Samaneri Jayasara - Guided Meditation on Awareness (from 'Live' Sangha Meeting) - Extended Version 

So many masters so many cats

oh yes, i had such a black cat myself for many years, she was one of my teachers, believe me!

@@bri545 haha, they have a certain minimalism about them!

lovely!!!

Native Americans feel that when a black cat comes to you in a dream or vision it brings an important and timely teaching. With 'Black Cat', the lessons relate to one's independence, intuition, and tapping into the supernatural. They may also bring insights into your sensual self.

@@SamaneriJayasara I would be, or I am fiercely independent. For as long as I can remember now or felt so from a fairly young age but could never pin down what has made or moulded me in this way. Just over the past 2 years in perticular I have made some major changes in life. I have cut the negative & egotistical people out of my life, that sounds harsh but I've tried my best to do this quietly/subtlety/respectfully. I no longer have or use a telivision. I do not use social media twitter/Facebook. When we take a step back and look at how people behave on these platforms it's actually quite sad or frightening to see people lost for a quick fix of adulation or ego stroking. I have found a whole new interest now in reading, in philosophy/spirituality/art. I have also found a new interest in yoga & meditation which has brought me to this amazing channel you have managed to create. I have learned a lot from you here & many nights I have fallen asleep (earphones on in bed) soothed by your voice. I mean that in the best possible way. I know that black cat in my dream was telling me something. My feeling is, it is to expect a major event/ or change. I think I'm okay with that. If you have never read the book (Bury my heart at wounded knee) check it out. It's a book that should be in the curriculum of primary schools the world over. Thank you for the message & apologies for the long winded reply.

@@SamaneriJayasara Hello friend, I have found out just exactly what that visit was about, by the big black cat (panther) I had mentioned to you here almost 8 months ago now & It was indeed a timely warning. A dream I have had like no other.. I just wanted to as a courtesy to reply back to you on this & had to scan back on the channel to find this particular video & previous message. (not wanting to appear like a rambling fool) I don't want to go in to too much detail although from the date of that dream to the present, it all just makes perfect sense now.. maybe too much sense. One piece of advice I would like to share with whomever randomly happens to finds themselves glancing over / reading this just now is simply this, & you can apply this in any situation. Be Intuitive to the amount of peace you feel around a person, & be intuitive to how he/she treats the people around them.

Hi Rodrigo, good question and one that often comes up when people use the words 'awareness', 'mindfulness', 'consciousness' or 'presence' and a few others. Lots of debates and questions arise in many meditation and spiritual circles about what each word means, what is right and wrong, and people often get lost in semantics. So from the outset, "Awareness" is simply a word, a concept and a pointing to something beyond the conceptual realm. Right attention (and right intention) takes us to an open, encompassing awareness, but awareness has many different layers and depths to it in some ways - this is speaking from a relative perspective. However, in the Buddhist framework there must be Right View for it to be liberating Awareness. You see that cat, she is very, very attentive and aware of certain stimuli, but her awareness is limited to the animal realm; to the level of simple, pure being, without self-consciousness and ego but also without the self-reflexive capacity that human beings have to turn the awareness in on itself. That is: Wisdom (paññā ). So the capacity to realise "limitless consciousness" in ourselves and thus liberate ourselves from all bodily and mental clinging, identification and attachment is the gift and potential we have been given in this life as human beings. I wouldn't get too bogged down in the meaning or semantics of these words if you can avoid it (Nisargadatta and Ramana Maharshi use the words Awareness and Consciousness very differently too and it can do your head in). Simply Be Aware, rest in this Awareness with full mindfulness as much as possible (Sati sampajañña - mindfulness with full wisdom/awareness). This path of mindful, clear awareness and knowing is the path to the Deathless, so one has to learn to trust in that. It is the Knowing wisdom that liberates, coupled with right action and other aspects of purification that support and propel it - not 'me', not 'you' - so there is a need to get out of the way as much as possible and trust in the process unfolding. The liberating wisdom and insights arise by themselves once one is practicing correctly with Right View as the forerunner. Hope this helps clarify somewhat.

@@SamaneriJayasara thank you so much! In fact I've been practicing this mindfulness-presence without worrying about this meanings. It's just that reading or listening to the teachings and pointings of some different advaita gurus it gets a little confusing. But i understand what you say. Thanks! It is joyful that we can talk about these things. Love and regards from Brazil!

