For those of you who have read it, (the core part of Be Here Now, by Ram Dass), should I try reading it all at once? Ive been smoking and meditating and then reading it and its been going extremely well, but it does take a very very long time and I don't know if I could get through it all in one sitting. The thing is that its so interactive and you really expand your state of mind as you go from section to section that I feel like I alsmot have to start over each time I pick it up. Has anyone had any more sucess?
I just read it like any other book. The concept is very simple, to strecth the moment you are in to eternity. Read it however feels comfortable, and if that means to read it all at once, then go for it
you smoke, then meditate, then read? i would smoke, read, then meditate on the subject. that's usually how i tackle texts like those. i never read it from beginning to end, each time i pick it up i start from a different point and i've never finished it in one sitting. it's not really linear, so is it necessary to read it all at once? or even in any order at all? that book is like a jigsaw puzzle... each piece has it's place, and not every piece is on the same topic, but each is connected to the rest in some way or another...you don't always have to start the puzzle from the same place every time or finish it the same way for that matter or maybe im just talking shit? i dunno, but that's how i could see it. i don't expect you'll get a lot of replies in this forum, though.
I never smoke before meditating, nor do I read. But I guess everyone is meditating for different reason. I meditate to get out of my ego, and into Samadhi. Sat chit ananda. If you eat food, then try to meditate, the body is working hard to break the food down, which prevents the mind from leaving the body entirely to acheive the non-dualistic state. Likewise, when I have smoked weed, my mind starts racing uncontrolably, and my meditation become a mass of confusion. Also, when we eat meat, how can we expect the realize the scienvce of God?
you're right. you and i have different methods and reasons for meditation. i don't meditate to release my ego, i meditate for introspection. i [usually] meditate on a particular subject to gain understanding, sometimes i meditate on Love, sometimes on the nature of god, etc. agreed. completely. ive been looking into fasting for this and other purposes.
Wow! Nice to see other people fasting. I've been exploring this too. I had yet to find anyone doing it for a spiritual purpose. And I looked up this book the OP was talking about... It looks very interesting, I'll have to buy it tomorrow.
I try to clear my mind before meditating... You know try to froget everything. It's harder than you might think.
awesome! it's a really great book! i love to share this book with people...ive been looking for a copy in the bookstores so i can have one for lending out...such a great book...
When you learn to love God more than food, you wont need it ~ Like Jesus said : "man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." What He was referring to is the medulla oblongota, which acts as a radio signal of sorts, receiving the vibrational energy of God's cosmic dream ~
Thank you Placebo I find if funny how the certain heads on here who tell my Im interesting, and that I in return find very interesting, exist mostly as online friends of mine. I wish I could meet all of you in real life, because you all inspire me that I am not alone in realizing such things and that people actually DO find them to be meaningful. Thank you again Placebo, for letting me feel as if what I said has not fallen of deaf ears. It has always been my dream to write a book but I feel that presently I have yet SO much more to learn. I am writing a bunch of short stories about a skinny clumsy girl with headphones on that arent plugged in, but the kind of book you mean, an organized writing on my personl perception of reality and God, can only come if I keep evolving towards the light ~
Thats the thing. I would always do it that way, and I would read it like a regular book like John said, but this time it appeared to be completely linear; it was almost unsettling. I would read something on the first page and spend several minutes on an enlightening train of thought which would lead me exactly to what was on the next page. In retrospect I found that to be somewhat incredible. The whole thing appeared to be a journey releasing you from your ego and connecting you with everything, I. This is why I chose to meditate before reading, I feel like in this case it was only a preperation. Anyway, I feel like its something to look at the next time Im tripping.
You are very welcome, and the things you say are extremely meaningful. Good luck with your stories, darling. I know I don't have to tell you this, but don't stop moving towards the light.
yes, it is an amazing experience, especially reading the book for the first time. a few years ago, maybe 5 years? i was asking my dad about transcendental meditation and stuff and he picked up 'be here now' for me because he read it in his day... but i couldn't quite grasp it at that time. i was too involved in other things, so i read the book...looked at the pretty pictures... and put it away for a few years, then when i was a senior in school i started looking at it again... and boy was i surprised at the things ram dass said. raised in a very conservative town, and under the 'bible belt', it totally blew my mind what he was saying in the book. it opened my eyes to a world beyond typical southern christianity. wow.
