This was taken recently by me, when I travelled to North East part of India. This is a snap, taken on river Bramhaputra in Assam state. Recently my wife has gifted me, a mirrorless camera. I am learning to take photographs with this camera. Before starting the tour to North East part of India, I viewed few you tube videos, on how to use digital camera for taking pictures. One of the video, showed different settings and how to use them. While showing the settings, the photographer in the video, was showing the display screen of the camera to demonstrate, how to achieve different settings. One thing that struck me was, there was no memory stick in the camera.
He was taking pictures with different settings and showing them on the display for some time to explain the effect of differences between the settings. Suddenly it dawned on me that the camera is just taking pictures without storing any thing. It is not getting affected by the images previously taken as it is not storing it. J. Krishnamurty talks about seeing which is not conditioned by past , which is always fresh and present. Which does not judge the present on past accumulated knowledge. Can we do that?
Can we look at the surroundings, the experience we are going through , the sound we are hearing, without judging the same from our memories or conditioned mind. Then what you will see/ hear, will always be new, even if you are seeing it again and again.
" The real voyage of discovery is not in seeking new places but in seeking with new eyes" Marcel Proust.
How can we have new eyes, which are not burdened by the experiences of the past , which don't interpret, what they are seeing now. In brief how can we uncodition our mind. What are hacks for that to remain in present and observe? Following paragraph from J. Krishnamurty, talks about this and may be helpful.
"That emptiness of the mind cannot be produced: the mind cannot be made empty, cannot be put together to be empty. That emptiness comes as a sunset comes of an evening, full of beauty, enchantment, and richness; that comes as naturally as the blossoming of a flower when there is no fear, when there are no escapes, when there is no boredom, and when there is no seeking. That is the most important of all – there must be no seeking. You cannot find; you cannot find the everlasting. That which is beyond time you cannot search out. It may come to you but you cannot go to it because your minds are too shallow, petty, empty, full of ambition, fears, ugliness, and distortion. Therefore, the mind must empty itself – not because it wants that, because when you want that, you have a motive, and the moment you have a motive, you have lost your energy. Therefore, it is only the mind that is completely empty that is in a state of inaction. That inaction is action. And it is only such a mind that is passionate; it is only such a mind that can live with beauty and not get used to beauty – the beauty of a tree, the beauty of a face, the beauty of an eye, of a smile, of the ugly, dirty road, the squalor, the poverty, it is only the passionate mind that can live with it and not get distorted. And it is only such a mind that is so completely empty that is in a state of meditation."
Tell me what you do, to have such empty mind or in other words remain present. Meditation of course helps as well as the practice of mindfulness.
I was on the deck of the river cruise, when I was taking this picture. Lot of people were around me, scrambling for taking pictures. But when I had put my eye to the view finder, I was completely focused on the scene and oblivious to the surroundings. I felt serene and contented. I was fully present there and I clicked. Probably I got the best result.
How it will be to experience our life like a camera without a memory stick? Some people will object to this saying that memories make life beautiful. Is it the memories or replay of the memories at this instant that we feel beautiful?
Tell me what you think?
I had also experienced the vastness of sea in Andaman. All were dancing on deck. When i saw the sea water i was stunned & i did open eye meditation. It gave me immense pleasure.
ReplyDeleteWhenever we want to grow, acquire knowledge, we have to throw garbage if past memories. Thanks God for not remembering our previous birth memories otherwise it would be a mess in current life
Oh beautifully explained. Present moment awareness is what takes us to beyond time, and such experiences are really fascinating and awe inspiring.
ReplyDeleteNicely explained through example. Nature's vastness sometimes make us empty and soothing feeling starts. That is why Ramana Maharishi said ask yourself who am I. This question itself make mind blank and empty.
ReplyDeleteYes. An apt way of making your mind empty. Thank you for sharing this.
DeleteTo experience the experience mentioned in the post one may have to completely destroy the memories without any trace.
DeleteSecondly the mind , the creator / store house of memories has to be butchered without any mercy.
If we succeed in doing so ,it may result a kind of EMPTINESS ,the so called state of SAMADHI , which one may experience very rarely Sir.
Yes.It is a rare state. But intense Sadhana may lead one to the road to that state. I think.
DeleteHi coach i reached to you from @ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter IG page. Once one can still the attention to the point where it is able to look indefinitely into the nothing without becoming impatient, then the thing is seen as the absolute present. The now-now that is more present than the content of the senses. It's a wonderfully explained you. Thank you !
ReplyDelete@Lachlan - Stockholm, Sweden
Human brain or mind is very complex organ, it works in very complex way and we are still in a process to explore many mysteries associated with it. Is there anyone with unconditioned mind? Very nice blog. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Fletcher - Johannesburg, South Africa
Our mind is conditioned right through: there is no part of you which is unconditioned. That is a fact, whether you like it or not. You may say there is a part of you — the watcher, the super-soul, the Atma -- which is not conditioned; but because you think about it, it is within the field of thought, therefore, it is conditioned. But i am glad to see and read this wonderful article. Thank you so much. @Kylie - Melbourne
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picture of Brahmputra shooted . Nature is only have this power to keep our mind zero. Thanx for sharing.
ReplyDelete@Bronte - Australian
Yes you are correct.To have peace, the mind must be totally unconditioned. @Acacia - Melbourne
ReplyDeleteAccording to me conditioning is not always bad, actually it's very necessary for our civilization and society, because of conditioning of mind we are civilized people otherwise their would not have been any difference between humans and other animals. Your article is wonderful, Thankyou.
ReplyDelete@ Kuala Lumpur - Theodore
Journaling is among the best mind-cleansing activities thanks to its liberating effect. By transferring your fears, hopes, and projections from your mind into a journal, you free up space in your head. Wonderful photo of sunset and river.
