IGNORE THE MONKEY – TAME THE HEDGEHOG
'Training' or 'Taming the monkey mind', is an expression often used in meditation circles. Let's ignore the monkey mind for a while, and try taming the hedgehog.
We have lost the balance in life, in all that we do, including the search for Oneness or God.
Most religions teach that the senses lead to worldly desires, and consequently dukkha (suffering), or the devil. And so almost all spiritual paths teach us to close the senses and focus the mind.
We have overlooked how animals use their panorama senses. Panoramic sensing is another way of sensing, experiencing, and understanding everything, including God.
In The Value of Panoramic Sensing i describe the unifying experience – how this is the simplest way to be here and now – and how it neutralises thinking and wanting.
Panoramic sensing is the practical, and natural way of starting the 'oneness-process'; the chattering monkey becomes silent by ignoring him.
This is not a new form of meditation or yoga. Panoramic sensing is the oldest, original, most natural, tried and tested form of being awake, aware, and here and now, and in touch with everything in the immediate environment.
Focusing is Essential, But ...
Focusing is essential with higher aims and purposes. Religions, beliefs, meditation, and worship, etc., usually involve intense forms of focusing. But as i see it one big problem is that any strong focal point can easily become closed-minded.And a closed-minded God would never have been able to create anything. Anything else is a contradiction of common sense, God has to be open minded.
And animals always combine or alternate any focused activity with periods of panoramic awareness. It's a fundamental balance.
Different Paths
Panoraming helps directly with empathic heart meditations.If there is an unsteadiness in concentration exercises, a period of panoramic sensing helps re-energise the ability to focus.
It is an easy first step to expand our own consciousness with self-realisation.
For those people who have no spiritual belief, this is a way to feel in touch with life, balanced, and contented.
And for those who believe in a God, we can make the first step by being now, silencing our thoughts, and feeling intimately connected with our immediate environment. It's not eternity, but maybe it's a door.
The Present Bottom Line
By itself panoraming is not strong enough in selflessness to counteract the routine mechanics of the ego. But panoraming is another way of sensing life, and another way of appreciating the great spirit or God.The present bottom line for me seems to be: Lots can only be done by the blessing and grace of God. And if we want help or forgiveness, then we need that from something greater than us.
But to be still inside and now, and stop all the pointless abstract thinking, that's up to us to do. And the easiest, most direct way to do this, is by panoramic sensing.
Back to Chapter Five : Panoramic Sensing and The Great Spirit
Back to THE PANORAMA SENSES Priority Pages