Happy Nat'l Unicorn and Int'l ASMR Day

Unicorns were real flesh and bone creatures like narwhals on land, a kind of goat or sheep.

I love the sound of bristles and sticking metal into soft wood, oooh. *Tingle Tingle* 😵💗

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National Unicorn Day

What mythological creature has been more beloved over the centuries than the unicorn?

As an incredible symbol of purity and enchantment, the unicorn is loved by children and adults alike. They are integral parts of fairytales and legends.

For all the roles they have played in art, literature, and cinematography, unicorns deserve their own day. 

How to celebrate National Unicorn Day

If one is a misfit seeker, one is a unicorn.

The best way to celebrate is to find a fun, fanciful activity to enjoy with family and/or friends. Get creative with art, music, or other projects that promote free-thinking and fantasy. Or try out some of these other ideas: daysoftheyear.com/days/unicorn-day.

It's International ASMR Day, too

ASMR can help a meditator

There’s a day dedicated to the odd and delightful sensations of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). What in the world is that? Fans of This American Life already know. It is a phenomenon that tickles the senses of some sensitive types in the most unexpected ways.

Every year, on April 9th, the world celebrates International ASMR Day. This special day is about whispers and tingles and global recognition of an intriguing sensory experience that has captivated millions worldwide.

Wisdom is Bliss (Thurman)

The story of ASMR Day began in 2012, sparked by the curiosity and creativity of ASMR artists like KellyMsAutumnRed and Ilse Blansert of Waterwhisperers.

Their goal was simple yet profound: to spread awareness and appreciation of ASMR.

It’s a sensation that many describe as a delightful tingling in the scalp and neck, often triggered by specific sounds or sights [somewhat like synesthesia].

I can't feel anything from just sound, Hun. - Shush, then enjoy the tactile sensations of massage.

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The forest is alive with subtle sensations

Bring to mind the gentle rustling of leaves or the pleasant whisper of a kind voice. These are the kinds of stimuli that frequently lead to ASMR bliss. Think of a cat or dog companion getting a backrub. Now imagine a human feeling the same way because of auditory or visual stimulation.

Why does the world celebrate ASMR Day? It’s more than just enjoying tingling sensations, which only some feel. There’s more to it. This day highlights the therapeutic potential of ASMR.

I feel it, I feel it - the sound of rustling paper!

For some, it’s a gateway to relaxation, a means to alleviate stress, or even a helpful tool to drift off into a peaceful sleep.

It’s a day for ASMR enthusiasts to share their favorite experiences, for YouTube content creators to showcase their innovative works, and for newbies to dip their toes into a mesmerizing world.

Whether one is a long-time fan or just curious about what all the fuss is about, International ASMR Day is the perfect time to explore this fascinating sensory journey.​​​​​ More

Might I have ASMR? (video)

Kelly Ani, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; This American Life; Rapunzel ASMR (11/2/17); Chole

Twin Ear Cleaning That Will Make You Tingle 150%. [Enjoy 22 minutes of this as recorded with my special ASMR mic sr3d.co.uk pro version].

Crazy Tingling

ASMR stands for "autonomous sensory meridian response." It is an experience characterized by a static cling or tingling sensation on the skin.

It typically begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. It has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia.
 
ASMR signifies the subjective experience of "low-grade euphoria" characterized by "a combination of positive feelings and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin."

It is most commonly triggered by specific auditory or visual stimuli, and less commonly by intentional attention control. More

• VIDEO: ASMR Triggers with Miss Chole

ASMR explained on This American Life

How could whispering change one's life? Andrea Seigel tells this story about finding out that she is undeniably not alone. She’s a novelist with several books including Like the Red Panda.

• This American Life AUDIO

Twin Ear Cleaning That Will Make You Tingle 150% [22 mins] - ASMR

The Blissful Way to Meditate

Wisdom Quarterly

(Philiproeland/Flickr)

It was only when Siddhartha stopped being afraid of pleasure dissociated from sensuality that he entered upon the path to enlightenment. For it is not by austerity but by happiness that one finds nirvana: "There is no way to happiness; happiness ["pleasure" (sukha) as a factor of absorption] is the way!"

(More happy panda pictures at Kjdrill/Flickr)

Meditative bliss (piti in jhana or zen, dhyana, ch'an) is given shortshrift in this age of insight (vipassana). But profound concentration serves as the best foundation for the work of penetrative wisdom.

It purifies the mind-heart and stabilizes mindfulness. It intensifies the mind making it manifest what it is capable of, things we ourselves would not believe of it.

For example, when coming out of a meditative absorption it is very useful to review the factors of absorption associated with it. In this way one ensures where in the practice one is. This is done by turning attention toward the "mind door" which is located in the area of the physical heart. Without absorption (or at least access concentration), one sees nothing.