ReplyDelete@Henry - Australia
A blend of relaxation, fun, and mindfulness will help you regain poise and composure. Excellent photography. @Matilda - Sweden
ReplyDeleteFor while photography looks outward at the visual world through the medium of a camera, meditation focuses inward on unmediated experience. And whereas photography is concerned with producing images of reality, meditation is about seeing reality as it is. Yet in taking photographs and practicing meditation over the past three decades, I find the two activities have converged to the point where I no longer think of them as different. Am I correct?
ReplyDelete@Charlie - Casablanca
Charlie. You put it beautifully. Can not agree more. Photography is meditation in action. And meditation is seeing the world as it is. A realistic photography if I may say so. Thank you for a thoughtful comment.
DeleteConditioning should not be to a extend where it becomes an obstacle to accept anything new, anything which seems coming from outside of those boundaries which are set by that conditioning. Wonderfully explained in blog. Thank you ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter IG account and Thank you to writer for a wonderful experience to eye in a way of beautiful photograph.
ReplyDelete@Archer - London
The fact is that your mind is conditioned right through, the conscious as well as the unconscious, and any effort it makes to free itself is also conditioned. Is it not?
ReplyDelete@Harvey - Sydney
The difficulty lies in not realizing it in the sense of understanding all its implications, seeing that all thought, however subtle, however cunning, however sophisticated or philosophical, is conditioned. Beautiful photography and article.
ReplyDelete@Sienna - Australia
Living in the present means you have accepted the past, learned from the past, and moved forward. Living in the present is the only way to enjoy life to its fullest. Experiencing the present moment tends to lead to feelings of appreciation for what it is to be alive. you are wonderful writer. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Evelyn - London
You are wonderful writer as well photographer. Keep Going. @ Harry - Sydney.
ReplyDeleteSpecial Thanx to IG - ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter
@Sheldon - Sydney
wow what a beautiful shot of Brahmputra and very nice theme of photograph. Excellently explained the theme of article. Thank you!!
ReplyDelete@Mason - Sydney
The pure, true nature of our mind is unconditioned. Awareness cannot be conditioned. It is eternal, always aware of itself and free from any pattern. thank you.
ReplyDelete@Hazal - Sydney
Very true what you said about awareness.
DeleteExemplary thoughts . Excellent shot.
ReplyDelete@Diana - London
The unconditioned mind is the observer that observes itself, it is awareness being aware of itself, the catalyst for transformation. Superb click of sunset. Thank you
ReplyDelete@Ross - Sydney
Rightly said
DeleteThe undonditioned mind is this unlimited, undisturbed awareness. It is a state of being, the result of that conscious choice that we made, our own infinite nature.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
@Smith
Yes absolutely right. Our own infinite nature.
DeleteAn unconditioned mind, pure infinite awareness, the indescribable freedom that doesn’t know any boundary or conditioning.Nice blog. Very informative. Thank you blogger and IG account ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter.
ReplyDeleteThe opportunity is before us now. Do we as the human race, embark on transforming the species out of the conditioned state, or do we do nothing? Every person has the individual ability to respond in each and every moment. It is a choice. Fantastic click and article . Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Smith - California
A walk in nature will eliminate all distractions and shift your thoughts away from the daily grind.Beautiful shot and very informative blog. Thanx a lot ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter.
ReplyDelete@Harrison - California
Mindfulness exercises help train your brain to stay in the present moment by focusing your awareness. Nice blog coach.
ReplyDelete@Madonna - Boston
Don’t lock yourself into definitions, labels.Feel. Be real.Don’t live from your mind, don’t imagine the flower and its fragrance.You can feel directly.Don’t lock yourself into any kind of routine, discipline.When you are natural and normal you will be real.You will be living here instead living in an yesterday.Conditioned or unconditioned they are just labels.Nice ly written article.
ReplyDelete@Anto - Chicago
By doing Osho Dynamic Meditation we can uncondition our minds. Excellent blog.
ReplyDelete@Roger - Washington
When you are inspired to take photos, or to meditate, you are on a path. You don’t decide to take photos or to meditate, you are inspired to do it.Excellent blog. Thank you writer.
ReplyDelete@Anderson - Boston
We live in a world of constant stimulation and endless responsibilities. But what if taking a moment to slow down could make you a happier and healthier person? Excellent post thank you.
ReplyDelete@Mac2 - Texas
Thanks to constant training, I became better at gathering my thoughts – learning how to subdue my surroundings. After many fruitless meditation challenges, I finally started to savor the benefits. Great post. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Neil - Washington
Meditation and photography can be a great combination. It’s a way in which you can center yourself and create something beautiful at the same time. Wonderful article.
ReplyDelete@Bonny - Chicago
Emptiness of mind means that your mind is empty. It still exists, and can clearly be seen to exist by literally just pulling your attention to it (as much as any “mind” exists, I suppose). Excellent blog . Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Mac - Boston
Some photographers use meditation as a way to clear their minds and be more present in the moment when they’re taking a picture. Your writing skill is awesome. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Ham - Arizona
The act of forgiveness can be an important component in letting go of the past. Fantastic click.
ReplyDelete@Oliver - Chicago
Thanks from bottom of my heart for sharing this most valuable content..@Sasha - California
ReplyDeleteYou don’t have to think about how you are going to get to the goal of taking photos or of meditating. The goal is right here, you just have to realize it each moment. Wonderful article.
ReplyDelete@March- Texas
Its not the same water drop which keeps falling in a waterfall, it just lives a super small millionth of a second. This is more about determination and constant search for the final fruit.Fabulous post.
ReplyDelete@Miranda - California
The art of photography can be used to inspire people to think differently about their lives, their environment, the world around them, and the people they interact with.
ReplyDeleteYou may look at it as a relaxing pastime, but there is so much more to it than that. Thank you.
