BUBBLE OF PERCEPTION

-- from Rama's tapes

Source:
Tantric Buddhism; Tape 1
February 1990

"It’s best to take infinity on a little at a time. So metaphysics is a process where a teacher shows you how to gradually step outside of the self-reflective bubble of attention. That’s how the American Indians refer to it. They say that there’s a bubble of perception and all of our lives we’re looking into that bubble thinking that we’re seeing life, and we’re just seeing our own mental self-reflections. But it’s possible to open the bubble, to step outside of it, and for a brief moment, the luminous perceiver, who’s within the bubble, who’s always thought they’ve been seeing life directly and not realizing everything is a self-reflections, steps outside of the bubble. And they look outside and they see forever. And that reorders us. It so changes us, it’s startling!"

Rama gave each student, who was willing, the direct experience of the infinite. He did so without words. Rama talks on this tape about the problems that words create for the student of enlightenment. Rama, and other teachers, use words to point the way, and when we listen we think to ourselves "got it". But in fact, the words limit our understanding to what we think we "know". What we know is limited to our self-reflection inside our bubble of perception.

Rama talks about using words to help us understand, but cautions that words are the "death of metaphysics". In discourse Rama will use words like "infinities, and worlds," and students hear and believe they understand. Rama says:"And you don’t have any idea what I’m talking about. You haven’t been to Africa. I mean I’m talking about existent reality beyond your self-reflection. Beyond your self-reflection. Beyond your self-reflection is eternity."

So as you practice this week, in meditation and mindfulness, remember to give words a suspicious glance. Keep in mind that they are used to point the way, but they are held within your own bubble of self. To change, you must step into the wordless world of raw experience. Touch Rama lightly in meditation and dreams, and experience "that".

"So metaphysics is a process where we go on journeys. We travel. We’re mental travelers. We travel step by step. Not too far too fast! Step by step we travel into other dimensions of mind and gradually we gain new orders, new understandings of what life is. And what we are."

Lynne of the San Diego DharmaCenter

Drawn from Dr Frederick Lenz's Teachings

Rama presented thousands of techniques that were intended to help students along their own pathway to enlightenment. Techniques presented here may be useful for you. The teachings are meant to be used by students who are serious about their practice, and their own enlightenment.

A special thanks to
Lynne (Samadhi) for her writing, and the inspiration to begin this feature.

Let Dr Lenz's Tapes Teach