Speaking Mindfully - Part 2

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Do Your Best that’s EnoughSitting is not the highest level of practice; to be able to live in the world mindfully is No need to sit for hours on end. Sit as long as you can, do your best. at’s enough.Vedana, is not only pleasant or unpleasant feeling. When you smell something and you feel like you want to eat, when you see a pretty girl and you feel like you want to have it, that is also Vedana.When greed arises look particularly for the specific characteristics (form, taste), that make you want it so much, look at it carefully. Do you really want it so much? Just how much? For how long?Viriya is the effort you make to be constantly observing the noting mind.When the mind is tired and not strong enough change to an easier object (in sitting). Now and then look in the mind and body, check for tension.Use the noting mind as your reference point-anchor and the other minds as objects. In this practice the noting mind is the anchor.Do not do a word of contemplation as you are sitting.It weakens the mind, it weakens sati and samadhi. Even a ‘why’ or ‘what’ is bad enough. the mind gets tired in a way that it loses energy and needs rebuilding.When it comes to knowing for yourself, you do not need to use words because you already know what it is. In fact when you start knowing really subtle sensations and mind states, no words can describe them because words are mostly for all the gross realities we know. So words are really not helpful, they can even get in the way.ought is immaterial, it happens in the mind. the mind is immaterial. (Immaterial here means: not of matter).Don’t negotiate with hindrances and unprofitable things. Look at them straight in the eye, look straight into that mind.Whatever it is it will disappear and won’t come back. Do not put it aside.

From - THE WAY OF ATTAINMENT OF GENIUS