@Emerald - Boston
Everything is visible, possible and takes your attention, just because you have opened up so much similar to the depth of an ocean or height of the himalayas. This is possible because you don’t travel in the past. Consciousness is what they call the third stage of meditation and in photography this is very much possible.Thank you ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter.
ReplyDelete@Ronnie - Washington
Sharpening your reflexes and attaining the zone of splendid beauty. Try to imagine an ocean level of consciousness within you.Wow beautiful .
ReplyDelete@Davis - USA
Living in the present is the only way to enjoy life to its fullest. Nice article. @Austin - Chicago
ReplyDeleteIt is a way of seeing that does not judge or analyze, but simply looks. It is a way of seeing that does not make assumptions about what you are seeing, but simply looks. Beautiful post. Thank you. @Andrew - California
ReplyDeletePhotography has many benefits, and one of them is that it can help you develop your mind and your concentration. You have clicked wonderful image of Brahmaputra and nice post. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@ Mary - Chicago
Indeed, was description of my feelings about photography..Thanx for a wonderful blog. @O'Sullivan - Ireland
ReplyDeleteYou can create a ritual around anything you enjoy. It can be a ritual of self-reflection, a ritual of gratitude or a ritual of observation. A ritual is a special activity you perform to remind yourself of something. Try to make every photo you take a part of a ritual. Beautifully explained by blogger. Thanx
ReplyDelete@Walsh - London
Mostly it is impossible to calm down our mind instantly. That is why all the methods like meditation require huge amount of patience and repeating.Wonderful post. Thanx
ReplyDelete@Denver, Colorado, USA - Brown
I go to a place where no one hears me, the Koreans climb on buildings or mountains for that, and they shout as loudly and as fiercely as they can whatever bothers them. It could be as good as going to a therapist.
ReplyDelete@Murphy - Ireland
The question “who am I” leads to the realisation that I am the pure disembodied subject who is ‘looking out’ towards the objects of sense or any inner phenomena I attend to. Most people are identified with their emotions and thoughts, but through careful observations I realise that the true ‘I’ am pure attention or awareness: a point or singularity at the centre of everything. If I try to look at the subject then everything disappears and ‘I’ disappear back into the nothing behind everything (reality) where there is no subject and object. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Ethan - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Wow Ethan nicely explained awareness or consciousness. Thank you.
DeleteTake to running, many run in order to calm their nerves rather than do sports. But nothing goes away until you tackle it, whatever it is that bothers you. Fantastic click. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete@Megan - Honolulu
Understand what made you so agitated, what you can do about it and how to go about it. Often things are not under our control, but we can reason with ourselves and talk ourselves to better and calmer attitude. Superb post. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Margaret - London
Your mind — your brain — isn’t a hard disk drive. It cannot be emptied of thoughts just like that.
ReplyDeleteYou just stop whatever you’re dwelling on, and go out.
@Robert Charles Lee -London
Don’t do something different. That “doing something different” just ends up becoming a displacement behaviour — so you end up with a dozen or so displacement behaviours to deal with in lieu of thoughts.
ReplyDeleteJust I go outside. Have a stroll.
Stop by the pub and have a drink.
Nice Blog post.
@O'Kelly - London
Look at other people as they usually are. See the world around you. See your immediate surroundings if the world isn’t visible to you. Wonderful blog. @Garcia - London
ReplyDeleteAshtavakra and Janak’s discussion is what works as mentioned in Ashtavakra Geeta. In that sense, the realization that “I am not the thought and I let go all of the past and all of the future” - Just this single thought kills all other thoughts instantaneously. It is as simple as realizing that one is not the mind and one just jumps across. However, one should be thirsty and highly pragmatic like Janak :-).
ReplyDelete@Byrne - Ireland
Very well said. And I appreciate the deep knowledge you have about Indian philosophy.
Deletewhen you focus on something, you should be completely involved in that any thoughts coming in while focusing on something are called intrusive thoughts only. Get out of it through meditation. Nicely explained post thank you. @Rodriguez - Ireland
ReplyDeleteIf you really want to calm your mind there are indeed the ways out but before that we need to assess the state of mind whether it's anxiety, anger or depression
ReplyDeleteIn different negative states mind behaves differently and also the state of mind and it's presence in now decides whether mind still has access to its resources that it accumulated through the life in the form of learning and experiences. These resources help person take wise decisions and come out of the negative state of mind sooner than later. Your writing skill is wonderful Thank you.
@Gagnon - Barcelona, Spain
Thank you for a detailed comment explaining how to calm mind.
DeleteBest thing anyone can do in any situation is to focus attention on breathing. This is one of the best way to get mind out of a negative state when nothing else can be done and it is very effective too. Excellent!!! @Lam - London
ReplyDeleteYes. Focussing on breath is a very good way of becoming mindful and coming to present.
DeleteWe have no self-control on our thoughts because we do not have a true self.Thank you. @ Wang - Ireland
ReplyDeleteHuman life is creative because of the need to create a true self.We are born into the physical body as an autonomous delusion. We call it mind.
ReplyDeleteMind itself is a problem because of the coming and going of autonomous thoughts of delusion.
We can eliminate this disturbance of unwanted thoughts only by making oneself a true intellectual being.
@White - Ireland
The mindfulness skill known as turning the mind. One can choose to think about other things, or distract by doing something active that occupies the mind and several of the senses, such as playing a musical instrument. Excellent blog !!!
