Emptiness

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Rumpelteazer
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Emptiness

Postby Rumpelteazer » Sun May 29, 2011 9:39 am

We followed the proposed new format for Cheltenham group meetings (see here), with the exception that readings were not repeated. The additional quotations in the attached paper were not used in the meeting, but have been retained in case they are helpful to forum users.
Emptiness.doc
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This week’s paper, ‘Emptiness’, was designed to help all of us in Cheltenham Group to create the inner space needed before any new understanding or transformation can occur. But beyond that, I think it would be helpful for the Society as a whole. If whenever we meet, and for whatever purpose, we could leave behind our beliefs and prejudices, all we think we know, all we think we have learnt, all we think we understand, all we think that we and other people should be doing - however wonderful we think it all is … If we could leave all that in the tiny cave-like houses where we spend most of our time, and come out of those cramped and dingy houses into the wide open space of the garden surrounding the big house, perhaps then we could work and play together harmoniously and freely in that garden, enjoying each other’s company, asking questions, learning from each other, being open to change in ourselves and in the Study Society as a whole.

In the spirit of emptiness, the notes below contain only the questions raised in the meeting and not the answers given:
  • Why do we find emptiness intolerable?
  • Is it always frightening?
  • What is real emptiness?
  • Is emptiness possible outside of meditation?
  • What about when we are engaged in activities – is there any way of achieving emptiness then?
  • Do we need some desires – like the desire for unity with Param-Atman that causes us to remember and to meditate?

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