Emptying the mind

[Challis]

Hello all. I hope you are well.
A month or two ago, I began the Bardon training. However this week I have become stuck on emptying the mind. In other exercises, I have something to focus on, and through training I can focus on this 1 one thing much longer.

However, I cannot empty my mind. I have searched, but have struggled to find something to focus on.

Of course I have tried breathing exercises, but the winter has affected my health and this makes it harder (blocked nose). Additionally, through association, breathing exercises now just speed up my heart and hammers it into the bed. This is very distracting.

Im surrounded by greater magicians than I, so I figured it cannot hurt to at least ask.

 

[Ancient]

Yes it's a tricky one. I've never followed Bardon's work but this appears to be a very common obstacle going through his course.

I haven't mastered this by any means, but here's what got the ball rolling for me.
Start with a basic meditation: sit, breathe, and observe the thoughts that come up. Continue to observe as you allow yourself to become more and more relaxed. After some time, you will notice the "monkey mind" has calmed slightly and slowed down. Notice how between each thought there is a short space. This space is where you want to be - lengthen it. Increase the gap between each thought. Start with a modest goal. If you can achieve 1-2 seconds in between each you're doing great and will become more familiar with the sensation.

It's kinda like taking conscious control of a muscle you don't often use. Ever tried to wiggle your ears, bounce your pecs, or spread your toes apart? Trying to learn it is a mindfuck, but once you have identified the feeling of using those muscles it becomes easy. The advice to "lengthen the gap between thoughts" is what allowed me to become familiar with the feeling of an empty mind.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Excellent thoughts, and I will put this into action as well.

 

[HoldAll]

I have found that meditating is easier when you do some (brief) relaxation exercise beforehand because it seems to me that any residual tension spot will becomes a source of interfering thoughts once you are trying to empty your mind; I do the New Avatar Power Ritual by Geoffrey Gray-Cobb to this end, only takes a couple of minutes. Additionally, I would arch my back, roll my neck, work out any kinks I can spot before I sit down. I don't think it's helpful if you try to go into meditation 'cold', e.g. directly from stacking the dishwasher. There should be some delineation between the mundane and spiritual exercises, that's why I always do the NAP first.

There is a book by Frater Akenu where he recommends counting the exhales until you reach 20, a neat trick I've found helpful (it's on p. 46):

Book – PDF - Frater Akenu - Liber Azag: The Book of Sigils

I've also posted this small book here just now:

Book – PDF - D. E. Harding - On Having No Head (Zen)

It has already helped me without even having read it, just by its title alone. A flashbulb went off in my head and I thought, "Of course! Just let your mind sink into your hara and condider your head simply an empty watchtower with assorted sensors and capabilities that you don't need right now."

It's really important to keep calm and not berate yourself every time a thought intrudes; mentation is just what the brain does, it's entirely natural. Try to accept such disturbances and return watching the breath (or the void but that still somewhat frightening to me).

Regarding the breath: I just let it come and go however it wants to come and go at this stage; I'd like to leave the breathwork for later once I've learned how to still my mind, interfering with breathing would be just too much at this point.

 

[Challis]

The advice to "lengthen the gap between thoughts" is what allowed me to become familiar with the feeling of an empty mind.

I see. For sure there was an instance that sensation came to mind. But I was excited and immediately the feeling went. But I can work from this. I can search for the in-between and practice holding on to it. Then practice the feeling it gives.
Thank you

There is a book by Frater Akenu

Thanks for the suggestion. I have found the method and I will also work through this exercise.

On the book on having no head, I will read through it. It sounds like what I've been looking for.

Its nice to know i dont need to focus on breathing right now!

Again, thank you.

 

[Ziran]

I began the Bardon training.

I haven't read it, but, it's queued at the top of my reading list.

have searched, but have struggled to find something to focus on.

Unfocus. Open. Many of the ancient meditators would use vocalization to assist them.

