Tuesday, October 12, 2010

My Tool: Meditative Yoga, Better Than S*XXX

OK... j/k... *haa*


David Lynch has a wonderful book called ‘Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity.’ It’s an unexpected book from a genius of theatrical brilliance, who is known for masterpieces that challenge our perceptions like Eraserhead, Twin Peaks the movie and the TV series, and many others. Do you remember these??

The book is about meditation and how it changed his life and creativity.

One chapter is called ‘Identity’ and there is one line ‘The thing about meditation is: You become more and more you.’

Admittedly I don’t meditate but I do meditative kind of stuff like cleaning the house (which is admittedly rare, again, I trust professionals) and yoga practice while running/at home/at the gym. Yes, I’ve tried meditation and it is difficult to clear the mind. Lynch is very encouraging.



Fire’

Another chapter is called ‘Fire’ (which is 5 lines).

‘Sitting in front of a fire is mesmerizing. It’s magical. I feel the same way about electricity. And smoke. And flickering lights.'

Reminds me of Wrangtham's book 'Catching Fire' and how hominids may have captured fire for perhaps 1.4 - 1.9 million years. The exhibition of energy is attractive and mesmerizing, as well as useful.



‘Turn on the Light’

One of my favorite chapters is this one and it starts with a sutra ‘In the vicinity of Yoga -- unity -- hostile tendencies are eliminated.’

‘We’re like light bulbs. If bliss starts growing inside you, it’s like a light; it affects the environment.’

‘If you go into a room where someone’s been having a big argument, it’s not so pleasant. You can feel it. Even if the argument’s over, you can feel it. But if you go into a room where someone has just finished meditating, you can feel that bliss. It’s very nice to feel that.’

‘We all affect our environments. You enjoy that light inside, and if you ramp it up brighter and brighter, you enjoy more and more of it. And that light will extend out farther and farther.’



Science

There is science to all of this… It is energy fields.


‘A Tower Of Gold’ -- How Does Meditation Get Rid of Negativity?

Most ancient civilizations and modern civilizations treasure the inert metal, gold, no? From the Incas to Columbus to Indo-Asian royalty to Asia. Most of the jewelry I’ve received from my parents and relatives are 100% gold rings, necklaces and ear rings (though I let my holes grow in). Real gold is bendable so I never wear these trinkets. Gold is valued at record highs in this uncertain financial environment -- Because gold is timelessly invaluable. The Chinese character for our family name 'Zhong' is composed of 2 characters: 'heavy' and 'gold'. (Taiwanese, long hand)

Gold is discussed by Lynch….

‘How does meditation get rid of negativity?’

‘Picture it this way: You are the Empire State Building. You’ve got hundreds of rooms. And in those rooms, there’s a lot of JUNK [my emphasis]. And you put all that junk there. Now you take this elevator, which is going to be the dive within. And you go down below the building; you go to the Unified Field beneath the building [the Field will be mentioned in the next post on the science] -- pure consciousness. And it’s like electric gold. You experience that. And that electric gold activates these little cleaning robots. They start going, and they start cleaning the rooms. They put in GOLD where the dirt and junk and garbage were. These stresses that were in there like coils of barbed wire can unwind. They evaporate, they come out. You’re cleaning and infusing simultaneously. You’re on the road to a beautiful state of enlightenment…’


What's your mental tool?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I do like David Lynch's work but not buying his mubo-jumbo!

Dr. B G said...

It is his n=1 experiment...

Initially I approached a lot of this as mumbo-jumbo but actually there is science I discovered (but I think our tools to evaluate are too primitive at this time just like Da Vinci and Einstein were lumuinaries far ahead of the game we know NOW).

Kevin said...

20 years ago my wife developed cancer. Her oncologist sent us both to a meditation course. Once the skill is learned, it's something that comes back even years later. Last week I had to fly to Texas for medical tests. I hadn't been on a plane in 15 years. I was on a small propeller jet that was tossed around like trash bags in the wind.

And it came back: Calmness, breathing regularly, focused on everything and nothing.

kevin

Steve said...

I find this posting interesting. I believe our understanding of the universe and our being is still very primitive. We often dismiss thoughts and ideas beyond our ability to understand as nonsense.

Only a short three hundred years ago it was believed the earth was a flat plane. I wonder in three hundred years from today what beliefs we hold today seem as silly as the earth is flat.

Anonymous said...

I have tried meditation and it doesn't work for me. The process of emptying the mind only gives me time to "think." What I end up thinking about are the things that stress me out....unsolvable problems.

I have found temporary peace while working out that you might be able to loosely associate with Yoga. I called it moving meditation. When you have to practice a moving form of something...say Tai Chi for example...your mind must be so focused on your movement and perfect form, that you have no room (in your mind) to think of anything else. However, for me, any of these types of exercises don't solve any problems and stress returns as soon as I am done.

AngelaN said...

Usually I'm too shy about this (specially because I am an MD/scientist and work/study with them everyday), but since you are a Buddhist Geek fan...

Embodied vipassana (though i didn't know I was actually doing that!) + bodywork paleo + + vitamin D3 + fish oil + high sat fat from butter oil and coconut +

= WILD dark night of the soul with full blown kundalini and arahatship two years later.

