We all are familiar with the four dimensions that are acknowledged by science or, more specifically, by physics. These are the three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. Is there a fifth dimension?
Maybe abstraction is the fifth dimension. Science reduces physical observations to relationships in the form of equations. That would be a step towards abstraction. Mathematics reduces three cups, three plates and three spoons to a pattern of three. That is also abstraction. If we look closely, religion reduces a living person to an abstract soul after his death. So, the dimension from physical to mental to spiritual may be looked upon as the dimension of abstraction.
Let’s look at the fundamental principle of this universe. We may explain it in terms of dimensions as follows.
In case of space, that fundamental principle is continuity. If there is a discontinuity in space, then that would be something out of place.
In the dimension of time, it is harmony that is the basic principle. If there is a disharmony then there is something missing.
Finally, in the dimension of abstraction, it is consistency, which is the basic principle. From physical to mental to spiritual there should be a consistency. If there is inconsistency then some basic truth is missing.
In this mindfulness exercise, we listen to music and perceive the harmony that it conveys. The idea is to recognize the contrast of any discontinuity, disharmony and inconsistency. This exercise should be effortless. Do not strain to perceive the contrast. Let it appear in your consciousness.
.
MINDFULNESS C: Recognize the contrast to Continuity, Harmony & Consistency.
Play classical music in the background during mindfulness meditation. It may be the sitar music of Ravi Shankar, or the orchestral music of Mozart.
The student is given “Mindfulness 0” instructions while the music is playing. The idea is to make the mindfulness meditation harmonious with the help of music, so that the contrast of any discontinuity, disharmony or inconsistency stands out.
The student simply recognizes the discontinuity, disharmony and inconsistency in the practice of meditation, and moves on.
Mindfulness is “seeing things as they are”. At the basis of mindfulness is the recognition of something or nothing.
Of course, something and nothing are relative to the background of unbroken uniformity. So, we define something and nothing as follows.
“Something” = a manifestation,
“Nothing” = absence of manifestation.
It is as important to recognize “nothing” as it is to recognize “something”.
.
MINDFULNESS #01: Recognize something and nothing.
In a class of students, call out “Mindfulness 0” instructions to establish students in mindfulness meditation. Then proceed by explaining to the students,.
“I shall call out some items from a list. Your task is to recognize if some memory comes up automatically or not. It is as important to recognize ‘nothing’ as it is to recognize ‘something’.”
Call out items from the following list, 5 seconds apart. Only enough items needs to be called out to get the point of this exercise across.
Then let the class continue with the mindfulness meditation in silence.
A person, when he starts out on mindfulness meditation, does not always have an easy time. Even when he maintains a comfortable meditation posture, he finds it difficult to continue with meditation for an hour. Other classes in meditation take a break from straight meditation every 30 minutes or so.
People who have learned to meditate can sit in meditation for hours quite comfortably. So this problem seems to arise when one is still learning. Maybe the person feels overwhelmed with what the mind unloads on him.
The instructions for meditation are there. These instructions can even be very precise as documented in Mindfulness Exercises. But the problem seems to lie in accessing the instructions when needed during meditation. The instructions can be simple but incomplete, or they can be complete but voluminous. A neophyte can easily get overwhelmed by a lack of instructions, or having too many instructions to digest.
In mindfulness meditation one is simply instructed to see things as they are. These simple instructions are then reinforced by giving precise instructions during meditation itself. This allows the person to adjust to one small aspect of meditation at a time, until he is fully established in mindfulness meditation.
Here are the steps:
The student starts with a posture that he can maintain comfortably for an hour or more.
The student then settles down in meditation with simple breathing exercises.
The instructor waits for 2 to 3 minutes and then gives out the next instruction. This gives the student enough time to get comfortably established with the first instruction.
The instructor thus gives out rest of the instructions of Mindfulness 0, spacing them apart by 2 to 3 minutes as above. This gives the student time to digest each instruction and execute it in real time.
The spacing may be reduced to a minute in subsequent sessions as the student gets more familiar with the instructions.
Once the student is established in mindfulness meditation, the instructor may assist him further by calling out the instructions for mindfulness exercises 1 to 12.
Subsequent mindfulness exercises address specific filters of the mind, such as, desires, expectations, bias, prejudice, assumptions, etc. As the student progresses with these exercises he needs less and less external assistance. He may then simply do them by himself until he is fully established in mindfulness.
A person established in mindfulness is established in a mental state of ‘seeing things as they are’ whether his eyes are closed or open, whether he is sitting, standing or walking. He is established in mindfulness at all moments of activity and non-activity. One learns mindfulness in small steps. Sitting with eyes closed in mindfulness meditation is simply the beginning step.
The traditional posture for meditation is sitting down in a lotus position. This came naturally to our Indian ancestors. Unfortunately, this is not so natural for people in modern times. Generally, one is able to maintain this posture comfortably for not more than 20 to 30 minutes. After that one either fidgets to get more comfortable, or tries to restrain oneself from fidgeting.
A person is not really absorbed in meditation when he is consumed with the desire to become more comfortable. Minutes spent in discomfort are wasted meditation minutes. A person must start in a posture that he can maintain for a long period without feeling uncomfortable.
The proper posture simply requires an upright spine and a firm contact with the floor. This can be achieved either by sitting in a lotus position, or by sitting in a chair. Therefore one should select a posture right at the beginning of the meditation session that one can maintain comfortably for the duration of the session.
Then one should simply slide into meditation, without forcing oneself.
When a person is established in mediation, he would feel totally comfortable. That is the ideal situation. Any discomfort arising during meditation is then likely due to something other than the posture. In that case the person should fully experience that discomfort without interfering with it. Sooner or later he would realize the true reason for it, and at that point the discomfort would simply disappear.
A posture recommended for meditation in modern times is to sit on a straight-backed chair, with feet flat on the ground, and arms resting on one’s thighs. One should then be able to maintain this posture comfortably for the duration of the meditation session.
