A good hearted fellow recently wrote:
“What are the distinguishing features
of centeredness?
How will I know I’m centered?
What can I be looking for
...or listening for
...or feeling for?”
In our good hearted enthusiasm
we could exhibit
a frenzied,
forward leaning,
seeking energy.
Imagine a man
whose feline overlord
is hiding under the sofa.
In his enthusiasm
he could craw about
on his hands and knees
blindly whipping his arm
underneath the sofa
mere moments away
from pulling back
a bloody mess of a stump.
To continue with the metaphor,
a much wiser minion
of her royal floofster
could walk slowly into the kitchen
open up a can
of kitty’s favorite wet food
and let her come to him.
How could we apply this
to our practice of
the Buddha’s meditations?
We could persistent in following
the meditation instructions
received during the livestream
for five minutes, ten minutes,
twenty, or even forty minutes
and observe the results.
But remember to do so not actively
but passively
not analytically
but viscerally.
We metaphorically
lean forward
out of desire,
and we also lean forward
out of fear;
fear that we might NOT
be able to center ourselves.
But of course
we do NOT center ourselves,
rather, we allow ourselves
to center
for centering is a natural process
that occurs every time we fall asleep
in a very coarse sense
and it occurs every time
we breathe out
in a very, very subtle sense.
So the only thing we are actively doing
is bringing our mindfulness to a process
that is already latent
within our every exhalation.
In the Tibetan tradition Lamas are supported
by those who read their teachings
as such the production of these webinars, and videos, and livestreams,
and podcasts, and blogs, and class materials is supported
by the generosity of viewers, and listeners, and readers
just like you.
Join our nightly livestream.
Download FREE practice materials.