This is quite an interesting article in my opinion.
The conditions that were set before the questions were asked toward the end were a quiet gem which actually answered a previous question I asked you about orientation.
The first instruction was to set aside 15 minutes in a quiet place.
When I decided to do this, I did Maharishi Yoga Asanas since I already did my morning TM. It usually takes about 35 minutes for me to complete the asanas, including a 5 minute easy breathing practice.
As I was completing the asanas, I noticed that it was a long time since I had been relatively alone in a relatively quiet place. It seemed to me that it was simply another lucky coincidence and I continued to do the asanas while wondering to myself about the second condition.
“Think of one challenge facing your family, organisation, community, or society.”
I thought and thought and while doing the asanas there was nothing which immediately bubbled up to the surface about family, organization, community, or society.
What did bubble up to the surface was the growing realization that I was content while alone in a relatively quiet place. Very content. This realization reminded me that my current paradigm is that the world is as I am. I don’t mean that in an exact way. It’s more like an orientation type of way to see the world, family or society or my environment. Essentially, I must first establish where I am before I look to where I’m going. The same can be said in a slightly different way; I must first establish when I am before I look to when I’m going. If I imagine myself as a point in endless space that would be very disorienting and mathematically incredibly complex. So I simplified by using a different question which seems in line with this article;
“How am I doing now, relative to how I was doing roughly 1 year ago?”
I used two points of when I was to create a rough map of my own orientation. How am I doing now relative to how I was doing roughly a year ago? Better. More content. I was content a year ago. I’m now somehow more content.
I will shift into a slight tangent to move towards the focus of the second condition, which was to
think of one challenge. A fish in an ocean is content. A fish on land? Most of time, not so much. If I am more content now than I was a year ago, when I was already content a year ago, it seems to me that I am a fish who has found a better environment to live in.
This is in line with what I feel is my nature. I’m constantly challenging myself to be better while simultaneously remaining very content through, what I feel is my consistent practice of transcendental meditation (TM).
If my environment is supporting me, I would have to say that my environment feels supported by me in some way. I’ll simplify my environment and use one person. My fiancée. She has been very supportive to me. The challenge that I think she faces is my constant growth. As I’m writing this, I just paused and asked her what challenge she is facing rather than just speculating. She said it was, “Accepting painful emotions”
I didn’t expect to write so much so I will take a break before answering the questions. Like I said before. Great questions. Even better conditions that you helped me set before asking the questions. Thank you.
Thank you for taking the time not only to read the essay, but to thoughtfully engage with the Suggested Practice.
One observation in particular stood out to me:
“I must first establish where I am before I look to where I’m going.”
I think you’ve captured something essential. Orientation is rarely about beginning with the destination in mind. More often than not, it begins with an honest assessment and awareness of our present position and the state from which we are asking the question.
I was also struck by your realization that the conditions preceding the questions proved just as important as the questions themselves. In many respects, that is the deeper point. The quality of our inquiry is shaped by the consciousness, environment, and orientation from which it arises.
Thank you for sharing your reflections so generously. It is deeply encouraging to see the Suggested Practice become a lived experience rather than simply something read. I look forward to hearing where your continued reflection leads.
I decided to continue writing, in response to the questions posed even though I feel the conditions I was under the first time I wrote a response seemed far more favorable to me than my current conditions. I set the conditions to the best of my ability this time by doing a bit of pranayama because I am currently traveling and do not feel comfortable doing yoga asanas on a dirt floor as I am headed into an appointment which would have my presence deemed unfavorable if I walked in covered in dirt. I can barely finish 2 minutes of this easy breathing technique before my mind moves into frustration over being in the sun with a fiancée who has a very light skin complexion which is sensitive to the sun. Before I was able to finish penning the last sentence, the bus we are waiting on has arrived. As I continue writing I am aware of the air conditioning, which didn’t exist on buses until relatively recently and the fact that I am sitting next to my white fiancée. Something I would deem to be a blessing especially considering how hard black people who I don’t even know fought for us to be able sit together in the front of this bus.
The challenge doesn’t matter to me in this moment. It is the recognition of how far we have come and the inspiration to continue to climb. Gently. Patiently. Growing the love that we continue to
I did my second meditation with my fiancée on a bus. Once complete and ensuring I rested for 3 minutes, I calmly confronted a man who seemed off. He then pulled a knife on me so I called the police on him. Multiple tough decisions had to be made in a short period of time but I trust that spontaneous right action was in place somehow.
This is quite an interesting article in my opinion.