Open. Oh-peh-n. There's a trick with the final consonant. Slow down the pronounciation. Try not to think of it, just let the vocal aparatus do what it does. At the end, the tongue position is up and behind the teeth... gently hold the "n"... nnnnnnnnnnnnnn, then release ( better word, relax ) it, but allow the vibration to continue in the mind.

blocked nose

This will work even better with a stuffed nose. Open mouth breathing is what naturally results after the "nnnnnnnn".

I have become stuck on emptying the mind

You'll get it. Or.. hee-hee... you'll release it. Un-get it. The reason these vocalizations work is they are training the mind to release the forms that are filling it.

 

[Elementriloquist]

Hello all. I hope you are well.
A month or two ago, I began the Bardon training. However this week I have become stuck on emptying the mind. In other exercises, I have something to focus on, and through training I can focus on this 1 one thing much longer.

You are already on the Dhyana (emptying your mind) exercise so you are past where I have reached.

How did you get past the previous Dharana (focusing on a single thought) exercise. My max time is like 30 - 40 seconds. I can't even make it to 1 minute.

1. What did you focus on that made it easier to get to 10 minutes?

2. What extra mental exercises/practices did you do (they may have contributed to your improvement)?

3. How long did it take to get to 10 minutes of focusing on a single thought without any mental interruptions?

4. Did you stick to the schedule of 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening, or did you do way more and that sped up your progress?

I have searched, but have struggled to find something to focus on.

Wouldn't that be the exact opposite of emptying your mind?

 

[Roma]

It may be more accurate to refer to emptying the personality mind. The transpersonal mind has cosmic functionality.

Persona = Mask

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

I find smoking a decent amount of pot zones me out and stills my mind.

 

[Ziran]

I find smoking a decent amount of pot zones me out and stills my mind.

With respect, even if this works, many experience a rebound of irritablility and sleep disturbance if they become dependent on using it and are without it. Being dependent on a smoking a substance to still the mind isn't practical. Even finding the right strain, finding the right dosage, and rendering it into a pill is not an ideal solution.

 

[HoldAll]

Hello all. I hope you are well.
A month or two ago, I began the Bardon training.

Regarding Bardon: His IIH book gave me a nasty shock (from which I have still not fully recovered) when I read it all those years ago because he seemed to describe magic as something limited exclusively to people with superyogic abilities; you can get stuck in this system for years if you have an anal retentive mentality.

Instead of spending aeons with Bardon exercises and only then practicing magic, I'd recommend what everybody recommends (it has become almost stereotypical advice): Meditate and do the LBRP. I'm a beginner just like you but I've found that brief rituals like the LBRP present their own challenges, challenges that Bardon does not mention. When first doing the LBRP, you feel like a dick for painting wonky pentagrams in the air, then you stumble over the Hebrew godnames (and did I pronounce them correctly?), then you mix up the archangels and their directions, wait, and wasn't there something about colours… Yes, meditation will improve your concentration (I know it improved mine) but it cannot help you when you don't know the script of that little ritual. And having the script down down pat is just the beginning, I've found… at the stage I am now I ask myself: Would my LBRP performance convince a sceptic observer ("Does it play" is the actor's jargon, I believe)? Am I able to convince myself that I am doing something solemn or even awe-inspiring? There is so much you can learn from this simple ritual…

What I am saying is keep up the good meditation work but also dip your toes regularly into the ritual pool so you know what you are making all these efforts for.

 

[Jackson]

Speaking as someone who came out of the forth way, with a little knowledge (less experience) in zen and pure land,
Don't sit and meditate. Do a walking meditation.

If I recall correctly, sitting meditation was introduced to the west as a baseline because it was thought they'd be into it.
If I recall correctly, it's actually regarded as higher level.

Bardon probably just wants to keep you busy before you move on.
And he might be right, but it's not necessarily the most effective way to start.

