The purpose of this exercise is to know yourself as a soul, a pure consciousness that is always outside the stream of perceptions and not subject to observable changes.
What is the stream of perceptions
Everything that we see, hear, touch, think, feel or realize in one way or another can be called a stream of perceptions or components of this stream.
This can be compared, for example, to the head of a tape recorder, which reads magnetic signals from a film sliding along the reading surface. Figuratively speaking, you are the reading head (pure consciousness), and all perceptions are “recorded” on film, including perceptions of the body, thoughts, emotions and everything else that is perceived through the organs of the body. Every moment is new set perceptions. Time is created by this stream of perceptions, and without perceptions it does not exist.
A few words about meditation
For those new to self-discovery, it may be quite difficult to understand how to do this meditation, so for beginners I will describe a procedure that will be more understandable, but also more complex. I also recommend watching the video “The True Nature of the Soul” or reading articles on this topic at the link below. Those who pass levels, especially the 4th, and even more so the 5th (on the website “Self-Knowledge - the Path to Enlightenment”), can see that this meditation is the simplest of all techniques, since observation of the flow of perceptions occurs on its own yourself and always, and all that remains to be done is to be aware of the fact that you are aware of the flow of perceptions.
What to remember
You are pure consciousness, located outside of any objects in the stream of perceptions, whatever these objects are - thoughts, emotions, feelings, sensations, self-perceptions (identifications), etc. You are that which is aware of the fact that it is aware; aware, but not the object of perception. This is difficult to understand with the mind, so there are various practices, meditation techniques and exercises that gradually lead to this awareness.
In this meditation, you need to remember that you are not an object in the stream of perceptions, although the mind may say otherwise. Understand that everything that the mind says is part of the flow of perceptions itself.
Meditation technique
If you are distracted by any problems, it is better to solve them before starting the exercise, or, if you can, postpone solving them until later so that they do not interfere with your meditation.
Sit comfortably in a sitting position, close your eyes, and relax.
1. Observe sensations in the body, allowing attention to wander freely throughout the body; there is no need to control either your body or your attention. Be aware of the fact that you are not the body, but the observer of the body and the perceptions received through the body. At first, you can help yourself mentally with a phrase like “I am not this body; I am the one who observes the perceptions of the body and is aware of myself as an observer.” The sensations you receive from and through the body are part of the flow of perceptions. Be aware of this fact, as well as the fact that you are separate from these perceptions (you are not what you perceive), thanks to which you can observe them. If this is not clear, simply observe bodily perceptions and become aware of yourself as their observer. When this becomes easy to do and without tension (good relaxation has been achieved), you can move on to the second part of the meditation.
2. Observe thoughts that arise, change and disappear. All you need to do in this part of the exercise is to observe the thinking process, realizing yourself as an observer of this process. The mind will tell you that you are a participant in this process: “I am thinking these thoughts, I am thinking,” etc. You, as pure consciousness, do not think, you observe and are aware of the thinking process. But when the mind says, “I am thinking all these thoughts,” it creates the perception that you are the one doing the thinking, which is not the case. It is identification with the mind that the mind itself creates. At the moment of disidentification, there is neither an idea nor a feeling that “I think,” there is only a process of thinking that is perceived, realized. And you are the one who observes and is aware of this thinking process, without being a participant or an objective part of the process itself. You can say that you are outside the mind, outside the thoughts; rather, they are in you - in the field of your awareness. When this part of the meditation becomes easy and stress-free, move on to the third.
3. Observe emotions and feelings. It may be better for women to do this part two if the second part (observing the mind) is too difficult for them. The essence is the same: you observe feelings and emotions that arise and disappear in the stream of perceptions. At the same time, you realize that you are an observer of the flow of emotions, and not a participant in it. There is no need to try to control feelings, you just observe and become aware of them. If you think that you are in control, this is a trap of the mind, because an idea like “I control emotions” or “I can control emotions” is just a thought appearing in the stream of perceptions. At first, you can help yourself with phrases like “I am not the emotions that I perceive, I am an aware observer of emotions and feelings.” Become aware of the fact that you are a consciousness that perceives and is aware of feelings and emotions that arise and disappear in the stream of perceptions.