The conditions that were set before the questions were asked toward the end were a quiet gem which actually answered a previous question I asked you about orientation.
The first instruction was to set aside 15 minutes in a quiet place.
When I decided to do this, I did Maharishi Yoga Asanas since I already did my morning TM. It usually takes about 35 minutes for me to complete the asanas, including a 5 minute easy breathing practice.
As I was completing the asanas, I noticed that it was a long time since I had been relatively alone in a relatively quiet place. It seemed to me that it was simply another lucky coincidence and I continued to do the asanas while wondering to myself about the second condition.
“Think of one challenge facing your family, organisation, community, or society.”
I thought and thought and while doing the asanas there was nothing which immediately bubbled up to the surface about family, organization, community, or society.
What did bubble up to the surface was the growing realization that I was content while alone in a relatively quiet place. Very content. This realization reminded me that my current paradigm is that the world is as I am. I don’t mean that in an exact way. It’s more like an orientation type of way to see the world, family or society or my environment. Essentially, I must first establish where I am before I look to where I’m going. The same can be said in a slightly different way; I must first establish when I am before I look to when I’m going. If I imagine myself as a point in endless space that would be very disorienting and mathematically incredibly complex. So I simplified by using a different question which seems in line with this article;
“How am I doing now, relative to how I was doing roughly 1 year ago?”
I used two points of when I was to create a rough map of my own orientation. How am I doing now relative to how I was doing roughly a year ago? Better. More content. I was content a year ago. I’m now somehow more content.
I will shift into a slight tangent to move towards the focus of the second condition, which was to
think of one challenge. A fish in an ocean is content. A fish on land? Most of time, not so much. If I am more content now than I was a year ago, when I was already content a year ago, it seems to me that I am a fish who has found a better environment to live in.
This is in line with what I feel is my nature. I’m constantly challenging myself to be better while simultaneously remaining very content through, what I feel is my consistent practice of transcendental meditation (TM).
If my environment is supporting me, I would have to say that my environment feels supported by me in some way. I’ll simplify my environment and use one person. My fiancée. She has been very supportive to me. The challenge that I think she faces is my constant growth. As I’m writing this, I just paused and asked her what challenge she is facing rather than just speculating. She said it was, “Accepting painful emotions”
I didn’t expect to write so much so I will take a break before answering the questions. Like I said before. Great questions. Even better conditions that you helped me set before asking the questions. Thank you.
P.S. Agape by Nicholas Britell
Andre,
Thank you for taking the time not only to read the essay, but to thoughtfully engage with the Suggested Practice.
One observation in particular stood out to me:
“I must first establish where I am before I look to where I’m going.”
I think you’ve captured something essential. Orientation is rarely about beginning with the destination in mind. More often than not, it begins with an honest assessment and awareness of our present position and the state from which we are asking the question.
I was also struck by your realization that the conditions preceding the questions proved just as important as the questions themselves. In many respects, that is the deeper point. The quality of our inquiry is shaped by the consciousness, environment, and orientation from which it arises.
Thank you for sharing your reflections so generously. It is deeply encouraging to see the Suggested Practice become a lived experience rather than simply something read. I look forward to hearing where your continued reflection leads.
I decided to continue writing, in response to the questions posed even though I feel the conditions I was under the first time I wrote a response seemed far more favorable to me than my current conditions. I set the conditions to the best of my ability this time by doing a bit of pranayama because I am currently traveling and do not feel comfortable doing yoga asanas on a dirt floor as I am headed into an appointment which would have my presence deemed unfavorable if I walked in covered in dirt. I can barely finish 2 minutes of this easy breathing technique before my mind moves into frustration over being in the sun with a fiancée who has a very light skin complexion which is sensitive to the sun. Before I was able to finish penning the last sentence, the bus we are waiting on has arrived. As I continue writing I am aware of the air conditioning, which didn’t exist on buses until relatively recently and the fact that I am sitting next to my white fiancée. Something I would deem to be a blessing especially considering how hard black people who I don’t even know fought for us to be able sit together in the front of this bus.
The challenge doesn’t matter to me in this moment. It is the recognition of how far we have come and the inspiration to continue to climb. Gently. Patiently. Growing the love that we continue to
protect the best ways we know how.
Thank you, Dr. Beruti for another wonderful, thought provoking article.
Thank you for taking the time to read the essay.
I did my second meditation with my fiancée on a bus. Once complete and ensuring I rested for 3 minutes, I calmly confronted a man who seemed off. He then pulled a knife on me so I called the police on him. Multiple tough decisions had to be made in a short period of time but I trust that spontaneous right action was in place somehow.