Picture the worst kind of skeptic medical student researching in neuroanatomy... Having kriyas (though I didn't know what the frak was that, i was afraid MS was acting up!) while handling BrET or permorming stereotaxic surgery on a not-properly anestethized rat (lack of money in my my department!).

Thank GOD I didn't go to my doc or right know I'd be wearing a straightjacket instead of a white coat.

I'm sure my n=1 paleo experiment had to do with being able to set my m=1 act straight through my painful/blissful dark night... And getting to r=0. Ups!

Right now I don't do any formal meditation, but my life has changed so much after K, that every moment that I'm not concentrating on something is like meditating.

As usual... Love your blog! Hugs from Spain.

Matrix of the Mind said...

In Western civilization we live in our heads...it can be difficult to turn off the constant monkey chatter going on inside and simply BE.... the experience of being alive and connected to the universe.
For me A good way to do this is to be in Nature alone and simply breathe and observe or watch a fire at night. Also, using brain wave entrainment can act like training wheels to facilitate meditation, which from a science standpoint is simply a brain state
where certain parts of the brain get turned off. There are cool studies on long time meditating Monks having a 40Hz brainwave frequency NOT seen in people who don't practice meditation.

Be well and be aware....

http://web-us.com/primitivebeats.htm

http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

Kevin said...

"Emptying the mind" can be learned. It takes longer I suppose for people used to multi-tasking and making easy progress in most things. Walking meditation is as effective as classic sitting. I manage to meditate while jogging. It's easier on a track or treadmill because of not having to deal with distractions like traffic or tripping on trails.

Meditation is focussing on one thing only. 'Contemplating one's navel' kind of thing. You can't forget your problems but while meditating you can put them on the back burner, at least for a while.

For some, a structured class works best. The brain waves stimulated in meditation can be picked up by newbies. The most potent meditations for me occured in 24hr sessions.

Much of the time, I don't want to take time out of my day to practice. I'd rather watch TV or play on the computer. It's hard to think of meditation as productive. For that reason jogging meditation works best for me. I don't feel like I'm wasting time if I'm getting exercise.

kevin

lightcan said...

Maybe it's worth trying again differently, G. 'Cognition improved by mindful meditation' http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/185580.php
I'm particularly interested in your post on the science bit as I read about the 'notable decrease in activity in the parietal lobe, recognized as the area responsible for orientation', which means that meditation leads to a change in spatial awareness. Also there are changes in the prefrontal cortex which puts a dampener on the amygdala.
How can we explain this from the evo perspective? What are the implications for achieving better health in our physical bodies? What about our knowledge about spirituality and human energy fields?

Olga said...

Hi Dr. BG. This is a comment about the blog formerly known as nephropal, to which I believe you are a contributor. I see that it has been changed to an invitation only blog. Is this blog now only open to scientists and health care professionals, or can others join? I work in cancer research, and find this blog very interesting. If possible, I would like to request an invitation. You can email me at olga.collins@gmail.com
Olga

Dr. B G said...

Hi Olga,

Thank you for reading us!

Nephropal(eo)/EvMedForum is just on temporary hiatus. Please don't fret.

-G

Fitnatic said...

Dr. BG,

I know I will sound pompous even, but my ancient Hindu/Vedic religion and its religio-cultrual practices and light years ahead for other cultures in terms of scientific enlightenment.

Every scientific guidelines embodied in religious an cultural norms in our ancient texts. Yog is just one of the methods of attaining God or the ultimate state for humankind.

Unfortunately much is lost and much is disregarded even within India. An infinitesimal percentage even study or have some fleeting knowledge of our heritage. Slowly that is changing though. But the main impediment is the complexity of it all. Some have reduced it to sound bites to make it easy to understand - to mixed effects. Case in point - Deepak Chopra and his ilk.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is that almost all these people( and mostly westerners) go to the drive through of th shittiestburger place in town and think that they are eating the original premium cut grass-fed steak.

I wish you could read "maza sakshaatkari hriday rog" ( or my enlightening heart disease) by Dr, Abhay Bang. Unfortunatley an english version is not available. He talks about how his heart disease sent him on a path of spiritual enlightenment through religion (Hindu)-mostly meditation - and how it was difficult to achieve the "empty mind" state and his personal initial disillusionment due to failure to achieve that state and so on.

Oh well. Please keep up your good work for us!

Dr. B G said...

Fitnatic,

Love your comments!

Wish I could read DR. Bang too. We can indeedy accomplish so much with our minds alone I am starting to realize. What we envision and visualize can happen -- BOTH the good and the bad...

I had a life changing moment like most do when they read Siddhartha for the first time. To me you don't sound pompous at all --- your eyes are not WIDE SHUT like the great majority on earth but aware and open.

Personally I think we are all called on for purposes beyond our comprehension or we at least get these irrevocably distinct MESSAGES anyway. Perhaps 'ascension' to higher enlightened states is the path for only those aware and open? My sister always reminds me to not throw my pearls before swines. Great wisdom from her!

Kindly,
G

Kelly said...

AngelaN, Thanks for sharing your story. Lots of people speculate that raw food/vegan is the best for kundalini awakening, but I'm happy to hear it's not and that you are having success with paleo and sat fats, meditation, etc.

I've been doing yoga and meditation with mostly a paleo diet, and some listening of the binaural beats. We'll see where this takes me. Very promising and I'm glad you didn't report your results to the M.D. :)