When all three parts of meditation are performed easily, without tension and effort, an understanding of one's true nature can arise or deepen - the observer who is not part of the stream of perceptions (is not an object in the stream), and who is aware of the fact of observation (perception) - “I am pure perceptive consciousness."
At first it may be a mental understanding, it is unstable and uncertain. As you go deeper into meditation, this understanding becomes your very essence.
If this exercise is too difficult for you, read other materials on the site “Self-knowledge - the path to enlightenment”, try other techniques. Perhaps it makes sense to work through dualities like “I am the body - I am not the body,” etc.
If you don’t understand anything at all, you need simpler materials and exercises, for example, the article “Nothing is by chance” or the “Formula of Happiness” technique.
Source Meditation on the flow of perceptions, site of self-knowledge. Good luck in self-discovery!
What is self-knowledge
Eat different areas or levels of self-knowledge, accessible to humans, and Wikipedia describes three of them, which correspond to three levels of human organization:
1. Biological - knowledge of oneself as an organism.
2. Social - the ability to acquire knowledge, skills and rules of behavior.
3. Personal - the ability to make choices, coordinate behavior, create your own life.
However, this description misses the most important view self-knowledge - knowledge of one’s true spiritual (immaterial) nature. And this was missed only because traditional psychology never went beyond the material spheres of knowledge. On this path of self-knowledge, we take a step into the unknown, going beyond the usual material, and make an incredible discovery - who we really are. This is the path of liberation from illusions and delusions, the path to freedom and oneself - eternal and present.
What is this Path to Enlightenment?
This is a set of the most effective enlightenment techniques, selected over the past 10 years of research and work on yourself and with clients. All techniques of this path of self-knowledge are given in a certain sequence (divided into levels) and adapted for self-use. Some of them are my authorship, others are taken from other sources and improved, other techniques are given in their pure form with an indication of their origin.
For those who want to achieve enlightenment quickly, I have both good news and bad. Good news is that:
1. on this path of self-discovery you save several tens or hundreds of thousands of euros (that’s how much people pay to achieve a similar state in some “organizations”)
2. techniques this path incredibly effective! That is, fast and effective.
3. you don’t need an assistant, all self-knowledge techniques are for independent work. But if necessary, I will help in any way I can - see Free psychological consultations.
Now the bad news:
1. this path of enlightenment is not for everyone (more details in the "Warning" section)
2. sometimes it will be difficult, unpleasant and not fun (this is the price to pay for the speed and efficiency of the technique)
3. no one will feel sorry for you or sympathize with you (if you need pity and sympathy, this is the wrong place :))
Therefore, to briefly summarize, we can say that this path of self-knowledge is for sensible, practical people who are ready to do something for their present and future. The rest will find something simpler and, most likely, useless.
Description of the path of self-knowledge and enlightenment techniques
This is a fast, effective and, most importantly, reliable path to enlightenment and happiness - the path through the ego and through dualities (more details in the chapter “Emptying the Mind”). The final destination of this path of self-discovery is Complete Spiritual Freedom (see Supreme Reality). Freedom from everything that made a person unfree.
Restoring the original state of pure consciousness - enlightenment - is possible with the help of various exercises and self-knowledge techniques, and on the site I have posted the most effective techniques by emerging from dualities (duality) and the mechanisms of the mind, which leads to the acquisition (or rather, to the awareness) of the original nature of the spiritual being. This is the path in which the natural abilities of the spiritual being are restored, and as a result, understanding, harmony, calm, joy, happiness and serenity arise.
What will you find in the levels? At the first two levels, techniques are given for working with actual dualities (duality, dichotomies), which provides liberation from the trap of these dualities and the mechanisms of the mind (ego) associated with them. At the second level, in addition to the most powerful technique for working through dualities, there are also additional universal techniques of enlightenment, not only for working with dualities. The third level on the path to enlightenment is the accelerated processing of dualities and mechanisms of the mind using the subconscious, as well as a series of techniques whose goal is to restore the ability to create, change and destroy any illusions (space, energy, matter and time) consciously and at will, and , accordingly, lead to greater spiritual freedom. Techniques of the Fourth and Fifth levels are aimed at eliminating the basic mechanisms of the mind, total disidentification and gaining the original complete freedom - pure consciousness, which also implies happiness in its purest non-material form. The fifth level, in fact, is entirely devoted to the issue of self-knowledge, and this is the most interesting area for research.
