Twenty-plus years I’ve been meditating strictly on the faith that by setting my intention to meditate, however seemingly poor the performance or outcome, the gears of the deep mind were turning and churning out self-awareness. At a 10-day meditation retreat, faith became manifest. In the most tangible, empirical sense, I learned that meditation works.
Among the highlights threaded through the ups and the downs, the third eye opened—quite palpably, and to my utter surprise and wonder. Awareness streamed in and expanded. I saw the outer personality with clearer eyes. In that seeing was love.
The attention stabilized to a degree I’ve never experienced. I spent whole hours almost one-pointedly listening to silence. I fell in love with silence. I learned that silence is my teacher. I saw what surrender means, in preview.
I entered awareness without thought. In this awareness was a keen knowing that the thinking mind or the “ego” (the illusory separate self) is generating catalyst, and misery. If that voice disappears, there is no misery.
I received a small, saline drop from the great ocean of truth I have long sought to lose myself in. My life was put on a different, or upgraded, course. And I ate pretty tasty vegan food, though oatmeal by Day 10 was becoming a bit much. Here is that story.