But with it one notices something that has always been there: a greenish mirror reflecting whatever is in the mind. One can then check the factors. (Only do this under a teacher skilled in the absorptions for, as the Gavi Sutra or "Cow Discourse" points out, one foolishly loses even the absorption one has already gained to say nothing of going no higher).

"Rapture" in Buddhism

Wisdom Quarterly

The "Christ in a the clouds UFO-invasion" theory promulgated by fundamentalist Christians may be a too literal interpretation of an internal experience.

There is a lifting up, an effervescence, a pleasurable floating sensation -- called piti in Buddhism -- as if one were held in soft, nurturing hands. Five things oppose it, and five things enable it. It all occurs on a seat, a cushion, or the root of a tree, fully clothed.

Rapture (Pali, pīti, pronounced "pee-tee," Sanskrit prīti) is variously translated as joy, bliss, supersensual happiness, enthusiasm, or keen or joyful interest in an object of Buddhist meditation. It is certainly not limited to Buddhist experience; it is, rather, a universally accessible and naturally occurring process of the cultivated mind.

It is a serene quality of absorption (intense collectedness or concentration into a single object, Pali, jhana, Sanskrit, dhyana). While rapture is uplifting, it eventually wears thin as the mind longs for greater peace. This happiness is happiness-in-the-body, but it is not a physical sensation. Rapture is precariously close to Earth and one senses it would not take much to draw one back to erratic and distressing worldly affairs.

Eventually, as the absorptions deepen (there are eight progressively subtle and pleasurable states, four material and four immaterial), gross happiness becomes equanimous. Excited bliss becomes calm impartiality. Buoyancy goes from a healthy, happy body to a tranquil, contented mind (sukha or "gladness").

What opposes entrance into this natural state? The Five Hindrances:

1. Sensual desire: craving for sense pleasures.
2. Ill-will, anger, or wrath: malice directed at others.
3. Sloth-torpor: boredom or lassitude of body and mind.
4. Restlessness-worry: worry, regret, scattered energy.
5. Doubt: lack of confidence, conviction, faith, or trust.

What enables entrance? The Five Factors of Absorption:

1. Moving the mind onto the object (applied attention)
2. Retaining the mind on the object (sustained attention)
3. Rapture (joyful interest in the object)
4. Happiness (the opposite of suffering or distress)
5. Equanimity (impartiality, serenity, tranquility)

All of these states are accompanied, to a lesser or greater degree, by one-pointedness of mind, something we often lack in our attention-deficit-disordered daily lives. When does serenity ever occur? Now. Only now.

Bliss Ninny: Is Zen anti-Jhana?

Bliss ninny playing with markers like they're toys

Greatwesternvehicle.org

Exposing the Negative Zen Attitude toward Jhana

Correspondence with Mark Vetanen Jan. 22, 2004

From: "Mark Vetanen"
Date: Thu Jan 22, 2004 10:31 am
Subject: Re: Ecstasy and Addiction in Buddhism

So you want to be a bliss ninny? A bliss ninny is one who seeks and strives to achieve and maintain ecstatic meditative states. This is accomplished through various means and ways that we will discuss. A bliss ninny fills his or her life with beautiful sounds, colors, and smells. Throw away the black clothing, paint the walls with a cheery color, and find some sandalwood or plum incense to constantly burn. Of course you must also buy the Enya CDs!

A bliss ninny seeks out gurus and scenes that are blissful. Of course this means Indian masters like Sri Chinmoy, who perform initiations by looking you deep in the eyes (Love Looking). A bliss ninny also seeks out so-called High Level Tibetan masters, like Lama Zopa of the FPMT, to sit next to and absorb the holy vibes.

A bliss ninny avoids scenes or people who do not promote bliss. At all costs avoid driving through the bad parts of town! You may see people less fortunate than yourself. Avoid children in shopping malls or at the market! They often cry and produce unhappy sounds. Avoid people who are sick or dying! They often remind one of death.

A bliss ninny maintains a good lifestyle without working. This can be done by marrying a rich person, like a "sugar daddy," or sponging off parents. If you are independently wealthy, of course, you can be the ideal bliss ninny. Anyone who tries to be a bliss ninny but has to work 9 to 5 jobs often finds sadness and disappointment in the work-a-day world. So this should be avoided. It is important for a bliss ninny to maintain a blissful mindset.

Of course as a bliss ninny, champion those who suffer and are persecuted and impoverished unjustly. As long as it brings bliss, do it. But if the situation is hopeless and only brings sad thoughts, drop it like a hot potato. Being a bliss ninny has its challenges and others may criticize. But, after all, life is only about bliss and spiritual growth.