It IS possible to stop thoughts, nor is it necessary to do so through sitting meditation. In fact, if I recall, some of Zen doesn't even consider it particularly advisable. Neither, if I recall, does hinduism.

If you are not doing sitting meditation, clear conciousnesss can be done instantly. In fact, it can be done through Pure Land.
Once accomplished, it does not require as work. I can become clear concious mind on command. Not necessarily sitting meditation. Not to say it's permenant at current just on own instant effort, but it is not the difficulty it was when I was twenty.

Just active meditation, becomes easier over the years. If you wish to have a taste without paying for it, Amitabha can also provide a taste.
You will have to ask it to go away. Maybe not as "profitable" as doing it yourself. I am not an expert.

I have not always been as capable of conciousness, I do not know if others cannot.
However, it will transform you. Working on conciousness is for profit. In reality, you can become concious long time if not permenantly, with no work. Or maybe I already did the work so can get it that way. But you probably want to go back. Fuck with your head.

 

[HoldAll]

Speaking as someone who came out of the forth way, with a little knowledge (less experience) in zen and pure land,
Don't sit and meditate. Do a walking meditation.

I think I once saw a zen documentary where monks would sit in zazen for 45 minutes and then walk in a circle for 15 minutes to the rhythm of strikes on a wooden fish or some similar instruments. Good idea that helps to avoid cramps.

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[Xenophon]

Hello all. I hope you are well.
A month or two ago, I began the Bardon training. However this week I have become stuck on emptying the mind. In other exercises, I have something to focus on, and through training I can focus on this 1 one thing much longer.

However, I cannot empty my mind. I have searched, but have struggled to find something to focus on.

Of course I have tried breathing exercises, but the winter has affected my health and this makes it harder (blocked nose). Additionally, through association, breathing exercises now just speed up my heart and hammers it into the bed. This is very distracting.

Im surrounded by greater magicians than I, so I figured it cannot hurt to at least ask.

Crowley suggested first determining where inside your head thoughts seem to spring from. Focus attention there.

Also, myself I cannot easily stop thought while sitting. While walking it comes far easier. I onespawner time did a stint in a Thai wat/monastery. Walking meditation was as big a part of the daily routine as sitting.

 

[Challis]

Wow, thank you everybody for the replies.

This space is where you want to be - lengthen it.

Yes. This was grand last night and felt woah. Weird. Good weird. Now I need to hold on, by letting go(?) for longer. Definitely useful, thank you again.

gently hold the "n"

This is really useful! I gave it a go this morning and it definitely helps me ignore the thoughts. Also good to know this works well in winter!

You'll get it. Or.. hee-hee... you'll release it. Un-get it.

Haha yes. It is a hard thing to describe. I like "un-get it".

How did you get past the previous Dharana

I was working on Damon Brand's success magic. He asks us to "Imagine sharing magic", and my focus was very poor. In order to better the short rituals I really worked on my focus. Then, after some time (perhaps 2 weeks of 5+minutes concentration), I found my mind asking, almost forcing, everything else out. As long as I held on to my imagery and ignored everything else intensly I could do it. It took constant concentration. Your mind wants to wander (often like it does when doing an every day task) but you gotta rein it in. Constantly. Until that is all you have. Once i got into this, it was a little hard to pull myself away from this phase.

That made it easy for me when I began the IIH.

1. What did you focus on that made it easier to get to 10 minutes?

A beam of light entering my head and pulsing energy out from my hands (which were relaxed) was actually too complicated. Just imagined a little pulse leaving my body. It was really simple so was easy to to lock in.

4. Did you stick to the schedule of 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening,

10 minutes every evening but i rarely ever practice in the morning. That's my personal preference though. I'm not strict on time, either. Of course, 10 mins is a guideline.

Wouldn't that be the exact opposite of emptying your mind?