ReplyDelete@Gelbero - Copenhagen, Denmark
Seek the source from where your all thoughts arise. You don't know what will happen in the next moment. Then from where your all thoughts come in time to time? Ask these questions every time until you get the answer. If you find out the source, your all doubts will be cleared. Your mind will remain calm in all situations. Thank you for a wonderful blog sharing. @Purple - Sydney
ReplyDeleteIF you are meditating, and you get distracted by a thought, and you do not need to write it down for later, then use your imagination to place a balloon around your thought and visualize it lifting into the sky to be blown somewhere else.Excellent post. Thank you @Miller - London
ReplyDeleteVery informative post , i am usig this method,"Put your attention on your sense inputs. Observe without any inner comment or dialogue exactly what you are touching, tasting, smelling, hearing, and seeing at this moment. Continue until you feel clear. This will ground you in the present moment. Notice how light it feels." Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Kevan Jackson- Hanoi, Vietnam
Imagine yourself in an exotic location. White sand, turquoise water, pink pebbles, cloudy sky. And breathe. Use breathing techniques. Breath consciously-when you inhale-think as if you inhale the peace, you inhale the oxygen that this earth is giving you. As you exhale, think about all the thoughts and negative feelings that were irking you, leave. Think of yourself becoming devoid of all thoughts that disturbed you-you are refreshed, renewed. Thanx.
ReplyDelete@O'Connor - Harare, Zimbabwe
Your body and subconscious reacts to the way you think. If you repeatedly think about it, it becomes a part of your brain without you knowing it.
ReplyDeleteDo something. Solve mathematical solutions. Bake brownies. Oh the best way-if possible, is to take a short power nap. Take a warm shower and feel the droplets washing all the dirt away, and making you fresh and new. @Jones - London
Friends. They will help you moving on from things that are pulling you backwards. I only had two friends in my life and they kept me motivated whenever i was down. And touchwood, we are still going strong. Very useful blog. @Martin - Harare
ReplyDeleteTry getting a new hobby. One way to curb negativity is indulging yourself in the learning phase of life. Thank you ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter for wonderful reference.
ReplyDelete@Smith - Newzeland
Success is the best positive thing anyone can ever have in their life. Start thinking about the times when you would be successful and how good life would be. Put in hard-work and things would change. Thank you for informative post. @Tremblay - Canada
ReplyDeleteStart taking care of your health. A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind. This i am doing for clear my mind. Excellent writing. Thank you. @Wilson - Auckland, New Zealand
ReplyDeleteThinking is simply a neurological process, part of your biology. Just as blood flows, so thoughts pass. Since you do not control your thoughts, there is not much meaning in trying to clear your mind of all thoughts.
ReplyDelete@Jonathan Harrison - Cambridge, New Zealand
There is a great quote by Blaise Pascal- “Clarity of mind means clarity of passion too, this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees directly what it loves”. And I think there are no better words to explain the importance of clarity of mind. Thank you writer and ashwini
ReplyDeleteTalk. We often think that talking should be done when we require help, but it’s beautiful to talk about random stuff, feeling connected with someone, and just filtering the overcrowded thoughts. Good way to clear mind. @Tremblay - Cambridge, New Zealand
ReplyDeleteI Get up early in the morning and do dot meditation for 10 minutes. Good for better memory and concentration. Excellent blog post. @O'Neill L - Hamilton, New Zealand
ReplyDelete"Revolt against your mind" is a confrontation between different consciousnesses in your brain. Thank you for such a woderful blog. @Nathaniel - London
ReplyDeleteWhen our brain needs to call some brain resources when it enters a thought process, at the same time, other thought processes compete with these resources. Such competition leads to distraction--It externalization into "perceived consciousness" is "suspicion and defamation of the meaning of the current thinking process," "reaction to other interested tendency thinking, etc.". Thank you ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter for a reference of wonderful useful informative blog post.
ReplyDelete@Connor - Cambridge, New Zealand
The human brain can be divided into different modules, each of which can take over your brain, and each module can cooperate and compete with each other. So there is no single complete “self-will,” and these modules only determine human behavior. These modules receive the information from the outside world, play the game, make decisions, and finally be "recognized" by your mind. Thanx for nice post.
ReplyDelete@Joey - Perth, Western Australia
Permit me to add this :
ReplyDeleteA nice story told my the great Adi Shankaracharya, teaching his students how to empty and free their minds:
‘One fine day, Adi Shankara was walking through the market place with his disciples. They saw a man dragging a cow by a rope. Shankara told the man to wait and asked his disciples to surround them. ‘I am going to teach you something which is of great value’ and he further continued, ‘tell me who is bound to whom? Is the cow bound to this man or the man is bound to the cow?’
The disciples said without hesitation ‘Of course the cow is bound to the man! The man is their master because he is holding the rope. The cow has to follow him wherever he goes. The cow is his slave.’
‘Now watch this,’ said Shankara and took a pair of scissors from his bag and cut the rope. The cow ran away from the master and the man started running after his cow, ‘Look, what is happening now,’ said he, ‘Do you see who the Master is? The cow is not at all interested in this man. The cow in fact, is trying to escape from this man.
This is the case with our MIND. Like the cow, all the nonsense that we carry inside our minds like anger, jealousy, hate, fear etc.,
Thank you for such a wonderful post.
@ Marion - Melbourne
Thank you Marian for an enlightening story.
Deletev meaningful post. Thanks for sharing! @Paul - Perth
ReplyDeleteI agree,with blog post, let us walk free from dark and inhibiting emotions and just live. @Shawn- Perth
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. What a lot of wisdom in the little story of Marion and deep meaning in your words of post. Thanx a lot
ReplyDelete@Walter - Helsinki, Finland
Wonderfully penned such an important words in simple manner. Thank you sharing the beautiful lessons of life.@Sabrina- Madrid, Spain
ReplyDeleteThese are the 5 ways I do it.
ReplyDeleteMeditation
Taking a Nap
Mindfulness & Awareness
Being busy with other things
Delayed Gratification
@Loy Machedo - London
My mind is always looking for reason to worry, why and what can I do for that? I needed to do something about this if I wanted to live longer, healthier (I started eating better and exercising), and just enjoy more moments in life than spending half my day focusing on something that is most likely not even going to come about!
