detach your consciousness from the five senses. Focus within. Remain in meditation for as long as you possible can. Get ready for the Battle of your Life!"


Read more: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/09/25/real-armageddon-learning-alone/

777
27th September 2013, 21:10
I would absolutely love to do this! Hardest part would be missing family though, a sacrifice I'm struggling to reconcile with the benefits of such a short stint.

Tribe
27th September 2013, 21:15
I think I could do this , I would love it ,but I couldn't do it to my family ,my gosh why is it that we have guilt to add to the mix ? :(

777
27th September 2013, 21:18
I think I could do this , I would love it ,but I couldn't do it to my family ,my gosh why is it that we have guilt to add to the mix ? :(

Sorry Tribe, that was me! Guilt is a necessary precursor to learning, as long as we don't dwell there needlessly imo.

Nickolai
27th September 2013, 22:52
Hi There!

I guess my take is that one should be most in the now but not in the meditation.
I know, I know. Meditation can quiet one's mind but..... not for long lately. At least for me!
My purpose now is to stay as much as I can connected to the physical and emotional. Easier said than done, but that is my aim.
I now came to realization that meditation can serve as distraction.
Around me, and inside, lots of things happen. I guess, surely, that's advisable to stay connected but still in the physical. No Alpha, Delta. Theta waves but just physiacal no matter what that means.
In meditation I have come to realization that what I already know is waiting to pass through me into the world. Lots of stuff inside but there is no way to escape. Just facing and troubleshooting so to speak.

But that's my intake.

Warmly,

Nickolai

Melidae
28th September 2013, 02:22
There's a big difference between being alone and being lonely.

To be alone with ones self is to clear the clutter of daily life...to spend time just 'being'. For a time you are no longer your job, your role in life...you are just you.

I have the advantage of being seriously ill as a child, in and out of the hospital from age three and one-half to age 15, and had to remain isolated from people other than immediate family and medical staff. Being alone was what I knew and grew to love, whereas being with people was difficult and stressful. I had to learn how to be the me I knew when with others...hard to do with the culture we live in.

I rise early in the morning, before sunrise, to spend the first hour of the day alone...watching the sunrise, having the first lovely cup of hot coffee while the rest of the 'world' sleeps. And I try to spend the last hour of my day alone...just enjoying the peace and quiet, and 'coming back to myself' after being active and social...making sure I wore no 'mask' that day but remained authentic with each person with whom I interacted, did I hurt anyone by my actions or words, did I pass up an opportunity to help another when needed, etc.

I figure, if I can't enjoy spending time with me, how can I expect anyone else to want to spend time with me...

Ineffable Hitchhiker
28th September 2013, 17:16
"For at the very least 3 days isolate yourself, preferably in Nature. For 3 days remain totally alone – no people, no family, no lovers, no close friends, no drugs or alcohol, no meat, no telephone calls, NO TV!, no radio, no internet or computer, no newspapers or magazines, etc. Unplug!

For 3 days stay alone! Train yourself, your consciousness to withdraw your energy from the external illusory-reality and detach your consciousness from the five senses. Focus within. Remain in meditation for as long as you possible can. Get ready for the Battle of your Life!"


A couple of years back, hubby went camping with the kids for 5 days. I had wanted to go on a silent retreat for ages, couldnīt find a suitable venue and was delighted to be able to go on my very own silent retreat - right at home!
I did exactly that...no electrical gadgets other than light at night and my kettle (and obv. fridge/stove for meals and drinks).
The only "distraction" was our cat, who wafted in and out of my day/consciousness.
Most days I sat in the garden, or went for a walk in the woods nearby and at night, just a blanket wrapped around me in the lounge.
The first 2 days were hard. The mind was all over the place and every fibre in me was screaming :-" Do something!" But I did nothing.
By the 3rd day time and space seemed to become a blur. If the sun hadnīt been out I wouldnīt have known what time of day it was. I even struggled to remember what day it was and hunger also seemed to dissipate. Hunger for food and hunger for doing..... definitely a major "AHA" moment!
I smiled a lot! :D There was a joy in me that cannot be described and the birds chirped more loudly than ever, the cat hardly strayed from my side.
There was such peace, it was almost tangible. It was truly a blissful time.

And then...my family came back and "the noise" of our mutual reality returned. But the noise was not negative. I simply realised that everything is okay. That beneath the noise, this silence and joy is ever present and whenever I need to get to that place, all I need to do is become quiet and detach from the noise and appliances.