The self-knowledge techniques of each subsequent level are much more powerful than the previous ones, and each level is a preparation for the next.
The proposed path allows you to independently and relatively quickly get rid of negativity of any kind and its unpleasant consequences. Get started now using the techniques provided on the site!
Techniques for processing dualities and moving beyond them are very simple and effective; You can verify this by working on the first level. The state achieved using the techniques of this path (unlike some other practices) is the most stable, because the very foundation of the mind - duality - is removed. In other words, there is an irreversible erasure of the ego, its dissolution in pure consciousness - forever. Getting out of dualities (duality), emptying the mind, achieving pure divine consciousness, harmony, joy, happiness and serenity - all this is possible, and this does not require decades (as before), or even years. The entire path to enlightenment can be completed quickly - in six months to a year, subject to intensive practice of self-knowledge.
Here you will find the greatest and most exciting adventure - a journey deep into yourself, to your true self, to happiness Complete Freedom. Welcome! And may your Path of self-discovery be fast!
The concept of “meditation” is interpreted in different ways: most often this term is understood as the process of focusing and calming attention. Meditation techniques allow you not to dissipate attention to trifles, preserve mental and physical energy and achieve a state of pure consciousness. In this article we will talk about how to “zero” your consciousness in such a way as to get the maximum benefit from it.
Philosophy of pure consciousness
Knowing yourself is a strange and complex process. Speaking about our own consciousness, can we always distinguish our “I”, our original nature from what is brought in from the outside? Actually, what is our consciousness if not the experience reflected in it? It is difficult to find an answer to this question, because, in essence, what do we have except experience? Meditation on pure consciousness helps to find the answer to the question “What, in fact, am I, besides experience?” After all, according to many philosophical teachings and religious beliefs, we are something more than a specific individual as a representative of society. If we discard life history, family ties, any regalia and achievements - what remains then? Meditation allows you to meet your soul - that independent spark of life that makes your body move and your brain make decisions.
Stopping internal dialogue
The second important aspect of meditation on pure consciousness is stopping the internal dialogue and achieving silence of thoughts. Most often, we constantly replay our past in our heads, possible scenarios for the development of events, including those that have not yet happened, we argue with ourselves and with internal demons. The magic of pure consciousness lies in the fact that we do not waste our mental energy maintaining this incessant internal dialogue, but save it for more productive purposes - or simply perceive the world here and now, without running away with attention to the past or future.
The concept of tabula rasa
The phrase “tabula rasa” comes from Latin language. The ancient Romans called tabulae special tablets for writing. The phrase “tabula rasa” literally meant a tablet from which the inscription had been erased; it was used in an allegorical sense, speaking of the possibility of starting over, as if from clean slate. In relation to pure consciousness, “tabula rasa” is used in the context of the theory that each person is born without a predisposition to a certain type of behavior - it is formed in the process of growing up and only reflects acquired experience. Roughly speaking, at the beginning of life, each of us is an unwritten book, the blank pages of which can be filled with anything.
Undoubtedly, the thesis that the consciousness of a newborn is a blank slate has been criticized. It is impossible not to take into account the factor of genetics, the inheritance of certain character traits from parents, and even physical indicators. But an adult is quite capable of rewriting his story and returning to the consciousness of pure mind, using meditation as a tool.
Tabula rasa in European philosophy
In the West, the concept of “tabula rasa” is most often used, meaning not the state that can be achieved through meditation and working on one’s consciousness, but the initially empty human mind before acquiring any experience. The idea of primary consciousness as a blank slate belongs to Aristotle, who first used the expression “tabula rasa” in his treatise “On the Soul”. But this term became widespread much later thanks to the 17th-century English philosopher John Locke and his treatise “An Essay Concerning Human Reason.” He also believed that the child’s consciousness is a blank slate, and the personality is formed in the process of upbringing under the influence of circumstances and environment.