ReplyDelete@Phoebe- London
For me, transcribing is a little thought clearing. I’m listening with intense focus. Stimulated by sounds, responding with finger twitches as my brain interprets the language and inputs the appropriate punctuation.
ReplyDeleteI’m not thinking about anything, just responding to stimuli. Sometimes my mind wanders, but mostly it just listens, trying to make sense of what the voices are saying.
@Mathew- Copenhagen, Denmark
Think about that intent focus that some actions take. Chopping vegetables, for instance. Or maybe scrubbing a stubborn pot, cleaning fingernails, shaving a sensitive body part. Those kinds of actions we take where the rest of the world disappears for a small moment. @Brandi - Santiago
ReplyDeleteWhat a simple yet wonderfully profound message in this. We all need to remember it. @Miriam - London
ReplyDeleteThanks for the beautiful comments under your blog post and yes so true and agree totally with your words. This post is an eye opener. @Lesley - Harare
ReplyDeleteDon't eliminate anything. Simply notice. Notice when there is a negative thought. Notice when there is a negative thought about the previous negative thought. Notice sensations. Notice pauses between thoughts. Don't alter the experience that has already happened. Just take a note that it has happened. Something deep inside of you will take notice of the noticed, and things will begin to change on their own.
ReplyDelete@ Andrei Palskoi, lives in Boca Raton, FL
You can never completely make your mind go blank except for when you're sleeping. But yes, you can always empty your mind. Emptying your mind is very powerful when you have a problem or when you wish to relax. Very nice photograph attached. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Clark - Berlin
I make my mind blank like this. Sit somewhere quiet in loose comfortable clothing. Wonderful post. @Rodriguez - London
ReplyDeleteWhen you're running like crazy, your mind can't think of much. Your body is simply on auto-pilot, you're not conscious about putting a leg in front of the other. You're just trying to sustain it. Basically, your body's trying so hard not to faint that your mind gets a break. Thanx Ashwini for sharing and writer Madhav for a wonderful post. @Marcelo Carvalho, lives in London
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways to reach thoughtlessness like chanting, omming, taking vows, singing, raving, driving cars at dangerous speeds, inducing pain into oneself, yoga, breathing exercises, getting into stressful situations, etc. We have such a vast amount of options on the menu because since men exist, even if unconsciously, we're obsessed with transcending our bodies. And the way to transcend is through mindlessness. Thanx for informative post.
ReplyDelete@Butler - London
Here's something helpful from kung fu and music. Bach's fugues are beautiful and when you listen to them you'll notice each part could stand alone as its own melody. But the combination of all voices creates an abstract melody of the combinations of voices.
ReplyDeleteSit somewhere, anywhere, and listen to the sounds in the room. Try to listen to each sound individually (faucet dripping, hvac rumbling, your breathing, cars honking). Keep alternating between the individual sounds. Now speed up the rate of alternation, faster and faster switching between them until you hit a limit, and it feels like you're listening to all of them at the same time. This is my way to make empty mind.
@Alan Garcia, CEO at Agreeable Research - Sydney
I am jogging and concentrating to match my breath with each set of steps of my feet. The more I get tired, the less steps is needed for each inhale and exhale. But the effort of keeping the steps and breath on sync makes my mind completely blank and relieved.
ReplyDeleteLuis Eduardo
Programmer
Works at Suprasis
Studied at Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP)
Lives in Brazil
If your mind would be trully blank you'd have no concept of time therefore it wouldnt make much difference whether 3 minutes passed or an hour. The effect would be the same.I've experienced an empty mind when I was in my teens. This happened only once, without any effort and I've never managed to reproduce it. @Ted Kaminski - Poland
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting experience to have (mind blank), but I'm not sure it's achievable by any conscious effort. After all, it's about losing consciousness. Perhaps that's all for the better though, otherwise people would end up fast forwarding their lives rather than living them.
ReplyDelete@Crawford - London
Never run away from your thoughts. The more you fight your thoughts or the more you try to forget them, the more you shall remember them. Because for forgetting something forcefully, you need to remember it in the first place. For e.g." Tell yourself to not think of a blue frog". And here it is. You're thinking about a blue frog.So basically just accept whatever thoughts you're getting. Dont sit and interpret them. And keep doing what you're doing. They'll go away when they have to. Thanx for wonderful post.
ReplyDelete@Holmes - Sydney
Blankness can be achieved by mastery of a fast-paced physical activity.
ReplyDeleteMastery allows you to operate mostly on procedural memory which makes conscious thought unnecessary. Thank you
@Trujillo
Fast pace requires intense focus and constant interaction with the environment which makes conscious thought too slow and dangerous; you simply don't have time to think. Bravo !! Keep going on.
ReplyDelete@Leach - Sami Kukkonen
X Chairman of the Board (Amplid Pentaquark)
Studied at Helsinki University of Technology
Lives in Cambridge, MA
You can not make your mind blank, because while you'r trying to make your mind blank your mind becomes filled with the thought of making your mind blank. Thank you for sharing wonderful thought.
ReplyDelete@Spencer - Bogota, Colombia
Lower your eyelids (not totally closed) and focus on breathing in your belly like for meditation, but also, open up your awareness to all 5 senses. touch, sounds, taste, smell, the sight picture from your eyeballs. Let your awareness "step back" to encompass of these simultaneously on the canvas of your awareness. Writer you are going well and fantastic level. Thank you Ashwini.
