Lately, I have been blessed with some wonderful teachings and meditations, courtesy of our local Buddhist centre. My first-ever Buddhist group meditation made such a profound impression on me that I feel something finally clicked into place that changed my life forever. The pre-meditation teachings were so clear that it was impossible to misunderstand them or feel confused.
The teacher asked three questions and gave us three opportunities to meditate on the answers.
The first question was ‘What is the mind?’
The answer was clarity.
The second question was ‘Where is the mind?’
The answer was the heart.
The third question was ‘What is the function of the mind?’
The answer was to impute.
Meditation 1
During the first meditation, the teacher asked us to visualise or imagine the mind as a space, a void. I found that a bit tricky. I got distracted by the constant movement within this vast space.
Meditation 2
The second meditation led to some kind of peak experience for me. We were instructed to drop our consciousness down into the heart. I found this relatively easy to do. And when we were told how this was like dropping a stone onto the ocean floor where everything is completely still, it totally clicked into place. I could have just stayed there forever and did not really want to return to the silly, raucous and deluded headspace I’m normally in.
Meditation 3
The third meditation helped us to just observe the objects of distractions that arose and how the mind imputes each time.
In short, we spent an hour and a half meditating on the faculties we use to meditate… Talk about mind-blowing! It was by no means my first time meditating but it was by far the most enlightening meditation experience I have ever had.
Discussion
In the group discussion that followed, we talked about implementing these teachings and I expressed a wish to have a button that I could just press to drop back into that beautiful heart space. One older and wiser lady exclaimed, ‘Oh but you can have that button – just imagine it!’
So I have been using that button frequently ever since when I catch my mind imputing delusions onto the world around me. For the sake of clarity, a delusion is anything other than clarity and loving kindness. I have had to own a lot of my shadow in the days that followed and it has been a humbling experience. It has also been a liberating experience as I followed the instructions, which were to actively impute kindness to everyone we meet. Not to delude ourselves but because this is the truth. Deep down, every single living being is soft and kind.
The delusions that make us unkind cause suffering but mostly for the person entertaining delusions of anger or jealousy etc. We can always choose to not get caught up in the delusions of another. Thus there is never any need for blame or divisive behaviour/speech.
The Kingdom
Essentially, what I feel happened thanks to these very clear teachings, coupled with the meditation experience was that I finally ‘got’ the teachings of Christ concerning the Kingdom. I felt reborn in the sense that I was finally able to glimpse the original innocence of the clear, heart-centred mind which makes it possible to embody the Kingdom on Earth.
In traditional Christian teachings, the emphasis shifted from wrong thinking (delusions) to all wrong being. This is not actually what Christ taught but it was a far more convenient dogma for the Church so that they can manipulate people out of fear of eternal damnation in hell.
The Heart Drop
Interestingly, for the Spirit Guide challenge, I am currently taking part in on Instagram, the Heart Drop card from the Tantric Dakini Oracle showed up the other day in answer to the question, ‘How can I work through this karma?’ I had not worked with this deck for many years but found myself rummaging through my drawers as I felt it was the only deck in my collection that could answer this question… I’m guessing the expression on my face when this card (which I didn’t even remember being in the deck) showed up was pretty priceless…
So here I am, holding the heart-shaped jewel which was passed to us all from the wise meditation teacher I had the good fortune of meeting last week. I’m passing it on to you, along with a Tarot spread which will hopefully help you contemplate where you are at on the journey to enlightenment.
The Heart Drop Tarot Spread
1. Which is my main distraction or looping thought that is keeping my mind from clarity? This will show you a habitual thought pattern or something you constantly worry about which you may or may not be aware of. Once you have identified what this distraction is. Take a minute to observe it in your mind’s eye, then detach, aware of the fact that at any time, you have the power to become the Observer. You are not your mind and your mind is only clarity, not its distractions.
2. What is in my heart? When you take a minute to allow the mind of clarity to drop down into the heart, you can find some resistance. It may feel painful to have that much light shining into your heart. Especially if it still needs healing from the delusion that it is separate, isolated, betrayed etc. There may be heaviness that disperses slowly in the light of clarity. This is a way of detaching and observing your emotions.
3. What am I currently imputing incorrectly? How am I deluding myself? It takes courage to look within this way. Bon courage!
Comments 12
Hi Lisa! What a beautiful meditation experience you had! Thank you so my for sharing it with us and for the spread!!!
I just took out three cards for myself: 1) 4 of Wands, 2) 7 of Pentacles, 3) 1 of Swords. It seems to fit exactly my state of mind. It even has layers of meanings! I am so surprised.
It looks like my main destruction which takes my mind from clarity is not knowing how to better apply my passion in a constructive way. My heart is in worry and works hard to guide me and to align me with its truth. I inpute incorrectly clouded vision, not able to focus, can’t see far or plan well. After I wrote this interpretation I suddenly got an idea of a possible another interpretation. Perhaps my mind is distracted by me thinking about a happy meeting with a particular person whom I havn’t seen for ages. My heart is patiently waiting, well with worries too. I am inputing myself with illusion of foolish and hopeless love, which makes my vision totally clouded. The lesson which I take from here is to trust more to my heart and to my feelings and not to overanalyse the situation.
