Eckhart Tolle: “The Power of Now”, “A New Earth”, “Stillness Speaks”,
Are there two of you? The “I” and “Myself”? How can one say: “I want to know myself”, “I want to…anything”
I want to not want anything. See the paradox? Who or what is the “I”, and who/what “wants what”? How can you want to b e Enlightened? Enlightenment is Free from attachment, free from craving, or wanting…”it” (isn’t even an it) transcends Subject-Object dichotomy.
Once one “Enters The Stream“, “Breaks the first three Fetters” to Nirvana, this experience is inexplicable. Everything becomes ineffable at this point. The laws of language, and psychological concepts are rendered pointless/ This experience is marked by “True Insight into the nature of Absolute REALITY” is a direct experience of Truth, Reality, the Transcendental, Insight, Vipassana (Vipassana has one primary meaning, and that is True insight into the Nature of Absolute Reality. It is secondarily used as to term for certain types of Meditation that are, ideally, focused on the cultivation of True Insight (As opposed to Shamata (Samatha in Pāli), śamatha Sanskrit) The tertiary meaning which is, somewhat unfortunately, the most common use of the word, and it used to describe a specific, “name brand” style of Meditation. “Vipassana International” is a particular meditation approach as taught by S.N. Goenka, which his specific, non-sectarian, or a actually, a secular (secular defined as: denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis: secular buildings | secular moral theory. Contrasted with sacred) approach to teaching Mindfulness Meditation. One the upside, its “borad-spectrum,” secular approach makes it the most common “Buddhist” meditation taught around the world, to the most people, which is certainly a helpful tool. It is simply Mindfulness Meditation, or Satipatthana (satipaṭṭhāna in Pāli, smṛtyupasthāna in Sanskrit) which means Calming, Focusing meditation.
There are some Significant issues relating to “Vipassana the Experience,” and “Vipassana the Name-brand” that i wish to point out are simply that The dichotomy of Shamata and Vipassana is not accurate, as commonly used. There are all sorts of types of buddhist meditation , such as Shamata, Vipassane, Sadhana, Visualiozation, Cultivation of Positive Emotion (such as the Metta Bhavana; the Cultivation of Universal Loving-Kindness) Mantra recantation, Walking Meditations, etc. Although in general Meditation is divided into these two types: Insight (Vipassane) and Calming/Focusing (Shamata.) However, this dichotomy is somewhat false or simply theoretical, because ultimately, Wisdom and Compassion are two sides of the same coin. If one practices with dilegence and Skillful Intentions, the results will be the arising of Insight, thus Wisdom, and with Wisdom, compassion is a natural by-product. For once one Truly arrives at true Insight,(and I speak from Direct, Experiential Knowledge, as I have Entered the Stream, Broken the first 3 Fetters, or simply put, I have Vipassana, in the strictness sense of the word) one arrives at the Experiential Wisdom, the Insight that ALL “things, “Everybody” is more than simply inter-connected, but ultimately, there is No Subject, nor Object, just Oneness, Emptiness, Shunyata, Śunyata, the Primal Void…. Which may sound Nihilistic, which is a common misunderstanding, but in the Dharmic sense; Empty means empty of independent, intrinsic, separate existence. Void is Full, and Full of Emptiness 🙂 This seeming paradox is why it’s an Experiential Insight, ineffable, and can’t be learned or understood, it must simply be Experienced.
So here in lies the rub: you cannot have one without the other! And, Both are contained within each other. I have seen many people exemplify “Spiritual Arrogance” in declaring that they practice Vipassana… as though it is some Badge of Honor, something that says: “I don’t simply meditate to focus, I do it for Insight/Wisdom.”
My whole point is that they are all simply different facets of the same Gem. You cannot practice any meditation well without a solid foundation of Shamata! I don’t care what Lama or Guru initiated you into any sort of sacred visualization practice. It isn’t Magic! That is the essence of the Dharma; that things arise in Dependence upon certain conditions. Its basically Mathematics, NOT Magic.
I recommend to everyone that I teach meditation to, to alternate meditations. (Assuming you’re somewhat serious about meditation,) you’ll have a DAILY practice, usually ranging from 20-60 minutes per day, everyday…sometimes LONGER, twice per day, then sometime go retreat, and sit 8-12 hours per day. This may sound like a lot of work, and it most certainly can be, and it can also be effortless and BEYOND Rapture and Bliss. I recommend that one practices Mindfulness of breathing one day, then the Metta Bhavana the next. This will build focus, calm, intuition, integration of your conscious and subconscious, integrating all of your energies into the same focused direction.
The Results are simply Profound: mindfulness tunes-up your metal abilities, and gives the power of strength, focus, “mind-over-matter.” While the Metta is Cultivating positive emotion; Universal Loving-Kindness. If you practice these two meditations, earnestly, whole-heartedly, with pure intentions, you MIND will become the most potent and powerful ‘thing’ you’ve ever imagined, and you will RADIATE LOVE! You will sleep soundly, animals and children will be attracted towards you, health, intuition, happiness, insights, capabilities…everything that great about you, and SO much more will only be MAGNIFIED, to an unlimited degree and magnitude!! 🙂
Buddhist Insight: Entering the Stream of Enlightenment—The Proof Is In The Pudding! 
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