ReplyDelete@Dale Stothers - Sydney
It's fantastic link shared. Blogger is intelligently explained the whole process. Find some meaningful hand work. It could be gardening, calligraphy, fixing a motor, playing with play dough. Anything that requires enough of your concentration to move your hands and keep stray thoughts away but that doesn't require you to be busy thinking what the next step is (like teaching, coding, surgery, or operating a heavy crane).In due time, you will have gotten used to not thinking and you won't need the activity. @Dudley - Boca Raton, FL
ReplyDeleteThe mind never goes blank, that is not its nature. With meditation, you start becoming aware of that which lies beyond the mind and so you relieve yourself of the chaos that the mind is known for. Fantastic article. @Richmond - Ireland
ReplyDeleteConstantly feel your aliveness in your body, initially it is easier to feel in your hands and feet, but eventually with practice and effort you will feel it in your whole body. While immersed in this, you are present and peaceful.Wonderful blog writer.
ReplyDelete@Mounir Bashour
Ophthalmologist, Laser Refractive Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon - Expert on Facial Attractiveness
Studied at University of Toronto
Lives in Montréal, QC, Canada
I think the best way to live in the present is start practicing meditation. In simple words meditation is a technique which will teach you how to live in your present. A simple meditation technique which I follow is just sit on a quite place and take your all focus on your breathing. Because as simple is that this is one thing that is always in present. Nice post @Mohit Arya- India
ReplyDeleteAs I look at the few remaining smokers in my office, and watch them go outside for their smoke breaks, I see the basic physiology much the same -mind blank, focusing on regular slow breathing, lasting about 5 minutes. I believe that part of the relaxation smokers experience (I once was one) is do to this part of the practice, having nothing to do with the cigarette itself.@Kimmel - Sydney
ReplyDeleteYour mind can never be blank till you are living except random eye movement which is a state during sleep during which you won't be dreaming. Excellent blog thank you. @Ginotra
ReplyDeleteIf you are more conscious you can feel that time slows down, I think after seeing the world around you for these many years its quiet hard to have an empty mind. You will repeatedly get memories of past or the things you did, and the opportunities you didn't take. Maybe it's possible, anything is possible, just believe. Your blog is awesome. Thank you for sharing ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter
ReplyDelete@Matmari, Electrical engineer, London
That's a real challenge... Except for unconsciousness, deep sleep and specific mind states in meditation there is always something going on in the mind. Yet this does not have to be a problem.
ReplyDeleteWith a bit of exercise you most likely would be able to calm the mind sufficient.Excellent blog post.
@Swan - Chicago
Meditation is a great way to reduce stress, improve your focus or get in touch with your inner self.wonderful shot and post by writer. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Demello - California
There’s a common misconception that photographers must be extroverts. While it’s true that a lot of successful photographers are outgoing and love to be in front of a camera, there are a lot of introverted photographers as well. Thank you for nice post.
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth - Boston
Emptiness (shunyata) is not empty, it is full of Grace. It is the opposite of nihilistic nothingness. Emptiness of mind? That sounds like death…..NICE BLOG.
ReplyDelete@Barlow - Chicago
You don’t listen to outer-voices, the constant search for the sublime light, a right composition or the apt subject. You start listening to your instincts, again nothing from the past, purely celebrating the present state of being. That moment will be done, this is more about being consistent.Excellent !
ReplyDelete@Remy - London
Both meditation and photography demand commitment, discipline, and technical skill. Possession of these qualities does not, however, guarantee that meditation will lead to great wisdom any more than that photography will culminate in great art. To go beyond mere expertise in either domain requires a capacity to see the world anew. Such seeing originates in a penetrating and insatiable curiosity about things. It entails recovering an innocent, childlike wonder at life while suspending the adult’s conviction that. Excellent post. @Arthur - Washington
ReplyDeleteExcellent comment
DeleteIn meditation, you pay attention to your breath. In photography, you pay attention to what you see through your camera. In both cases, you find yourself in a moment you have never seen before.Wonderful blog.
ReplyDelete@Mac - Florida
Photography can be a great hobby for those who want to spend time alone. It’s a great way to meditate and spend a few hours a week to just collect your thoughts and engage with your surroundings.Awesome read Thank You.
ReplyDelete@Frank -Boston
I can also direct my attention into the nothing behind and around the something. I can do this by looking out the back of my head, at the space between things, at the silence behind all sounds and to the blackness behind my closed eyelids. If I do this long enough and with sufficient stillness I will realise that the nothing behind everything is more real than the something, is changeless, preexistent, all mighty, all present.Thanx
ReplyDelete@Simpson - Texas
“Sometimes looking stones.
ReplyDeleteSometimes looking for butterflies.
Sometimes looking for flowers.
Sometimes searching for the truth.
But always remember:
beauty is in the search, not in what you find.
That’s just an excuse.”
Osho
@Greg - Boston
Finally, the nothing which is behind everything (reality) is your origin and destiny.Awesome article.
ReplyDelete@Kapsy - Chicago
Ok, firstly no one can have an empty mind, this is not possible, even when sleeping. What you can have is a very quiet mind, a mind in deep silence, but it is still not empty. Non existence is exactly what the words describe, something does not exist, it is not here nor there, it simply is ‘none’. Excellent post. @Binni - Boston
ReplyDeleteYou cannot be creative while meditating, and yes because when you start to imagine you go out of the zone. Imagination becomes thoughts, and they take you into dreams, which is by far the opposite pole for meditation.Super.
ReplyDelete@Yeli - Washington
The concept of non-existence cannot arise without its opposite - the concept of existence. And it is only the belief that ‘I am separate from existence’ which creates the apparent duality of existence and non-existence.
ReplyDeleteThank You
@Harry - Washington
Emptiness of mind means that you exist, but at least at the moment, you aren’t thinking about anything. VeryHappy read.
