In love with the world - 19. A chance encounter

Contributors

Laura and Chloe

Summary

In this chapter MR meets an Asian man and helps in his meditation practice.

Meditating on thoughts

• MR explains that it is not a matter of stopping the thoughts but to become aware of them. In the beginning of the practice, when we observe the thoughts, they seem to multiply. This is just because we become more familiar with our mind. We all have a monkey mind and when we put our mind under the magnifying glass, it appears more active than ever.

Acceptance vs passivity

• The businessman feared that becoming more accepting would make him passive.
• MR explained that acceptance and passivity are different.
• True acceptance requires an open and fresh mind to investigate the world around. It requires trust in uncertainty and allows for discernment to arise from wisdom.
• Everything we want is already within us and we just need to relax and allow our inner wisdom to come forth.

 Productivity vs creativity

• Buddhism has more to do with creativity than productivity. Productivity is an obstacle to innovation. Creativity means stay open and flexible to change and risking failure. With reference to meditation, if we take the focus off the goal does not mean that you are giving up. You are just more receptive to the present and allow for a fresh response to arise.
• We need to develop some confidence and train our mind to peal off our masks, that is to let go of old behaviors and beliefs.

Luminous mind

• The businessman told MR that while watching his thoughts, his mind went blank.
• MR explained that blank or gap is actually open awareness. Awareness is aware of itself, it recognizes the spacious, knowing qualities of the mind that are always present. 
• You are connecting to the qualities of the empty mind and it that moment there is clarity.
• When you recognize awareness this blank, or gap becomes spaciousness.

Meditation on thoughts instructions: In love with the world, pag. 164

Questions

• Think about a difficult situation in your life when you were not sure how to react. Have you ever wondered if just accepting, would make you passive?
• During a practice, have you ever tried to connect your breath with acceptance? (Using breath as a support). How did it feel?

Meditation

Meditation on thoughts guided by MR