Day 41

Seeing

When the body is agitated, or there is tension or pain in a certain spot during meditation, we can learn to isolate that spot and relax into the tension. If we do this, the problem is usually resolved - the tension goes away and the muscle loosens; we become more supple. The exact same thing happens with the mind. If we can learn to relax into mental agitation, without adding on layers of guilt or aggression toward the thinking mind, if we can just simply release our grasp on thought, then that particular thought peters out and leaves the mind in its naturally more free and supple state.

When we get to that point in meditation, we can begin to see more directly the way things are in reality, and more specifically the fact that there is no self. This is seeing, as opposed to understanding. Understanding is needed, of course: we must work through the logic of self-less-ness, so that we can gain certainty and dispel any doubts. But without direct perception, we have nothing but theory. Practising seeing is essential if we want to truly know the nature of things.

When we have once dissolved the gross levels of thought into spaciousness in this way, we find that the duration of these moments is prolonged, not by any particular effort, but on the contrary by continuing to release our grasp on all the meaningless and fleeting stories of our thinking minds. If we think, "This is it! My thoughts are gone, and my mind is peaceful. I have to stay here - how can I do that?" this is conceptual activity, and we are already out of the experience of seeing. Simply rest in the spaciousness of the nature of mind instead.

Easier said than done :)