Forget your "I"
To the Western consciousness, a return to the state of “tabula rasa” may seem absolutely unnatural and cause protest. In our culture, personal achievements and victories are highly valued, so refusing own experience can be perceived as a rejection of everything achieved through one’s own labor, albeit not without mistakes.
In fact, meditation on pure consciousness does not at all set itself the goal of depriving you of your own “I” and blurring your personality in the Universal Absolute. On the contrary, meditation can serve as a reliable tool for maintaining and exaggerating benefits, allowing you to spend energy more optimally.
It’s another matter if your goal is to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Most likely, you will begin to go to the other extreme - completely abandoning your desires and striving for impartiality. Of course, your goals are laudable, but you shouldn’t perceive desires as something alien and deny your ego either. As we remember, the more you forbid yourself something, the more you are drawn to it.
Regular human life contains many pleasant moments - by giving up our desires, we deprive ourselves of experiencing many miracles. It is important that there is harmony in everything, and that your desires do not turn into crazy passion.
Pure Consciousness Meditation Technique
The reasons for turning to such meditation can be different. Perhaps you really wanted to clear your consciousness of the layers of accumulated experience in order to know your nature or tame your desires. Or maybe you just want the stream of thoughts in your head not to prevent you from falling asleep peacefully. In any case, you first need to master certain techniques to calm the mind.
The main goal in mastering the state of pure consciousness is to learn to switch to the internal observer mode. This observer within you does not have any emotional reaction to any irritating factors from the outside - he simply contemplates them and accepts them as they are, without trying to influence the situation in any way. The same applies to thoughts - your inner observer does not engage in dialogue with your “I”, but simply monitors the appearance of thoughts. Perhaps he labels these thoughts like “I already thought about this yesterday” or “but this thought came to me for the first time.” One can even imagine that we're talking about not about you as a person, but about some hypothetical movie or book character that you are just playing (which, according to eastern philosophy, not far from the truth). Trust your wise higher self.
Learn not to think
If you immediately try to start meditation by abruptly stopping thinking about anything at all, then you will suffer a crushing defeat. Thoughts will flow like large hail in the summer, and it will be simply impossible to stop them. Your task is to act in the opposite direction and, conversely, allow thoughts to float freely in your head.
At first, it will be difficult not to react to these thoughts in any way - each of them will cause a chain of associations and feelings. You need to learn not to get involved in this flow, but to monitor it from the outside. Over time, you will notice that some thoughts come more often than usual and are formative for your consciousness. The logical step would be to track the source and reasons for their appearance and, as a result, understand whether you are spending too much on maintaining this constant idea internal energy. Also try to grasp the connection between the thought and the reaction to it, and then understand why you react the way you do. If you feel that you are going too deep into the jungle of your memories, then note for yourself the achieved understanding of internal processes and return to the original task of calming your consciousness.
Silence between thoughts
When you manage to catch this pause between thoughts, unfilled and unclouded by anything, the magic of pure consciousness will begin. At first it will be difficult to maintain it - the thought will immediately arise that you have captured inner silence and are trying to maintain it. But it is important not to think about how exactly you are holding it, but to be in the action itself, in the moment “here and now.” When thoughts start creeping into your head again, remember the inner observer and look at him with dispassionate eyes. Thoughts that come to mind, not finding a response, will slowly begin to melt and disappear.
Gradually, you will be able to induce a state of inner silence without prior adjustment, anywhere. You will be able to remain calm in a crowd, in transport, at work and at home. You will be surprised to note that such a state is extremely productive: being immersed in the process of any action, we can perform and control it much better and more accurately.