ReplyDelete@Anni - Newyork
when we try to photograph something, our ambitions, dreams, longingness, friends, enemies, and various relations disappear for that moment of split seconds. You live in a fruitful zone, where you just exist, only you – that second and nothing else. Excellent blogger. @Sam - Chicago
ReplyDeleteBoth photography and meditation require an ability to focus steadily on what is happening in order to see more clearly. To see in this way involves shifting to a frame of mind in which the habitual view of a familiar and self-evident world is replaced by a keen sense of the unprecedented and unrepeatable configuration of each moment. Whether you are paying mindful attention to the breath as you sit in meditation or whether you are composing an image in a viewfinder, you find yourself hovering before a fleeting, tantalizing reality.Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Graham - California
Beautifully said about photography and meditation.
DeleteI want some of what you are smoking! Great post man!
ReplyDelete@Mac - Ireland
Hahaha BTW I don't smoke anything.
DeleteJust joking man ��
DeleteThe truth that underpins the theory of your existence is the root of your love. It is an undeniable truth that you love. You love many things: breathing, seeing the day, eating, walking… your family, your friends. But behind the objects of your love, you just love. If you are honest with yourself and still your emotions, you will finally realise “I love” without object. Thank you ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter because of you reader got reference of such a wonderful blog and writer.
ReplyDelete@Samuel - California
You are emptiness, not a being, not a person, not a form. Emptiness is formless, like space. It appears to the uninformed as “nothingness”.Excellent writer.
ReplyDelete@Natalie - Sydney
While you don’t exist in your past or rather think about your future, you stand firmly and more consciously on the present. There is no sublime beauty rather than enjoying this split second of your life. Superb blog post written by wonderful writer . Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Gavin -Ireland
The truth for the individual, however, is that his inner life (imagination and sensations) is real and directly experienced; likewise his attention. The senses are only part of individual reality. But because these inner phenomena are private and cannot be observed by a third party, they have not been studied by science. Science believes it studies these phenomena, but the truth is the individual himself is the only one who has access to his own inner reality.Very nice post.
ReplyDelete@ANDRE - Sydney
Nothing in the senses (existence) contains any past. Everything you see or hear or touch is the most recent state of that thing. An old rotten apple is being its most recent state. So existence contains no past or future.Thankyou writer.
ReplyDelete@Harry - Sydney
Just as an image of a sunset is not the real sunset, just a picture of a sunset, so the form self that you regard as “I" don't exist in reality. It is but an image projected from emptiness, from the real you. Fantastic post. Thankyou.
ReplyDelete@Remy - Sydney
“This” moment is more precious and will vanish right before your eyes. Clinging and chewing your past memories, some past photographs, or trying to replicate a photograph does not work. If you do, then that is not photography and you are not meditating either. Excellent blog.
ReplyDelete@Queen - London
Existance consists entirely of delayed images of the reality of things. The closer an object is to you, the smaller the delay. How close would it have to be to have zero delay? Zero distance. Inside you. Inside the singularity of the subject, where object-subject disappear. @Katherine - Australia
ReplyDeleteTo keep shifting attention from what you see, think, feel and experience, to you (the seemingly nothingness or emptiness or silence). This is not an object you see, but who is seeing (subject). Thank you writer. @Illion - Perth
ReplyDeleteWhen you repeatedly bring attention back to you (subject) - not doing anything with this attention, just allowing attention to dwell there on you - you realise your basic error. You realise you have been suffering from a mistaken identity.
ReplyDelete@Sara - Perth
It is a good way to keep your mind clear and focused, which in turn can help you become a better photographer.Very nice and informative blog.
ReplyDeleteLondon
@Jack
No. Nothing ever non-exists. Something must exist to have a property or state. And non-existence is not a property or state anyway - that’s just a factor of the way we think. To say that something doesn’t exist does not mean there is an entity with a property or state of non-existence. It just means that you have an idea that doesn’t correspond to something in the world.Excellent ¡¡¡¡
ReplyDelete@Oliver - Sydney
The tasks of the meditator and the photographer appear to diverge. While the meditator cultivates uninterrupted, nonjudgmental awareness of the moment, the photographer captures the moment in releasing the shutter. But in practice, the aesthetic decision to freeze an image on lm crystallizes rather than interrupts the contemplative act of observation. Aligning one’s body and senses in those final microseconds before taking a picture momentarily heightens the intensity and immediacy of the image. Superb post.
ReplyDelete@Kelvin - Perth
I must say that having a good diet and breakfast can be a huge determinant in your concentration. Also, never fill your stomach fully - it will make you feel sleepy and lazy. I am not expert togive coment but this is my first comment. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Velma - London
Yes, nothingness exists, but only as a false concept. The concept itself, “nothingness,” is also something. It is a concept.Wonderful post. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@Fedrik - Perth
Something about “photography” or “meditation” draws you irresistibly. While you may initially justify your interest in these pursuits with clear and compelling reasons, the further you proceed along their respective paths, the less you need to explain yourself. Awesome blog.
ReplyDelete@Tom - London
Constant battle in search of the unseen, be it picturing a gracious sunlight, a divine smile, that breathtaking waterfalls, or a decisive street moment. How would you feel when you focus on the most sublime scene you have ever witnessed, at that particular split second, right in between that split shutter speed of your camera, what were you thinking. Well, if you dont have an answer for this, I would be really happy in concluding this article, Stating that ” Dear Photographers, We all do meditate!”.Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete@Chappel - London
Taking pictures and practicing meditation might seem to be two different things. Taking pictures is looking at the world through a camera. Pictures are about showing reality, while meditation is about seeing reality. Brilliant writer.
ReplyDelete@Rony - London
Photography and meditation have been part of my life for many years. Taking pictures and practicing meditation have now become closely related for me. If you want to take good pictures, you have to pay attention to the things around you. You have to pay attention to what you see and then try to take a picture of what you see.wonderful shot.
ReplyDelete@Bruce - Australia
Stop thinking of issues which do not concern you, or issues you can't do anything about. Stop giving about opinions in everything which goes on this in this world. Do not get into arguments. This will reduce mental burdens. Remove ALL unnecessary things in life (toxic friends, hateful websites/news, gossips, etc).Thank you for informative post.
