Category: Non-Thinking

The “I” Thought Method, Ramana Maharshi’s Technique

—The “I” Thought Method, Ramana Maharshi’s Technique, Part One—

Ramana Maharshi in a number of books which are in fact references to his teachings, including many word-for-word quotes, offers those of us seeking to still the mind an incredible technique one might call “the “I” thought technique”. I will describe it as best I can here. However, if you want to really get into it, check out the book “Be As You Are—The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi”.

I spent a great deal of time reading various descriptions of this process over and over, trying it again and again until I finally figured out how to do it. This may be the value of providing an account of my successful experiences with it. If there is still some confusion as to the value of stilling the mind (also referred to as emptying the mind, stilling the thoughts, no-mind, etc.) then please feel free to read this article on the nature of thought at www.meditationpyramids.info’s sister site, www.hownatureheals.com.

For those who delve deeply into meditation stilling the thoughts quite quickly becomes a compelling interest. The beauty of awareness in its pure form is unbelievably sweet. We get hints and glances of it, but being able to sustain it is rare as the mind is slippery. The gratefulness I have to Ramana Maharshi for providing us with an actual technique for stilling the mind is immense.

Practiced at length, this technique can bring very real results. It is not an easy technique. However for those of us bent on experiencing the bliss that stilling the thoughts brings, easy needn’t be the case. The first thing I need to address before presenting the actual technique is the polarity of subject and object and how consciousness (or pure awareness) is aware of “things”.

The ego is the one that identifies with experience and claims to be the one who is experiencing. This is the subject. The things experienced and the circumstances witnessed are the objects. Subject witnesses object. There is he who is conscious and then what he is conscious of. The “conscious of” is the object while consciousness (or the conscious one) is the subject.

As redundant as all this may seem now, this perspective will come in handy as things get more subtle. The description of the experience in the previous paragraph is how we go about our daily lives as individuals. My car of which I observe and drive is a matter of subject and object. I am the subject and my car is the object. Awareness however IS in truth—singular—one. It is an undivided experience. One feels absolutely at one with all that is. There is no “two”.

>>> Part Two: The “I” Thought Method

Art as Meditation- Emotional States, Drawing and Thought

—Interview with Van Huebner, Part Five—
Go to Part One of Van’s Interview on—
Drawing as Meditation- Art as Meditation.

Meditation How: Okay, so now I have a few more. One is regarding the word “error”— just wondering if you meant “area”… The second question is if you could describe (rather than your intent) your emotional state… joyous, manic, and ideally not just adjectives but the emotional process as you draw and meditation deepens as you draw. In addition, is there a sense of culmination or completion, or does it just diffuse?

Van: Ooo, great questions. Let’s see. No, to the first; I did mean “error.” On the subject of “emotional states” I guess I’d have to say it is a “calm”. In real-time our emotions are in flux, right, and kind of connected to the outside stimuli. When I’m drawing, or at least in the middle of this process, I feel detached—yet, I’m on a high plateau of calm. I’m not sure that answers well enough that part of your question… but, it also occurs to me that I do feel a slow sense of closure, or maybe a better phrase for it, would be landing.

The product, however, does not always give me satisfaction; but the process does; always – even when “I” intrude upon the event feeling frustrated by a particular difficulty, I can get back to the plateau pretty easily. And oddly, when the matter of a “likeness” in a portrait is at hand and becoming successful, this plateau is that much more unstable – I can feel the ego trying to jump onto the stage for moment and I have to ward him off. Regardless, I don’t always feel a sense of culmination, either. Especially with portraits, and maybe for the above reason – that the ego tries to “take credit” for the product.

For the stuff that just comes out of my head there’s never any question about culmination because at the outset, there’s little intention to represent and therefore it’s all no more meaningful than as you mentioned using the restroom. Sorry for the lack of brevity. Thought I’d send an image to illustrate the combination of portrait and manicgram. I’ve created virtually nothing of my own in Washington. I did work as a designer for Christine Alexander for a very brief period; but beyond that, all my visual thought has remained just that. I did continue to fill a common book journal and began to theorize passionately about visual thinking. Here are some examples of drawings and artwork.

Meditation How: These are all great. I think I have what I need. Thank you for interviewing.

Van: Thank you.

About Van: Van studied at Wayne State University, the College for Creative Studies, and the University of Washington, Seattle. He’s participated in only one showing of his work which was about 10 years ago at a fund-raiser for a small theater group in Hollywood, CA. called the “Non-Prophet Hatching Co.” Currently he lives in Tacoma, Washington where he continues to refuse to take part in the subversion of the art market: i.e., he does not sell his work. He provides it freely online for anyone to see at sites like www.myspace.com/arbiforum. He has several blogspot.com blogs through Google:
The Neuroboros, Lingual Pond, Involuted Frontier, and Reelin’ in the Real.

Read Van’s Extended Biography.