Friday, July 25, 2014

V is for Vipassana

God and Vipassana...
The struggle is wether my attendance to a second Vipassana course will lead me astray from God now that I have found a stronger conviction in Him since my first course, and since arriving to Australia. As I reflect on my first course...and how I arrived to Hawaii two days after I finished the course...I remember what I felt as I got off the plane, and looked upon my old homeland...the question in my mind that had been burning there for a decade: "Is there a God?" was answered for me....I touched down in Hawaii right after my 10 days of silence...and I said "Surely there is a God!"

 But still I struggled afterwards...I now knew there was a God but the relationship was no where near where it is today, (Thanks be to God, to my friends and the family I have made here)...

It was the other day that the thought popped into my head...I was getting out of the shower when all of a sudden just out of NO WHERE...I got it in my head that I should take up 10 days of noble silence when I get to New Zealand, before saying goodbye to Australia and heading back home to America. I wrapped my towel 'round my body, grabbed my clothes, and rushed to my room. I open my computer, and I started pray: "Please God! Let there be an open course!!" In my experience, they get booked quickly, but sure enough, in New Zealand, there were open courses with dates that fit into my travels perfectly. Never ONCE did I ever think that this would be displeasing to God. I feel like meditation, and noble silence is obviously not speaking, but rather, listening. And that's a good thing I'd say. Most people would find it difficult to get through the day with out saying something, much less get through a day or for some folks, a conversation without looking at their phone or computer. We are in a place of constant stimulation and interaction. What better place to listen to God than a place that offers, FOR FREE, a haven to observe noble silence, and learn the technique of focusing on the present....and learning to quiet the mind, and meditate. I understand that this is a practice of Siddhartha, now referred to as "Buddha." And I think with a lot of Christians...they hear a name of another religion, and I feel a lot of the time, anything associated with that, one must stay away from. I have a hard time believing that God has created us so uniquely, so differently, for us to stay in our own boxes that we have built for ourselves.

That is not the God I know. I believe we are meant to explore...and as long as we stay steadfast in our faith in Him...we wont be wavered...we will learn what we learn...and we will apply it to the relationship.

Anyway, I was praying about wether I should attend this Vipassana course again (which I've just got accepted into)....asking for an answer...I mean genuinely, with everything, asking for an answer. I just needed to know if He would really be displeased...

And this is how it works (as I've observed it) : I pray and God answers. I don't think Time is at all to God what it is to us...so He answers it in His time. His timing on this thing I was praying about...was pretty much right away for me. And He just answered me in this form....through the one man that truly feel in my heart....the holy spirit lives within. Cos if that man don't have God....then I just don't know what...
Mr. Stevie Wonder.

I know that sounds ridiculous but I feel God will speak in the language we understand best to get across what it is He wants to. And by way of Music, sure enough, I felt a peace about the answer I prayed for...

I started to look up why it's conflicting, to love God and practice Vipassana. I didn't even get through the whole message that this one person wrote...I just saw the words "Transcendental Meditation" (which is, I'd say, is a shallower form of meditation than Vipassana). At those words I stopped and turned on Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America" <--- [go head and listen to it while you continue reading] <3

In his 3rd verse he says
"Transcendental Meditation,
Speaks of inner preservation...
Transcendental Meditation
Gives you peace of mind..."


Let me just say that when I made the decision to walk away from God, it was because I attended a school that told me Stevie Wonder was not acceptable music to listen to...and I thought: "But that man is LOVE....how can you tell me this is not pleasing to God..?"

This man that sings of Love, of GOD, and of life...and with those gifts!?  Composing, and writing his songs...and with that Voice!! Not to mention his talent at playing pretty much every instrument.....and he's BLIND! I'm sorry but those are gifts from God...and Stevie knows it...and we all know it.

And here God set Stevie Wonders (Gods funny that way ;) ) song right in front of me...I think this was Gods way of telling me...you go to that retreat....you challenge yourself....you quiet yourself...and I'll be right here...speaking to you in the silence.

I think people think this is something I am skipping and hopping toward. No.
No.

Do not be mistaken...this course is the hardest thing I think I have ever accomplished in my life. And I have no doubt the second time around will be JUST as hard....except that I will have the knowledge this time that YES ...it will be over soon haha! But this isn't something that is easy...that is fun...it's hard...it's flippin hard...and it hurts...and it's challenging....but as with most things that are hard and difficult and challenging...it is rewarding.

So with that...I will be attending this course next month.
Cheers.



1 comment:

  1. Meditation is practiced in pretty much every religion. In fact, Christian mysticism is a huge thing.

    SO, I say, go for it! Glad you have a peace about it :)

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