An Ocean of Consciousness – Video

…

This is an excellent short video on consciousness from David Lynch. I am sure most of you are familiar with David’s work in films. For those of you who have not heard of him, here’s a little about his career. David Keith Lynch is an American film director, television director, visual artist, musician, occasional actor, and author. Here he talks about how “lost” he had been at one time, but when he began meditating how his life changed. David, in this talk, gives us a  glimpse into his own achievements through meditation. (video viewing time about 10 minutes but worth every single second.. 🙂 )

This talk is not an advertisement for TM – although the TM Society is mentioned.

---

Wisdom From The Buddha On Being Lost

The Buddha said, “So watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.” What The Buddha is saying here is do not make thought spring from love born out of concern for all beings. Rather, we are advised by the Buddha to let it spring from the love that is our own true nature. Now this is not always well understood,  so let me further explain.

When we cannot heal the rupture between ourselves and the rest of life itself, created by mistaken concepts, we remain forever lost, and uncertain about what our lives mean and where we belong. Confused by concepts of separate self and distant “other,” as though pursued by furious enemies, we run until we are totally lost, hiding in whatever places seem to offer us safety. Our safest haven, however, may be found neither in running nor in hiding, but in staying still. Here is a parable that explains clearly the meaning of this:

“There was a man so displeased by the sight of his own shadow and so displeased with his own footsteps that he determined to get rid of both. The method he hit upon was to run away from them. So he got up and ran. But every time he put his foot down there  was another step, while his shadow kept up with them without the slightest difficulty. He attributed his failure to the fact that he was not running fast enough. So he ran faster and faster, without stopping, until he finally dropped dead. He failed to realize that if he merely stepped into the shade, his shadow would vanish, and if he sat down and stayed still, there would be no more footsteps.”

From the Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu

When we make the courageous choice to be still, rather than running away, we have the chance to establish a relationship with what is.

Now doesn’t this story ring a bell for you? I feel I have a ways to go before I reached the blissful state  “of no more footsteps.”