Talk 2 recording |
34:03 | |
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Non Judging : Open, observing, curious, allowing
Attitudinal foundations
attitudes qualities part of mindfulness training
helpful, essential in cultivating present moment awareness
seven
Not independent of one another, actually interdependent
In Letting go, helps to have to trust
Non-striving is supported by patience
beginners mind brings balance to the judging mind
So it’s not about doing or being something
More like recognizing what’s arising
This is striving… holding on, what about letting go
Recognition is important
Much of the time we might not be aware of striving or judging
Once aware, recognize, what happens next?
See the moment, power of pure recognition…
There my be loosening, a space, a shift
We can incline the mind/body/heart in the direction
Dance of Actions of Recognition and Non doing
We will be exploring the conditions that encourage, out of which the attitudinal foundations arise
Some are named by what they are not, non judging
Conceptual
Want to move out of conceptual into experiential
What are the qualities of judging mind and non judging
Mindfulness translation is become familiar
Not fixing, changing our experience, getting to know it,
Get to know it when it comes
Overview: Judging Mind
How does non judgmental land in you
You might be thinking: not for me, rainbows and unicorns
Non judgmental awareness not warm and fuzzy sentiment
allows us to look at ourselves and our world in a different way
Break out of habit patterns
Is judging something you do? Or maybe it’s something you notice
Have you ever tried to stop having judgmental thoughts?
Can you force yourself to not have any judgments?
Is judging something you do? Or maybe it’s something you notice
Or maybe both or either, inquiry into
The judgmental mind
Cultivating nonjudgmental attitude Requires you become aware to the constant stream of judging that arises, how we are constantly reacting to inner and outer experiences
Awareness of judging, automatic activities of mind evaluate, happens without our awareness
Intensity can vary: rate, value, criticize, condemn
Tend to think of judging as negative, could also be good, great, have to have it
mind is problem solver, in charge of performance improvement
Genes we inherited
Process of Judging:
Brain in eastern cultures is seen at sixth Sense organ
Mind is to thought what ear is to sound
Stimulus:
See the weather outside
Taste chocolate cookies
I’m really not very good at this
Contact Generates feeling tone,
Unpleasant:
I don’t like this weather, not liking, want something different
Pleasant
I have to have another one of those cookies, liking, feeling wanting
Contact, feeling tone, followed by us moving toward or moving away
Happens often without our awareness
mechanical reactions, no basis in direct experience
SEA of FOR or AGAINST
When a thought appears in the mind we run with it, we exaggerate a thoughts’ power, we become easily obsessed with certain thoughts
On auto pilot, not aware of it arising, don’t question it, act according to what it seems you to do or feel
Judging mind is SO convincing, compelling, already knows
This person did something wrong…on purpose
This situation, job, day, event is going to be HORRIBLE… WONDERFUL
Has this happened to you to?
As we observe mind, we see how
How caught / entangled / absorbed in judging mind right now
gift of retreat, we can slow things down enough to
become interested in this chain of momentary events
see natural arising of thoughts, judgmental and other thoughts as well
same way observe sounds
Recognize:
Judging is happening, moment not judging
To keep going the judging mind like fire needs fuel
This is where we come in
Add fuel to the fire, rehash, rehearse, engage in process
This amplifies into a story, a mood, state and then dictates our behavior
Or note, judging is happening, step back observe the thinking process
Judging is happening… inquire further..
What is the story my mind is telling?
I am having the thought that…
Judging is happening… how does it feel in the body right now
With awareness we can explore,
relate to judging mind in a different way
impersonal
Inquiry: what does judging feel like?
Absence of judging, what does that like
Notice the absence of judging mind
“Don’t know mind” is non judgmental; Beginner’s mind
qualities of don’t know mind: open, curious, receptive, smiling, clear
how does it feel in the body, tight, spacious
quality of mind, clear, cloudy
The barn burned down
Then I could see the moon
Seeing with fresh eyes…
Beginner’s mind
As if for first time
Weather, too cold
Where does the “not liking” take you?
What else is here: beginners mind
Trees dancing in the wind, sound of the rain
Don’t step in same river twice
No 2 breaths
No 2 bites
No 2 storms
No 2 body scans
How present can you be to your experience?
Suspend liking and disliking, below the words
What do you learn, discover?
quote without preferences: 3rd Zen patriarch, Sengstan
The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When love and hate are both absent
everything becomes clear and
undisguised.
Make the smallest distinction, however,
and heaven and earth are set infinitely
apart.
If you wish to see the truth
then hold no opinions for or against
anything.
To set up what you like against what you
dislike
is the disease of the mind.
When the deep meaning of things is not
understood,
the mind�s essential peace is disturbed
to no avail.
The Way is perfect like vast space
where nothing is lacking and nothing in
excess.
Indeed, it is due to our choosing to accept or
reject
that we do not see the true nature of things.
Notice how judgments, preference cause suffering
See how this shows up on retreat
Want a different schedule, a warm meal, more guiding, less guiding
More comfortable clothing, different seat in the room
Wanting what we don’t have, Not wanting what we do have..
How is this…
No preference, no suffering, less suffering
No need to judge the judging mind, just what’s arising
Let mind do what it does and observe with curiosity
Faculties of recognition
Might even see judging mind as a teacher,
Zen: bad horse is better
See the bad horse with a beginners mind, don’t know mind
No need to change the judging mind, be a teacher
Train mind in ways that help us no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in