Importance of Meditation Posture
The state of the mind largely depends on the state of our body, and vice versa. Undoubtedly, meditation masters can keep their minds clear even on a crowded train. But beginners are advised to practice by adopting a comfortable and symmetrical posture in a quiet and peaceful place to achieve harmony of body and mind. In fact, the existence of all yoga asanas serves one purpose - to prepare the body for long meditations. And the improvement of the body and good health is, one might say, a pleasant by-effect. The ancient treatise of the Indian sage Patanjali even states: “Yoga is stopping the movements of the mind.” And indeed, if your body is already somewhat tired exercise, it will be much easier to sit at rest. If, on the contrary, if you simply cannot find a place for yourself because of the energy that overwhelms you, then it is better to throw it out with the help of active exercises than to melt it into reserves of potential energy with the help of increased concentration.
Correct breathing
All Eastern teachings emphasize the importance of the connection between the rhythm of breathing and the activity of consciousness. Spirit-breath is the link between our body and our mind. By slowing down and lengthening your inhalations and exhalations, you can achieve quick relaxation and release of bodily tensions, as well as achieve concentration and inner silence.
One way to master pure awareness meditation is to track your breath, focusing on how your body inhales and exhales. At some point you will feel a physical buzz from this simple action. This state of pleasant detachment is the key to inner silence.
How to start meditating
Mastering any exercise requires daily practice. Meditation is no exception. The more often you train your mind, the more your ability to disengage from a situation and clear your mind increases.
There are different methods for mastering meditation. Most often it is recommended to meditate immediately after waking up in order to enter into new day with a favorable mood, and before going to bed, to clear your head of thoughts that have accumulated during the day. Another option is to devote ten minutes to half an hour to meditation, completing the practice of hatha yoga. There are also recommendations to plunge into a state of inner silence almost every hour, but do this for only a minute. You can choose the most suitable option for yourself, but the main thing is to stick to regular implementation.
Methods of Meditation
In addition to focusing on breathing and noticing thoughts described above, there are other ways to achieve emptiness of consciousness. Often achieved through concentration on a factor, as in the example of breathing. In addition to observing the breath, it can also be contemplation of some actual image or visualization of an internal picture, chanting mantras or prayers, repeating rosaries, performing some monotonous action - even washing dishes can be akin to meditation if your mind is empty and calm.
But don't think that cleaning can replace special meditation exercises. Even if you think that sitting on the floor in the lotus position is a waste of time, just start with at least five minutes a day and see how it affects your mood.
A process that lasts a lifetime. Therefore, it is important to learn to enjoy it yourself. And having realized who you are and where you are going, you need to continue to rethink and improve your knowledge about yourself and the world. In this article we will look at several methods of self-knowledge, describe their advantages and show how to apply them.
Self-knowledge is the study by an individual of his mental and physical features, understanding oneself. It is formed gradually as we learn about the world around us and our own personality. This is a very slow, but at the same time exciting process. At some stage, a person may realize that he was mistaken about himself and rethink, clarify his values and goals. This is also part of the job and should be treated with understanding.
Why do you need to know yourself at all?
The short answer is that self-knowledge will allow a person to find happiness and peace of mind. It’s sad when a person spends several decades doing something, and then realizes that he wasted his time and that he was actually interested in completely different things. But if these regrets are not uttered on your deathbed, then there is time to make things right.
If you answer in more detail, this gives the ability for self-improvement, personal growth and self-actualization. A person who is at arm's length from understanding himself feels the fullness of life and realizes its meaning. We talk about arm's length because, as stated in the first paragraph, this process lasts a lifetime. And there is no problem with that. We can be in an eternal search and at the same time feel the world as it is, enjoy every moment of our life.
Well, in the end, when you understand who you really are, there are no deep and painful conflicts within you. Household problems will arise every day, but you will cope with them because you have resolved the main ones. You will take actions only because you clearly know that they fully fit into your system of values and self-understanding. You will not take meaningless actions and be in unconscious states when the most different situations lead you, rather than you managing your life.
The prospect is tempting, and every person understands that he needs to strive for this. He feels he needs it. let's consider effective ways and learn how to use them.
Ways of self-knowledge
Before we begin to analyze the tools, it is worth saying that by using them, you can learn not the most pleasant things about yourself. Therefore, be prepared in advance to evaluate yourself objectively. If it helps, imagine yourself appreciating completely stranger to eliminate increased emotionality and self-flagellation.
