FAQ on Meditation 004
With meditation are not we supposed to free our mind of all attachment? Why then do we attach to a crystal ball?
Yes, we are supposed to free our mind of all attachment, but the word "non-attachment" can also be an attachment. If we have no specific object of concentration, we can no longer ascertain in our meditation whether we are attached to something or not. So, we contemplate on the crystal ball, which is an acquired attachment which we use as a "vehicle for crossing over". It carries our awareness to a higher state. It is like a raft for crossing over a river, once we have crossed the river, we no longer have to carry the raft. We use the crystal ball in the beginning just to make our mind clear and bright. The quality of the mind is uplifted. Once its purpose has been fulfilled, we don't continue with the crystal ball, but carry on with something else.
Yes, we are supposed to free our mind of all attachment, but the word "non-attachment" can also be an attachment. If we have no specific object of concentration, we can no longer ascertain in our meditation whether we are attached to something or not. So, we contemplate on the crystal ball, which is an acquired attachment which we use as a "vehicle for crossing over". It carries our awareness to a higher state. It is like a raft for crossing over a river, once we have crossed the river, we no longer have to carry the raft. We use the crystal ball in the beginning just to make our mind clear and bright. The quality of the mind is uplifted. Once its purpose has been fulfilled, we don't continue with the crystal ball, but carry on with something else.