With love and best wishes!
Author
Thanks for sharing. There are alway many destractions. This card shows you one of the main ones right now, so whichever you understand to be the right fit will be the right fit as nobody knows better than you what is keeping your mind busy. The Tarot merely works as a jumping off point for deeper understanding here, so feel free to take both meanings if both resonate. The thing about distractions is that we must allow our mind to return to clarity as soon as we have identified them. We are not identifying them just for the sake of it – the goal is always absolute clarity and peace of mind. And yes, overanalysing makes it impossible to drop back down into the heart. It is the energy of worrying, not staying centred in the now… Blessed be!
Ah, yes!!! I see the point!!! Beautifully said. That is really my main challenge now, to name them “distractions” and stay pure and clear, grounded in the now. That is the most amazing thing ever! Yes, I totally do like that! Thank you so much for reminding!!! 🙂
Author
Love it when the penny drops! Mine only dropped last week, so it makes me that much happier to see that this newfound wisdom can help others see more clearly already. Thanks for taking the time to comment. x
I read a great book a while back that took a similar approach (they were inspired both by neuroscience and by buddhism, amongst other things). They point out that we actually have a huge number of neurons in both our gut and our heart, and talk of us having three brains. They advocate meditating to connect with each of the three brains, and also say that it is from the heart that we make the best decisions, taking advice from the other two without being controlled by them. Have to admit, I have not yet had the kind of epiphany you had of actually dropping into that heart space with ease and clarity, though… This has made me think that perhaps I could use the Lenormand Heart card as a focus, as cards help me a lot in that way!
Love the spread, too <3
Author
Interesting, thanks for sharing, Chloe! Having some kind of visual aid helps, I’m sure. That is why it is used in temples of all religions. In the temple in the Buddhist centre, they had a beautifully decorated altar with various buddhas on it, and also offerings in the form of Schloer, choclate and Pringles (!)… I asked if an offering of nuts and raisins wouldn’t be more appropriate since it is healthier 😀 I accidentally (no such thing!) recieved the card that was the perfect visual representation of what I wish to visualise so that I could drop down into the heart at will but I’m sure it could workt he other way around too… i.e. choosing the card you wish to work with and using it as a reminder. Love and Blessings, Lisa
Apparently the offering should be something that we value, something that would be a real treat or a gift to us personally- that’s why there’s some interesting items (I asked the same question when I went to my Buddhist centre!) I loved that. If we give something precious to us its so more powerful isn’t it?
Lisa- whatever you are doing please don’t stop!!!! These tarot spreads blow my tiny mind. They normally knock me sideways because I get stuff that I don’t want to deal with come up- sometimes it takes me a while to get the meaning! I took the cards i pulled to bed with me to get more clarity & it started such a dialogue with my higher self that I now have such awareness that I didn’t before.
Thank you from my heart ♡
You are so powerfully empowering others °☆°
Author
Yes, that’s the answer they gave… and I guess it all depends on WHAT we value. I don’t really value Pringles and Schloer… OK on the chocolate… and would rather snack on healthy things myself 😀 Glad you’re enjoying the posts and thank you very much for your kind words and encouragement <3
Lisa! I forgot to Say Thank You for sending the Healing!…I felt the Light in my heart, and very shortly after that a big yellow Dragonfly landed on a small tree I am growing on my porch, the Dragonfly was no more than 3 and1/2 feet from me, and he even posed for pictures!
I know he was telling me something!
In Love and Gratitude,
Margie
Author
Oh how wonderful, so pleased you enjoyed the healing and very cool sign to receive from Spirit! 🙂
Hi Lisa! Thank you for writing this and also for the Heart Drop Spread…Actually, I am quite blown away by what the cards told me. My guides chose the deck for me to use, one I hadn’t used for a few years, The Living Light Cards (78) Tarot Deck..it is different, but it does appeal to my Arcturian side…..Detached with Love in the messages they give…I feel like I was “Cosmically” pinched…and matter of factually the cards said exactly what I needed to hear…I almost cried…it wasn’t a warm and fuzzy message….it wasn’t bad either..All cards were Contrary (reversed):
1. The Healer…Major #12
2. Resistance…#12
3. Spontaneity…#30
Basically I am not acknowledging pain and old wounds that could be let go and allow the wisdom of the experience to rule, and my resistance has me ignoring the signals that my body and intuition are sending me…by resisting, I am not moving forward towards my dreams, and Spontaneity is telling me that I am missing out on things in life I am only dreaming of and not doing…..Super profound message…and absolutely spot on.
There is so much for me to work on, and I will use the Heart Drop technique you described as a stone on the ocean floor to help clear these old wounds I’m choosing to hold on to…and get myself moving!
Love, Light and Blessings, and Super Gratitude!
Margie
Author
Beautiful, thanks for sharing! 🙂