Introspection
This is the first step on the path to self-knowledge. As has already been said, you must evaluate yourself completely objectively. You observe yourself, your behavior and your reactions to external stimuli. Self-observation involves constantly increasing your level of awareness.
There are several ways. For example, you could hang sticky notes above your desk (or wherever you spend the most time) with questions like these:
- What am I doing now and why?
- What am I thinking about now?
- How do I feel now? What can you call this feeling or sensation?
- What makes me feel alive and real?
- When do I act hypocritically?
You should focus on five points: feelings, sensations, thoughts, images and actions. Remember that you should not judge yourself, you are only getting to know yourself. You need to see the real picture, not the one you want. If you often feel insecure, admit it. Remember that this prevents you from achieving understanding of yourself and your goals.
You can write down everything you are doing now or have done today. If possible, you should keep such records at least once every 2-3 hours. After some time, you will realize that you are monitoring your emotions and actions and are no longer reacting on autopilot. This is a sign that the first step has been completed successfully. However, it is worth returning to again and again, as over time you will change or gain a deeper understanding of your motives and values.
Introspection
You are now ready to analyze your observations. With this method, you begin to reflect more on your behavior and reactions. You see the consequences of actions and try to determine their causes. This stage is very important and psychologically difficult. You may realize that more than half of your reactions come from childhood and also from your subconscious.
And you have a serious choice - to do it yourself or turn to a specialist. If you feel like you can handle it yourself, start taking notes.
Concentrate on negative emotions and the thoughts that arise in your mind day after day. This may include resentment, a desire to criticize others and people’s rejection of this, increased irritability, anger and apathy. If you, for example, dealt with your grievances, this will greatly change both your understanding of yourself and your life. Surely there were periods when you were not offended by anyone and you had great mood, and on other days it was the other way around. Want to know why? You will realize how much better you will feel and understand yourself if you learn not to be offended by the words and actions of other people.
Most of us simply do not have sufficient experience and knowledge to correct assessment of your personality. Therefore, we recommend that you read more books on this topic. In addition to giving you a framework for assessing your personality, they often contain a list of questions whose answers will help you get to know yourself better.
Comparison
People love comparisons by nature. Both comparing oneself with others and categories (“best” - “worst”). But this can either hinder you from getting to know you or help you.
Comparing yourself to other people is not an unambiguous evil. If this leaves you feeling frustrated, worthless and jealous, then yes, you need to change your ways. If comparison with other people inspires you and forces you to become even better, then you are doing everything right. As has been said, self-knowledge helps you determine who you really are. However, this does not mean that you do not need to develop and become better. Biography successful person will help you understand and perhaps even identify in yourself hidden talents and resources you didn't know you had.
Comparing categories is likely to lead to bad consequences. By calling one person lazy and another hardworking, you impair communication and criticism, which can result in internal conflicts. After all, by such standards, you are lazy if you wake up in the morning and don’t want to get to work. This leads to unnecessary stress and the development of complexes.
So we can give you two pieces of advice. First: Comparing yourself to other people is good if you do it in the right way, you are inspired by the actions of others. Second: since comparison by categories is sometimes unavoidable, use all points of view, or at least do not judge yourself or other people. If your friend cannot get down to work, this does not mean that he is lazy. Just like in your case.
Self-acceptance
At this stage, you accept yourself for who you are. This does not mean that you should be content with this, because self-development is necessary for any person. But now you know what to start from. Do you understand what your weaknesses are and strengths, aspirations and motivation, values and goals. It's also important to look for strengths in your weaknesses because it makes them less painful to perceive.
On at this stage You can’t do without self-testing, because you can be wrong about yourself, and besides, you’re constantly changing. Therefore, you should not be satisfied with the picture that you have. Develop, change, but constantly watch yourself and try to understand yourself and the changes that are happening inside you.
In conclusion, I would like to advise you to study, in particular, such sections as social Psychology and personality psychology.
For a more detailed understanding of the topic, go through, which will help you analyze more than 50 characteristics of your personality and learn to apply this knowledge in life.
We wish you good luck!
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