Letting Go

[Steve_Gleason]

I trained for many years and eventually taught as a Sensei in the Japanese Zen-based martial art of Aikido. One of my Senseis was Terry Dobson. I was his Uchi-deshi for a very brief period at the end of his life. Terry wrote a book entitled, Giving In To Get Your Way.

Now I find myself a self-taught student of Mahamudra. One of the things that strikes me is the similarity of some of those principles to Terry Sensei’s idea of giving in. This is from the Mahamudra transmissions that I often quote:

"Remain in the state of non-meditation.
If you attain non-attainment, then you have attained mahamudra."

Of late I am finding that this really resonates. My practice has become much more relaxed as I let go a bit. As that happens I find myself slipping into a much more naturally powerful state of empty awareness that presents as a wonderful continuity of consciousness between the waking state and the dream state.

…just sharing in the hope that this might resonate with others.

[_Barry]

@Steve_Gleason

Of late I am finding that this really resonates. My practice has become much more relaxed as I let go a bit. As that happens I find myself slipping into a much more naturally powerful state of empty awareness that presents as a wonderful continuity of consciousness between the waking state and the dream state.

Powerful and yet very simple to see how this works. I have no such background but I have had some insights in daytime teachings and in lucid/non-lucid dreams, and the things I’ve learned that have stuck with me are forbearance and gratitude for every living and non-living thing as my entry points to non-attainment. Forbearance means never having to win an argument and gratitude means acceptance of whatever unfolds or as Krishnamurti is quoted as saying, not minding what happens. I look for these things in both dreams and waking and I frequently find them.

[Steve_Gleason]

@_Barry

the things I’ve learned that have stuck with me are forbearance and gratitude for every living and non-living thing as my entry points to non-attainment. Forbearance means never having to win an argument and gratitude means acceptance of whatever unfolds or as Krishnamurti is quoted as saying, not minding what happens.

I have only learned to look within for those traits late in life. I believe that they were there within all along for me to find.

I look for these things in both dreams and waking and I frequently find them.

I practiced hard at lucid dreaming at first and achieved some pretty fantastic things in the dream. Those cool achievements only left me wanting more. When I discovered Dream Yoga I slowly transitioned to a more rigpa-centric dream practice.

Now I, too, look for those things in both dreams and waking…and now I frequently find them.

[_Barry]

Also, realizing that not finding them all the time is not a failure, but rather viewing them as Andrew often paraphrases, “light unseen.”

[NightHawk999]

@Steve_Gleason

"Remain in the state of non-meditation.
If you attain non-attainment, then you have attained mahamudra."

I really love that quote, thank you for sharing it.

@Steve_Gleason

this really resonates. My practice has become much more relaxed as I let go a bit. As that happens I find myself slipping into a much more naturally powerful state of empty awareness that presents as a wonderful continuity of consciousness between the waking state and the dream state.

Yes it also resonates with me deeply. Not sure if this quote is in the same ball park, but I have found it very meaningful:

“DIVORCE YOURSELF FROM OUTCOMES”

I think oftentimes we become so obsessed with the conclusions of our behaviors, that the grasping to the outcome can become a significant obstacle to the outcome itself, or worse, cause it not to occur.