Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

I just found this, only 15 mins into it, but I can't help sharing it right now, especially after seeing the "contents".

He surely will continue to be at the top of my favorite guitarists .... :twothumbsup: (Edit): ...even if he sounds a little bit too Hindu-ish :lol:

6:33 - Purpose of Meditation (What You Are "Waking Up" From via meditation)
9:18 - Meditation Provides an Opportunity to Experience "True Reality"
15:12 - Attaining The Awareness That Personal Reality Is Relative Is A Great Discovery
16:55 - Definition of Meditation (The Escape From Suffering & Stress)
20:04 - The "Doing" Meditations
23:43 - How to Find "That Space" to Enter Flow State
26:04 - Benefits of Staying "Present" (Entering the Creative State, Which is State of Peace)
37:23 - Ways to Practice "Doing" Meditations (Clearing Out "Mental Noise")
44:36 - How to Handle Any Fear That May Come Up When Meditating
46:14 - "Listening Meditation" (Experiencing The "Symphony of Life")
49:30 - Guided Meditation (Listening Meditation)
53:15 - Mindfulness (The Joy of Experiencing The Present Moment Fully)
56:22 - Mindfulness (Observing the Thoughts That Pass Through Your Mind)
57:55 - Joy of Food (Meditation)
1:01:29 - Meditation Allows "Full Capacity" of Brain to be Accessed (Steve's Theory)
1:03:52 - "Being" Meditations (Inward Focused; Higher Form of Mediation)
1:04:54 - Transcendental Meditation (Mantra/Chanting Meditation, David Lynch website)
1:07:20 - Breath Meditation (Observing Your Breathing; Practiced by Buddha)
1:07:53 - Pain Into Pleasure/Ecstasy While Meditating
1:10:39 - Breathing Meditation, Continued
1:13:13 - Psychological Time; Greatest Obstacle to Meditation ("Eternal Now" is Reality)
1:14:36 - Inner Body Meditation (Eckhart Tolle Meditation)
1:16:20 - Inner Body Meditation is Healing to Mind and Body
1:18:15 - Inner Body Meditation: "It Heals the Mind, Which Heals the Body"
1:18:42 - "Awareness of Awareness" Meditation (very high form of meditation)
1:23:52 - How Meditation Practice Relates To Being The Best Musician You Can Be
1:24:39 - Meditation Melts Obstacles Away and Enables Mastery To Be Attained
1:28:14 - It's Important to Realize Enlightenment Can Happen/Is Available to Everyone
1:30:44 - Brief Summation of Session: Two Types of "Reality", One That is Uniquely Experienced By Each One of Us, etc.
1:32:26 - "The Invitation" (to Reality)

Last edited by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta on Wed Sep 22, 2021 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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mikenz66
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by mikenz66 »

Thanks. I think I came across that before (or something similar) and it's good to see it again. Steve is very articulate about many things.

:heart:
Mike
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DooDoot
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by DooDoot »

I liked Steve's meditation here:

There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/paticcasamuppada
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/anapanasati
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bodom
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by bodom »

Very cool. I have been a long time fan of the some of the best guitarist's in the world.. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert etc.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

bodom wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:45 am Very cool. I have been a long time fan of the some of the best guitarist's in the world.. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert etc.

:anjali:

I think you forgot to mention Martha's Vineyard's guitarist "Bhikkhu Sujato" :jumping:


61B6B648-B899-4E25-A97C-EC6AE1F465AB.jpeg


Guitar solo around 1:24
https://youtu.be/WVNskQ-86uo?t=84
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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SDC
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by SDC »

Dude shreds on guitar and now trying his hand at Dhamma. Love it !
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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SDC
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by SDC »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:04 am I liked Steve's meditation here:

He does Jimmy justice. :bow:
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
dharmacorps
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by dharmacorps »

Interesting Vai is a meditator. He is a gifted musician that much is obvious. I was quite a metalhead but a lot of the uber genius musicians kind of went over my head.
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by DooDoot »

SDC wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 1:51 pm He does Jimmy justice.
Jimi :roll: :rofl:
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/paticcasamuppada
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/anapanasati
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SDC
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by SDC »

DooDoot wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:39 am
SDC wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 1:51 pm He does Jimmy justice.
Jimi :roll: :rofl:
I’ll never forgive myself… :(

Something didn’t seem right, but clearly I didn’t figure it out lol
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

SDC wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:55 am
DooDoot wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:39 am
SDC wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 1:51 pm He does Jimmy justice.
Jimi :roll: :rofl:
I’ll never forgive myself… :(

Something didn’t seem right, but clearly I didn’t figure it out lol


What makes me confused even more is that there actually happens to exist Jimmy Justice the musician, in addition to Jimi Hendrix of the Little Wing.

:jumping:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

dharmacorps wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:28 pm I was quite a metalhead but a lot of the uber genius musicians kind of went over my head.
  • Thanks for uplifting & saving my guitar soul. I feel sinfully guilty all these times, being not able to appreciatively enjoy Yngwie Malmsteen apart from a few melodic ones. :rofl:

dharmacorps wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:28 pm Interesting Vai is a meditator.
  • Regarding Vai as a meditator, after seeing the video, I think he is already a good guided-meditation instructor, if he inclines to be one. I love the whole episode generally (apart from universal self & unchanging awareness etc.). I am actually amazed by his dexterity in explaining elusive meditation related terms, concepts & issues quite clearly using everyday language.
:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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bodom
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by bodom »

Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 4:24 am
dharmacorps wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:28 pm I was quite a metalhead but a lot of the uber genius musicians kind of went over my head.
  • Thanks for uplifting & saving my guitar soul. I feel sinfully guilty all these times, being not able to appreciatively enjoy Yngwie Malmsteen apart from a few melodic ones. :rofl
I have been a metalhead for over 30 years. My very first concert at 14 was Slayer, Meshugga, and Sick if it all. I listed some guitarist's that might be more well known but could have listed some amazing metal guitarist's that I listen to on a daily basis like Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom, Dimebag Darell from Pantera, Jason Richardson from Born of Osiris, Matt Heafy from Trivium, Tosin Abasi from Animals as Leaders and on and on you get the idea. All of these guitarist's I just mentioned would tell you that they were inspired by the Yngwie Malmsteen's and Joe Satriani's.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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SDC
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by SDC »

Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:58 am
SDC wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:55 am
DooDoot wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:39 am Jimi :roll: :rofl:
I’ll never forgive myself… :(

Something didn’t seem right, but clearly I didn’t figure it out lol


What makes me confused even more is that there actually happens to exist Jimmy Justice the musician, in addition to Jimi Hendrix of the Little Wing.

:jumping:
Ha!
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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SDC
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Re: Steve Vai on Meditation, Reality, Mindfulness, Awareness of Awareness

Post by SDC »

bodom wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:17 am …Tosin Abasi…
He is the entire history of fusion/metal guitar playing. I rarely listen to music these days, but always give his new work a check-in. Seriously brilliant player.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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