And yeah this kinds sums up my struggle in an odd way. Trying to unfocus.

you feel like a dick for painting wonky pentagrams in the air, then you stumble over the Hebrew godnames

Thank you for humour! This is so true for me. You hit the nail on the head.
Super, I don't mind doing more LBRP more meditation in addition. More practice always helps too. Thank you!


@Xenophon @HoldAll

Speaking as someone who came out of the forth way, with a little knowledge (less experience) in zen and pure land,
Don't sit and meditate. Do a walking meditation.

"If I recall correctly, sitting meditation was... actually regarded as higher level."

Incredible. I had no idea it was a thing. Every day my own naivety surprises me!
This is good. I believe I may have done this without knowing it was a thing. Alright then time to go and try this out now!

Thank you so much everybody for your responses! I can't wait to try these out.

 

[Vandheer]

Super, I don't mind doing more LBRP more meditation in addition. More practice always helps too. Thank you!

Just be careful with searching endlessly and turning into an eternal wanderer, more practice doesn't always mean better. But I also used LBRP on top of meditations before, it helps.

 

[Elementriloquist]

I was working on Damon Brand's success magic. He asks us to "Imagine sharing magic", and my focus was very poor. In order to better the short rituals I really worked on my focus. Then, after some time (perhaps 2 weeks of 5+minutes concentration), I found my mind asking, almost forcing, everything else out.

Does the book have a specific mental training exercise, or did you just do what you described for the IIH mental exercise?

 

[HoldAll]

Does the book have a specific mental training exercise, or did you just do what you described for the IIH mental exercise?

That's the trouble with Damon Brand and the other GoM authors: no mental training whatsoever, no groundwork, no nothing, hop right in, just look at our sigils for a couple of minutes, maybe say some words, and Bob's your uncle. I'm still of two minds about them, maybe their bare-bones approach work if their readers are able to generate the appropriate emotional charge... Damon Brand says somewhere that traditionalist authors with their endless tedious preparatory exercises (I guess he mainly means Bardon) have discouraged many people from practicing magic and that's why he decided to leave them out of his books. I used to devour their books but now I find their "democratization of magic" strategy a tad negligent.

 

[Elementriloquist]

That's the trouble with Damon Brand and the other GoM authors: no mental training whatsoever, no groundwork, no nothing, hop right in, just look at our sigils for a couple of minutes, maybe say some words, and Bob's your uncle.

Oh, well I'm assuming @Challis meant some kind of specific exercise, maybe it was unrelated to the book and he learned it somewhere else. But that exercise may be the key to actually progressing in Dharana.

Damon Brand says somewhere that traditionalist authors with their endless tedious preparatory exercises (I guess he mainly means Bardon) have discouraged many people from practicing magic and that's why he decided to leave them out of his books.

TBH I don't see "winging it" as "practicing magic" and that's why I never did anything in those Damon Brand books, or any other book that just told me to jump in and start trying to interact with invisible entities. I'm actually too paranoid to just randomly start trying to commune with "angels" without building a proper foundation of training and ability. Whose to say these beings are actually "angels"?, whose to say those sigils don't actually just channel energy towards the author, and he's basically created a system where people pay him to give him their energy? lol.

There's just too many unknown variables in it.

If someone walks into a lab, puts on a blindfold, and starts randomly mixing chemicals within arm reach together, even if the resulting mixture was the solution to cancer or the world energy crisis, that still would not make them a "chemist" or a "chemical engineer", nor would it make the process they just engaged in "chemistry" or "chemical engineering".

It was just someone blindly gambling with their safety, messing with forces they don't comprehend, and they just happened to get a favorable result. There's also the possibility that the result is only favorable in the short term, and the long term side effects will cause irreparable damage. That's the danger in blind processes like this.

 

[Roma]

There's just too many unknown variables in it.

Personally I hardly ever trust energies or entities. I put them and myself through various tests before acceptance.

And every couple of months I am triggered to chuck them all out of my light body and test each before allowing re-entry. Usually more than half no longer make the grade and I send them on their way with thanks