Just One Look Forum Archives

This is my first post on the forum, thank you Carla and John for such a wonderful opportunity you have given us. It's the greatest gift one can give or receive!

I was wondering what John's or any community member's thoughts were on the following:

I usually meditate 20-30 minutes in the morning and at night, but since coming across John's teaching it rings a little hollow to me now. I know John teaches that pursuing or not pursuing other spiritual practices is besides the point of just looking — so I'm not having any guilt or such about it; but I wondered, since I have this time anyway and it's become part of my daily routine would it be better used for extended looking. I know one can't abide in or try to become one with the sense of me (it's what rings hollow now in my current meditation), but can repeated looking — coming back to look again and again; as it may, be advisable? Or should I just find something else to do with that time and just look whenever it occurs to me to do so as John suggests?

Dear friend,

I spoke about your post in an Open House meeting on Wednesday, February 13th.

There is no need to concern yourself with what you should be doing during that time.

There's nothing fundamentally wrong with meditation practices, and when not driven by the fear, even meditation practices aimed at producing passing esoteric states are harmless.

You really needn't concern yourself with any of that. Everything will settle into its proper place in time and things that seem important to you will change often along the way. Look at yourself when it occurs to you to do so, whether during that time or any other - why not? For that matter, meditate if it occurs to you to do so, again, why not?

But the most fruitful use of that time might be to exercise your ability to affect things by working with your attention using a simple attention exercise. We recommend this to everybody, and particularly to those like you who have looked and are entering the period of becoming reacquainted with the actual feel of their life, maybe for the first time. This exercise is set out fully in our ebook.

It's good to hear from you.

love, John

Dear friend,

I read this posting and responded to it at the Open House Meeting on February 13, 2013.

Let me know if more is needed.

John

After looking just once more do you still need to be afraid anymore. No, thank you.