ReplyDelete@Bermuda - Ireland
Fill your brain with logical reasons otherwise it won't listen to you. Find reasons for what you want to do instead of giving excuses.This only i am following . Wonderful writer.
ReplyDelete@Timeber - Copenhagen
Observe, listen to all the thoughts, and every thought has a voice behind, most of it, even if it is from a book, you will hear the author’s voice in some way. Every conditioning has a source. Go all the way there and bust it. Thank you for a fantastic article.
ReplyDelete@Hawkins - Adelaide
Life is not more than a play, here nothing is permanent, the problem comes when you are not ready to accept the change. The one who accepts the change, is joyful, calm.Thanx.
ReplyDelete@Simms - Harare
Unconditioned mind is an idealised version of itself. Mind loves it! Why? It now can work on it forever, without reaching it.Very brainy blog. Thanx a lot Writer for such a wonderful awareness posts which are beneficial for a world. I would like to say thank you from bottom of my heart to ashwinis_eye_behind_shutter , your IG is very mesmerizing and growing fast. It is happning because of useful sharing by you in form of good vibes of blog link and beautiful fotos clicked by you. I am greatful to such a wonderful people.
ReplyDelete@Samy - Sydney
I have new eyes.I can see how improvements could be made to inhance my dwelling.The new eyes I've acquired have given me a fesh perspective on an old scene.Yes,I really believe you need not a new landscape but new eyes.Your blog is doing the job of new eyes. Thank you
ReplyDelete@Diane Boyle Harder _ Newyork
‘new eyes’ may mean having new I’s. Meaning that you sort of expand from being selfish, only concerned with yourself, or your person, to selfless. Humanity is making new discoveries and making progress, not just you as one individual. From that perspective, the ‘real voyage of discovery’ is being done by these ‘new eyes’, if you can sort of embrace other people’s achievements and discoveries as your own.
ReplyDelete@Max Lee - Chicago
Well of course that is what a “voyage of discovery” is about. It is just new insights about yourself. My favorite joke says it is the way to bore other people at a cocktail party. But it is a very pretty way to say it.Thank you writer. @Alice Gordon - USA
ReplyDeleteLife is like a camera. Focus on what is important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives. And if things don’t work out, "Take another shot. Wonderful blog thanx. @David - Texas
ReplyDeletethe fact that we all look at life through our own “life lens." We may get so used to it that we might not realize that our lens is not in clear focus. It’s important to step back from time to time to evaluate and see if our life lens needs to be recalibrated. Once recalibrated, we may be surprised at how much we can see how clearly. Superb. @ Alasca - Boston
ReplyDeleteWonderful plot of blog. Superb !!!
ReplyDelete@Brigenza - Boston
We get what we focus on the most! Whatever we experience in our lives is all we may have attracted unknowingly.
ReplyDeleteVery informative blog.
@Ambrose - Washington
Our eyes are the aperture to the camera of our mind. While our eyes are open, many images get clicked by this camera. The pictures clicked by this ‘mind camera’ are permanent and can never be deleted or recycled. What makes things challenging is that this camera habitually clicks unhappy images.
ReplyDeleteOnly a few human beings can focus this camera on all that is positive and possibility oriented. A massive majority of people are the ones who have a default auto-focus setting to capture the negative and non-productive images and store them permanently into the subconscious database. Sometimes, I feel the AI-enabled autofocus technology in today’s smartphones is much better than this ‘human focus machine.’At least, the phone camera is designed to focus on smiles and smiling faces! We get what we focus on because what gets focussed becomes prominent in our subconscious mind. Every time you have an experience, the related neurons start firing together and create a new path. Scientifically speaking, the focus of our brain camera actually changes the neural circuits.
Keep going on for wonderful writing. Thank you writer.
@Anthony -California
Anthony thank you for explaining in a beautiful way. The explanation and similarity between camera and eyes is nicely put.
DeleteWell I have learned and still learning a lot,It has changed my views towards life,I learned to experience things that go by which I would normally ignore and won't even give a second look.To sum it all up photography has made me wiser. Beautiful blog. @Kristin - Texas
ReplyDeleteThere are two types of answer to this question.
ReplyDeleteThe first is literal, and that answer is an easy flat “no". The word “inaction” has the opposite meaning to the word “action” so strictly, literally, inaction could never be a form of action, just like upward could never be a form or downward.Fantastic blog.
@Duke - Boston
Perhaps thinking does make you who you are, but it is how you act - what you do - that fair-minded people will judge you on.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends upon what is important to you. If you care how people judge you (and life is usually easier when you give this some consideration) , then you must give importance to your actions.
@Jenny - California
One basic teaching of Vedānta is that every individual consists of two components, one is the body-mind-complex called anātma; and the second part is the consciousness principle, called Atma. Consciousness is invisible and is recognised when it manifests through a body. Consciousness is not limited by the body. It is all pervasive. Excellent post.
ReplyDelete@Martha -Florida
We constantly interact with the world. If we don't interact one way we interact in another way. @Robert - Florida
ReplyDeleteA writer used brilliantly a bridge statement / bridge sentence, to link one idea to another and created a smooth transition between ideas. He maintained a steady flow by "bridging" ideas for the reader. The function of opening statement worked as a "hook" and resulted in attention grabber to draw in the reader. After this comes your bridge statement, which explains how the opening is relevant to the topic. This is the sign of exceptional writer and shows that " U are going so well".
ReplyDeleteOn the post would like to say it is Charismatic. Being a photographer , let me say what a fantastic capture of Brahmputra the holy river with Sunset. When i have seen the comments i found that what i felt is covered by the many readers. Personally I have enjoyed so many times the phase of blank state of mind while focused through view finder of camera on subject and it's wonderful. Just Awesome post. Thank you.