From: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com
Date: Thu Jun 24 2004 - 00:57:56 BST
Dear forum,
With regard to ZAMM and Lila, Coherence, the sweet spot and satori, I thought
you all may like to read the following:
The Sweet Spot
by Heather Antonissen, May 2003
Part. 1.
If you have ever committed yourself to any sport, hobby or activity that
requires you to practice consistently for improvement, then you may have
experienced the “sweet spot:” those wonderful moments of maximum output with optimized
effort. Perhaps it’s that moment when you finally hear that sweet smack on
the golf club that sends the ball flying down the fairway after weeks of
splicing into forests, sand and water. It may be in a dance performance when
technique, talent and expression all meld into perfection. Or it may be in meditation
when the mind finally calms and the body begins to hum with the power of the
universe. Whenever it occurs, being in the sweet spot is an amazing experience;
and once you’ve tasted it, it often becomes the ultimate goal.
The thing about the sweet spot is that once you experience it, it is soon
gone. It is a peak experience, and life is usually not lived at its peak--it’s
made up of many experiences in between those peaks. We have moments of
brilliance when we surpass even our greatest expectations; we have moments of struggle
when everything requires monumental effort; we have endless days when life
plods along with no relief in sight. Yet, if we are to improve, we continue our
practice as we explore our edges and challenge our abilities, and we look
toward experiencing that sweet moment of perfect synergy again.
What if we were able to be in that place of vibrant stillness as a regular
part of living? What if all of our moments were infused with that absolute
clarity and focus of mind and efficiency and ease of physical effort? If we look at
the qualities of being in the “sweet spot,” we can see that many of those
attributes can be experienced in our day-to-day life.
Perhaps the most important aspect of experiencing the “sweet spot” is truly
being in the moment with total awareness. Mind and body work together with no
concern of past or future. This union of mind and body in perfect awareness of
the present moment is described by the Japanese zen term known as satori—“
the place where our senses remain consciously apart from their corresponding
sensory objects in order to perceive them, while being in immediate participation
with the foundation of all realities.” Therefore, the key to living in the “
sweet spot,” or in satori, is to be aware of the mind and to know its true
nature. By understanding the mind’s nature, one can begin to be aware of how
thoughts distort our perception of reality and how thoughts influence our reaction
to it. Once we are conscious of these habitual reactions, we can therefore
begin to consciously choose our actions. From this knowing and choosing, one can
then experience true freedom. It is expressed perfectly in a beautiful koan
saying--To study the way is to study the self / To study the self is to forget
the self / To forget the self is to awaken to all things.
Part. 2. follows.
http://www.yogaisyouth.com/community/articles/0305sweetspot.htm
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