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Teacher: Rodney Smith
Date: 2009-05-12
Venue: Seattle Insight Meditation Center
Series
- The Ten Paramis 2009-01-27
Description
The fearlessness of wisdom and the willingness to hold our place on the earth for the learning that comes.
Homework
When you sit in meditation, notice how the noise of thought seems to keep you away from the breath. Observe how “you” are very present, struggling to get back on your breath. You may believe you are struggling with the thinking to return to the breath, but the struggling is actually creating more thought that does the opposite. You are working against wisdom. Watch the defenses against silence (emptiness) arise when you are able to be with the breath. Notice your boredom, restlessness, and desire for stimulation. These are mental states that keep “you” being “you” and ward off the wisdom of seeing clearly. Be careful not to struggle with even these states of mind. Attempt to open and include all states of mind. To open is the opposite of struggle and therefore in alignment with wisdom. The mind is very tricky and there is a proper place for wise effort. But does that effort have to be so forceful and striving? This week examine the differences and linkage between forced effort, opening to a mind state and the noise of the mind.
Video
Link to view on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/4647492
TalkID=281 SeriesID=15
