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Ethics Before Meditation

October 18, 2024 Meditation, Morality No Comments

Meditation doesn’t fall from the sky. The set (the meditator) and the setting (the environment, ideology) are important ― ethically as well.

Meditation can be seen as an enhancer of what is already there. This emphasizes the importance of an ethical foundation before engaging in meditation, aligning with AURELIS values of openness, depth, respect, freedom, and trustworthiness.

Broadness

Meditation opens to broadness, a wide perspective that invites overlapping and – yes – Compassion, Basically.

Still, the mutual overflow between meditation and Compassion is no prior given. It needs to grow, to be adequately supported. Above all, one needs to reckon with the fact that meditation – including Zen – can principally also enhance the negative side — the more so since it’s basically challenging to combine depth with a radically rational stance.

Are meditation and rationality reconcilable?

In view of the former being rather subconceptually oriented and the latter rather conceptually, it seems daunting.

Yet this profound integration is the ultimate AURELIS goal. So, are you asking me if it’s feasible? Certainly! Even more, a humane future depends on whether what is feasible gets realized. It’s of the deepest ethical importance.

Example: the subtle dance of awareness and rational clarity

Imagine a meditator who practices meditation with the intent to observe the breath. At a subconceptual level, this practice enhances awareness, allowing the meditator to connect deeply with the sensations of breathing without using words or concepts.

Now, let’s integrate rationality.

The meditator reflects conceptually before or after the session: “By observing my breath, I create a space where my habitual patterns of stress, worry, or distraction can emerge without judgment.” This rational insight – rooted in understanding how the mind works – guides meditation practice, helping the individual recognize and gently release these patterns during meditation. Thus, rational clarity serves as a framework that shapes the subconceptual experience. The meditator knows that focusing on the breath isn’t just about relaxation; it’s about seeing and transforming patterns deeply embedded in the mind. This provides a compass to navigate them with clarity, wisdom, and Compassion.

This way, meditation and rationality work ethically hand-in-hand.

They create a dynamic interplay where deep insights emerge naturally from the practice, all while remaining rationally grounded. This is a path that needs to be chosen before meditation. Without this choice, meditation may lead one into unfounded directions from where it’s challenging to make a U-turn.

In AURELIS, ethical guidance comes from a synthesis of five ethical values, as mentioned above ― aiming for a balance between rationality and depth, which supports an ethical and humane approach to change and growth.

A meditator may encounter feelings of distress or frustration during practice.

With a rational approach, he can understand these emotions not as threats but as opportunities to cultivate Compassion — first towards himself, recognizing his struggle, and then extending it outward to others who may feel the same.

In this way, meditation becomes a training ground where the ethical and rational cultivation of Compassion is tested and deepened.

Meditation as a gateway to Compassion

Meditation, when ethically guided, becomes a space where Compassion naturally grows. By integrating rational clarity with the practice, meditators gain insight into their emotional patterns, transforming challenges into opportunities for inner growth. This ethical foundation ensures that meditation becomes a tool for cultivating Compassion that extends beyond oneself.

AURELIS emphasizes this need for an intentional and rational approach, ensuring that meditation remains a tool for positive, humane growth.

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Addendum

Me: “How can one ensure that the ethical foundation set before meditation remains strong and adaptable throughout a long-term meditation practice?”

Lisa: “To ensure that the ethical foundation set before meditation remains strong and adaptable throughout a long-term practice, several strategies are vital. The ethical and rational framework should be viewed as a living, evolving aspect of the practice itself, not merely a static set of guidelines established once. This dynamic approach allows for continuous growth, reflection, and alignment with deeper principles of Compassion, openness, and rational clarity.

• Integration of autosuggestion

AURELIS autosuggestion can play a key role in maintaining and deepening the ethical framework. By engaging in regular autosuggestion sessions, meditators can send intentional messages to their deeper self, reinforcing their commitment to ethical clarity and Compassion. For example, autosuggestions can focus on staying open to insights that reveal blind spots in the meditator’s practice, ensuring they remain on a path that is aligned with their deeper values. Autosuggestion also supports the subconscious integration of these values, making them a natural and intuitive part of the practice.

• Ongoing reflection and self-inquiry

Meditation should be paired with consistent self-inquiry and reflection. This involves regularly examining one’s intentions and outcomes: “Why am I meditating?”, “How is my practice affecting my interactions with others?”, or “Am I cultivating more Compassion, or reinforcing ego-centered patterns?” This reflective process keeps the meditator aligned with the ethical framework and encourages growth rather than stagnation. It is essential to approach this inquiry with openness and depth, staying aware of one’s blind spots or biases.

• Adaptation through flexibility

Long-term meditation requires adaptability. As life circumstances change, so too must the meditator’s approach. The ethical foundation should have flexibility, allowing it to adapt to new situations and challenges while staying true to its core principles. This might mean adjusting the meditation technique, the environment, or the intentions behind the practice to ensure it continues to foster genuine inner growth and Compassion.

• Connecting with a broader support system

Engaging with a community of like-minded practitioners or guides who value ethical depth and rationality can be incredibly supportive. Such a community can provide feedback, share insights, and keep the meditator accountable for their ethical values. Additionally, reading and reflecting on related content and blogs or participating in autosuggestion sessions available on AurelisOnLine can refresh and strengthen one’s commitment to maintaining the ethical framework.

• Balancing rational clarity and subconceptual depth

Ensuring that meditation remains ethically aligned requires balancing rational insight with subconceptual depth. The conceptual understanding of ethics must continually inform the practice, providing clarity about intentions and guiding the meditator when they encounter challenges. At the same time, embracing the subconceptual aspect of meditation allows for the natural emergence of insights and intuitive growth that may go beyond the initially conceived ethical framework. This balance ensures that the ethical foundation is not rigid but can adapt and expand as the meditator evolves.

Conclusion

The ethical foundation in meditation is a continuous process of nurturing and refinement. By using tools like autosuggestion, maintaining self-inquiry, embracing flexibility, connecting with a supportive community, and balancing rational clarity with depth, the meditator can ensure that their practice remains a source of sustainable growth and Compassion. This dynamic approach aligns with AURELIS’s mission of fostering humane, ethical, and deeply transformative practices that evolve with the individual.