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I dunno man. Awareness is already this big powertool that we are all using all the time. Casually, sloppily, intensely, obsessively, recklessly. But not really

I dunno man. Awareness is already this big powertool that we are all using all the time. Casually, sloppily, intensely, obsessively, recklessly. But not really very intelligently. (like what's an engineer but a man who uses his awareness like a hammer, beating riddles into submission?) Learning to use your awareness intelligently strikes me as close to an unalloyed good thing. Meditation can do that.

chana_masala 5y ago
I don't disagree that it's good to use awareness intelligently, but you don't even need meditation for that, according to Hindu thought much of that can be achieved through other yogas, namely karma yoga. Meditation is much more than learning to use your awareness intelligently. There are many types of meditation, too.
- swayvil 5y ago
  I know of only 2 meditation techniques. Samatha and Vipassana. (Aka Concentration and Growing. Aka meditation with a seed and meditation without a seed). I have never heard of a meditation technique that was not simply a variation on those 2. But if you have one then I am all ears. Also, ya, you could say that meditation touches some other stuff than just "getting intelligent with your awareness". Sure. And as far as other ways of getting intelligent with your awareness are concerned. Ya sure, I can imagine such existing. Also. Ya. Meditation can lead to much crazy. But that's a good education :)
  - loopz 5y ago
    Meditation doesn't really promote the intellect. It needs direction. Something which karma yoga may provide for societal concerns, hatha yoga for physical, jnana for mind, etc. There are over 100 meditations defined in Indian traditions. They're all useless without direction.
    - swayvil 5y ago
      >Meditation doesn't really promote the intellect. I can go with that. >It needs direction You mean like a goal? >Something which karma yoga may provide for societal concerns I think it's closer to aesthetics. >There are over 100 meditations defined in Indian traditions. They're all useless without direction. Meditation can be approached as an experiment and an exploration. No goal necessary. And when investigating a true mystery I think that a goal is inappropriate.
      - chana_masala 5y ago
        That's a very secular and "I am my own Guru" approach. Not recommended.

chana_masala 5y ago

I don't disagree that it's good to use awareness intelligently, but you don't even need meditation for that, according to Hindu thought much of that can be achieved through other yogas, namely karma yoga. Meditation is much more than learning to use your awareness intelligently. There are many types of meditation, too.

swayvil 5y ago
I know of only 2 meditation techniques. Samatha and Vipassana. (Aka Concentration and Growing. Aka meditation with a seed and meditation without a seed). I have never heard of a meditation technique that was not simply a variation on those 2. But if you have one then I am all ears. Also, ya, you could say that meditation touches some other stuff than just "getting intelligent with your awareness". Sure. And as far as other ways of getting intelligent with your awareness are concerned. Ya sure, I can imagine such existing. Also. Ya. Meditation can lead to much crazy. But that's a good education :)
- loopz 5y ago
  Meditation doesn't really promote the intellect. It needs direction. Something which karma yoga may provide for societal concerns, hatha yoga for physical, jnana for mind, etc. There are over 100 meditations defined in Indian traditions. They're all useless without direction.
  - swayvil 5y ago
    >Meditation doesn't really promote the intellect. I can go with that. >It needs direction You mean like a goal? >Something which karma yoga may provide for societal concerns I think it's closer to aesthetics. >There are over 100 meditations defined in Indian traditions. They're all useless without direction. Meditation can be approached as an experiment and an exploration. No goal necessary. And when investigating a true mystery I think that a goal is inappropriate.
    - chana_masala 5y ago
      That's a very secular and "I am my own Guru" approach. Not recommended.