Tribe
28th September 2013, 17:41
A couple of years back, hubby went camping with the kids for 5 days. I had wanted to go on a silent retreat for ages, couldnīt find a suitable venue and was delighted to be able to go on my very own silent retreat - right at home!
I did exactly that...no electrical gadgets other than light at night and my kettle (and obv. fridge/stove for meals and drinks).
The only "distraction" was our cat, who wafted in and out of my day/consciousness.
Most days I sat in the garden, or went for a walk in the woods nearby and at night, just a blanket wrapped around me in the lounge.
The first 2 days were hard. The mind was all over the place and every fibre in me was screaming :-" Do something!" But I did nothing.
By the 3rd day time and space seemed to become a blur. If the sun hadnīt been out I wouldnīt have known what time of day it was. I even struggled to remember what day it was and hunger also seemed to dissipate. Hunger for food and hunger for doing..... definitely a major "AHA" moment!
I smiled a lot! :D There was a joy in me that cannot be described and the birds chirped more loudly than ever, the cat hardly strayed from my side.
There was such peace, it was almost tangible. It was truly a blissful time.

And then...my family came back and "the noise" of our mutual reality returned. But the noise was not negative. I simply realised that everything is okay. That beneath the noise, this silence and joy is ever present and whenever I need to get to that place, all I need to do is become quiet and detach from the noise and appliances.

Thank you for sharing that , I get insomnia and when I do I sit downstairs and listen to some relaxing meditation music and then I walk the dog at dawn , I sit up on our hill fort that overlooks the bay where I live and I can see the geese fly over and hear the peacock scream as the sun comes up and it is pure divine magic !i then go home to my family as they awake to their new beginning and then normal service is resumed, You are quite right Ineffable, it makes you realise that there is the divine underneath and that it is accessible !

Many thanks again for sharing your story ! Xx

shamanseeker
30th September 2013, 16:13
Beautiful stories :)

Calz
30th September 2013, 16:40
In nearly 18 years of married life with two children I have never been apart from my family for ... days.

That said with the shift work I do, at least when the kids are in school, I have time to myself.

At work, even with one or two co-workers, I have time to myself.


I enjoy it (despite loving my family).


Probably my life's greatest regret is not having more tangible spiritual progress for all that time I have had made available to me.


My bad ... no doubt to be sorted out in between (as always).


Hats off and recognition to those who have been able to make such progress despite full careers and family life.

Spiral
30th September 2013, 18:55
Hats off and recognition to those who have been able to make such progress despite full careers and family life.

If thats what you are doing its because thats where your spiritual lessons are !

Spiritual lessons are gained from life, not from a vacuum, one day you will be sat quietly watching the sun go down with a drink in your hand and it will seem like bringing up kids & going to work was over in a flash, and suddenly the yawning immensity of NOW will stretch out before you, and all that has been was all needed, & part of a greater whole no matter how banal it seemed at the time.

Silence & solitude are the times when reflection can lead us to truths, some higher truths, some not so lofty ones too, but you need the things to reflect on, those interactions & events that lead us to a better understanding are the lessons, life its self.

Tribe
30th September 2013, 19:34
Yes what he said ! ^^^^^^^^^ :swing:

shamanseeker
2nd October 2013, 14:14
Hi Nikolai! Welcome :)

Eelco
28th December 2013, 08:32
Guess I'll see that in febuary.
15 days of isolation at vipassana-dhammacari.com (http://www.vipassana-dhammacari.com/main_eng.html)

My wife is pushing. As I enroled, but nearly chickened out. loads of inconsequential reasons. Where she says. ĸou are talking about this for 20 years now" "Stop finding excuses.."

Anyway the program is Ajahn Tongs adaptation of Mahasi style Vipassana.
Meaning alternating walking and sitting insight mediatation 24 hrs a day with a few hours of sleep. 2 meals and an hour of community service. Nobel silence meaning I only get to talk once a day with the meditation teacher for a few minutes and the rest is spend noting the hell out of my experiental existance as it is..

With Love
Eelco

shamanseeker
28th December 2013, 09:16
This sounds really interesting Eelco! I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you get there :) I'm looking forward to hearing about it.

Spiral
28th December 2013, 10:38
I hope you get the results you have striven for for so long Eelco :h5:

BabaRa
29th December 2013, 20:46
Just checked out website. Looks to be a lovely spot to commune with self and nature.

. . my personal experiences with retreats is: no expectations = no disappointments. Simply accept what is.

Calabash
29th December 2013, 20:57
A few years ago, there was a three-part documentary on BBC called The Big Silence, about six people on an 8-day silent retreat at a Worth Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Crawley, Sussex

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS6DpEKxcWCDbSS0GlomKgFQT7W4iZbR niPHgyXux6Z3XNaU1Ku

Here is Part 1 of 12, which is the entire documentary, and I found it absolutely riveting. Each of the six people came from completely different walks of life, different faiths and were at different stages of spiritual development. Each one of them found their experience extraordinary and it's on my list of things to do. Being on an 8-day silent requires an honesty that is dragged from you willingly or otherwise.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_zDtdYu3mA&list=PL5B8CC6176471F79D

Tribe
30th December 2013, 16:47
This series was incredibly moving and I remember crying when watching it , I think I brought the book the sanctuary by the priest that was involved in this series , a wonderful inspiring man ! :) x