once born again let the mud settle

let the mud settle

Metaphor - the normal mental state is muddy water stirred up by the ever active mind – the ONCE BORN. But this mental state can, through stillness, be transformed to clarity and peace – BORN AGAIN.

There is a vital, mental churn which identifies fleeting patterns and agencies in the external world. These mind-made perceptions help us to monitor the sense channels for signs of positive or negative stimuli. But what type and level of busy-ness is most functional and under what circumstances?

There would appear to be an abnormal (supra-normal?) mental state of peaceful clarity. This becomes apparent when the mind has been still for some time and the mud has settled. It is the human birthright and is ever-present; but, in most people, the mental mud hides it from view.

between them and us

Those who have known the mental clarity report experiencing patterns and agencies that are non-egoic (self-less). These are related to compassion and peace as reflected in an ever-expanding boundary line between ‘them’ and ‘us’. Inclusiveness continues to develop until the principle pattern is the Oneness. 

As a result of the non-egoic perception the frantic desire to have and to do is replaced by the simple intention to be. Renunciation follows automatically.  The erstwhile blood lusting tribal warriors and capitalist consumers are now seen to be mind made mental mud.

So there is a continuum (see the table) and most reasonable observers consider it to be a good thing that the mind state of most people transforms from ONCE BORN to being BORN AGAIN. 

ONCE BORN		BORN AGAIN
Ever-active mind		Still mind
Muddy water		Clarity
Territorial warriors		Global stewards
Capitalist consumers		Renunciants
Egoic greed & exploitation		Non-egoic compassion
Many phenomena		The Oneness
To have and to do		To be

The following quotes are from
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meditation-Masters/218587618170634

 

"At its core, meditation is about touching the spiritual essence that exists within us all. Our spiritual essence is not something that we create through meditation it's already there, deep within, behind all the barriers, patiently waiting for us to recognize it." ~ Aaron Hoopes

"Meditation means to be constantly extricating yourself from the clinging of mind. By letting go of even the thought ‘I,’ and 'me' what is left? There is nowhere to stand and no one to stand there. No separation anywhere. Pure awareness. Neither this, nor that. Just clarity and being.” ~ Ram Dass

"If your mind is happy then you are happy anywhere you go. When wisdom awakens within you, you will see Truth wherever you look. Truth is all there is. It’s like when you learned how to read, you can then read anywhere you go." ~ Ajahn Chah

"Thoughts are impediments to seeing your deepest nature. Don't give rise to any thought, and discover who you are. That ocean of eternal peace is you. What is the difficulty that we suffer from? It is that we seek peace elsewhere and do not experience that we are peace incarnate itself." ~ PapaJi

"You are not merely the body; you are 100% Pure Being. But you must find this out for yourself. It must become your own discovery, happening in your innermost being."
~ Mooji

“Meditation is essentially training our attention so that we can be more aware— not only of our own inner workings but also of what’s happening around us in the here & now.” ~ Sharon Salzberg, Born 1952

Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each moment to be present; inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness, with the intention to embody as best we can an orientation of calmness, mindfulness, and equanimity right here and right now.” ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

“The inner revolution will not be televised or sold on the Internet. It must take place within one's own mind and heart.” ~ Noah Levine

"Meditation is giving yourself time to just be yourself. There is nothing to it other than that, it’s nothing really special, just allowing yourself to relax and be yourself without worrying about what has happened in the past, or without worrying about what’s going to happen in the future. Just to simply relax and rest in your own natural state is all that you need to do, giving yourself the opportunity to do that." ~ 17th Karmapa

"Is it possible to stop the noisy mind? Yes, but not through force, for it thrives on force. I will show you an easy way. Stop identifying with your mind's play. Be the witness only, detached and impersonal. Don't move from this. Once you are stable as the witness, find out if this witness can be found."~ Mooji

"You are always the Supreme. But your attention is fixed on things, physical or mental. When your attention is off a thing and not yet fixed on another, in the interval you are pure being. When through the practice of detachment you let go of sensory and mental states, pure being emerges as the natural state." ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

 

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” ~ Dalai Lama XIV

“Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.” ~ Shunryu Suzuki

“Just Sit.” ~ Dogen