|
| Subscribe to our mailing list here. |
Roots of Mindfulness: Foundational Attitudes - Talk 4
Talk 4 - October 19, 2017 - Non-Striving and Letting Go - Prepared Talk by Robin Boudette © 2017
Talk 4 recording |
41:42 | |
| Download |
Talk 4 notes
NON Striving: Being with, relaxing into, right effort
Explore attitudes, see them know them
We say concentration but to concentrate your mind on something it's not the true purpose of Zen. The true purpose is to see things as they are to observe things as they are and to let everything go by to let everything go as it goes.
Inquiry, process of curiousity, begnininers mind, investigation
What is striving? How do you know when you are doing it? What tells you this?
Certain state mind—open or contracted
Focused or distracted
Sensations in the body?
Bring that habit with us on retreat, how does that striving show up on retreat
Rushing
Reading the schedule
Frustration w slowing down
Too narrow focus in walking or sitting
Sitting to meditate, get rid of thoughts, become calm, make something happen
‘what next moments” doing
leaning into future, anticipation, what next
human beings not human doings
being is so foreign, unfamiliar, system gets confused
stillness in the woods, waiting to be entertained, bird how nice, how long?
How to know striving: S Roshi: trace of thinking quote
Background of thinking, going somewhere, doing something
What am I telling myself right now?
Inquiry into striving: on and off
Strive to stop striving
Recognition: this is striving
How strong is the striving? 0-10, lean in get real curious
How do you know this?
Labeling: Sensations your body, thoughts, telling yourself, emotions
How long does it last?
Can I be with it?
What happens as I relax into it?
What does that feel like,
Process of inquiry, slow down, take a closer look
What’s the opposite: allowing, being with, accepting, letting go
Bread rises
Garden grows
Organic, don’t have to make it happen
Follow sitting instructions, all you have to do
effortless effort
Ajahn Amaro
There is a putting forth of energy. There is a commitment. There is a unity or integrity of purpose. Yet there is also effortlessness. Not pushing, not straining not trying to get something, but just allowing the natural energy of the heart to function in a focused and free way.
What conditions support allowing, right amount of effort
Nature beautiful way to explore non-doing
Natural unfolding
Everything happens in it’s own time
Peace
By Bessie Rayner Parkes
THE steadfast coursing of the stars,
The waves that ripple to the shore,
The vigorous trees which year by year
Spread upwards more and more;
The jewel forming in the mine,
The snow that falls so soft and light,
The rising and the setting sun,
The growing glooms of night;
All natural things both live and move
In natural peace that is their own;
Only in our disordered life
Almost is she unknown.
In your body
Trees, bend with the wind
Breath with the trees: leaves release oxygen we breath in
We exhale carbon dioxide, trees take in together
Natural peace within, natural rhythm, being with what is…
Letting go: Seeing clinging, explore how it feels
Explore: What we holding onto not even know holding
Belief, thought habit, without awareness
Recognition of holding on, resistance
Feel in body, thoughts, emotions
Craving mind
Recognition: holding on, craving something
See it, name it to tame it
Shift focus from getting, having, should should not to exploring
Inquiry into
Seeing habit of craving, clinging
- · Getting what we want be happy
- · How strong is it
- · Does give me what I need or want
Explore before, during, after, what do I get from this, am I getting from this
See all the results, long term, short term, physical, emotional
Pay close what am I getting from this
Not intellectual, body, mind, heart
Whole experience immediate, short term long term
Pleasant unpleasant
Comes from paying attention, being present to experience
Disenchantment- spell is broken
What do I get when I let go?
Maybe loss, some fear, might be some freedom
Might be different then way mind says it is
Not from head, more a knowing, embodied wisdom
Inquiry into letting go: what does clinging, grasping feel like, letting go feel like
look like in this moment for you
something now
attitude about this moment, holding onto it, pushing it away
Effortless letting go:
Non forced choice based in embodied awareness
Joy of letting go
We say concentration but to concentrate your mind on something it's not the true purpose of center. The true purpose is to see things as they are to observe things as they are and to let everything go by to let everything go as it goes.
Wanting to grasp the ungraspable, you exhaust yourself in vain. as soon as you open and relax this tight fist of grasping, infinite space is there open, inviting and comfortable.
Make use of this spaciousness, this freedom and natural ease. Don't search any further looking for the great awakened elephant, who is already resting quietly at home in front of your own hearth. Nothing to do or undo, nothing to force, nothing to want, and nothing missing. Everything happens by itself.
--Lama Gendun Rinpoche
There is another way