😿😿 Sending blessings to your beloved feline friend from me and puss. 💚💙💜

Within the collective unconscious and archetypal images of different cultural psyches, black cats are related to myths and superstitions. Within certain ancient Western cultural beliefs and stories, black cats are often symbolized as bad luck and as an incarnation of Pluto because they are thought to have nine lives. Also, black cats are often associated with evil witches! This is all the superstitious and misogynistic mindset from the Middle Ages, and may also reflect some unconscious bigotry. For Witches and Pagans, the appearance of the black cat Spirit reflects more on one's personal power and how you use it. Black cats are associated with magic, and are thought to be able to enhance this. Native Americans feel that when a black cat comes to you in a vision it brings an important and timely teaching. With 'Black Cat', the lessons relate to one's independence, intuition, and tapping into the supernatural. They may also bring insights into your sensual self. So, it all depends entirely on one's perceptions - how one relates to black cats - and whether one is superstitious regarding their 'good luck' or 'bad luck', and the cultural milieu in which one interprets all this. All I can tell you is that this particular little black cat is the most beautiful, peaceful, funny, cheeky, affectionate, gentle and adorable feline I have had the pleasure to know in this lifetime. For me, she simply symbolizes 'love', 'beingness', 'simpleness', 'presence', 'calm' and 'unselfconsciousness.' So my association with her is most fortunate and only brings good luck! You might find this information edifying. whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/black-cat-symbolism-meaning/#Black-Cat-Symbolism

Hi Nick, I can answer that question in general way from the Theravadin Buddhism tradition. However, within Mahayana Buddhism there are many sutras, tantras, and agamas. I have recorded one key sutra from this tradition on my channel called The Prājñāpāramitā Sutra or The Heart Sutra. It is very short and beautiful and worth listening to. Within Theravadin Buddhism there is not really what you would call one Bible. Rather there is what is called the Pali canon consisting of the 5 Nikayas (collections) containing the many discourses of the Buddha and these are about 15 times larger than the Bible. So recommending just one book is impossible. However, for ease of access, two small books, The Dhammapada and The Sutta Nipata are very accessible. You can listen to the Sutta Nipata here on my channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6AbzrmrVD1k.html&ab_channel=SamaneriJayasara We are very fortunate within the Theravadin tradition to have Bhante Sujato who is an incredible scholar and he has set up Sutta Central and has translated many of the Buddha's teachings into very accessible language and made most of the Buddhist Pali texts available in different languages on this incredible site. I would highly recommend you start here. In fact you will probably start here and not need to go anywhere else. Please check out this site: suttacentral.net/ suttacentral.net/introduction With all good wishes

Dear Jayasara, thanks for replying so quickly, and thanks for the links. I think your Sutta Nipata reading predates my connection with your channel but if I did hear it I may not have related to it the way I did just now. The Sutta Central website looks amazing! I think it will keep me quite busy... Warm wishes for 2021. 🙏🏻❤️

Hi there, nice reflection to consider. I can't really answer this question scientifically or with any amount of authority or expertise, but can only comment on my own experiences and anecdotal evidence that others have shared with me. The books and words of the Ancient Sages and spiritual Masters of the past have always been considered as Holy or Sacred books and I don't think there is any reason to doubt that. The problems emerge when people become fundamentalist and extreme about them and start to assert that theirs is the 'only real truth' or that these books are beyond critique and debate, or that you can't question their legitimacy or authority in any way. They are certainly not beyond or above that. The thing we have to consider is the distortions that occur when less enlightened people get their hands on them through translation or in creating Councils that decide what is to be included or excluded. These sorts of fabrications and corruptions have happened throughout history to most of the major religious texts and discourses I am certain to some degree or another. So then what you are left with is people tampering with the words of the Masters to suit their own cultural, political, or social worldview. Having said all that, my own experience in reading the words of the Masters reveals the potency and purity that is definitely generated through these words. I have had experiences when I read something I am unfamiliar with that I might not "get it" and then I realise I am trying to understand it intellectually which prevents the transmission happening within the heart. So then I just allow myself to read it with presence and empty out and then I have listened to it and been blown away by its power and wisdom and this takes me completely by surprise. This has happened on too many occasions to mention so it tells me that there is indeed some power in these 'words on paper'. If we consider that everything in the universe is simply energy and vibration, then words are part of that too so give out a particular quality or charge. These are words of wisdom, purity, and transcendence and I think most people can feel some of that in listening or reading these texts/teachings. Yet, at another level they are just words on paper and much of what I read has also gone through a translation process, so I can't imagine the clarity and power that must come through in the original, undiluted texts. Monk friends of mine who read the original Pali Canon tell me it is incredible and they feel the rawness and directness of the words as if hearing the Buddha speak. However, you must remember the Buddha never wrote anything down (he was before writing was invented so all of his teachings are part of a oral tradition) so then we are receiving these teachings that have gone through some sort of distillation process. Still, they are powerful without any doubt and that is why I enjoy this process of reading and sharing them on RU-vid so much. They have an profound effect on one's practice and understanding of the Dharma at a deep level, and it is why I ask people on my Community Page blurb to treat them all with reverence and respect. Not stupid blind faith or fear, but a recognition that what we have been gifted and left by these benevolent Beings of the past is a priceless and incommensurable gift and we should generate much gratitude for this. I hope some of these reflections are helpful. With all good wishes

@@SamaneriJayasara Deep, deep thanks for your reply. Seeing it from your perspective teaches me a lot. Yes, translations and things set on paper from oral tradition. Whatever comes through in a text, this is something I will be sure to do from now on: "I just allow myself to read it with presence and empty out and then I have listened to it". What you're doing and contributing is extremely valuable. My sincere and lasting gratitude.

Kind of...