Mike: Yes Mike I'm enjoying this thread as much as you are. There must be a confusion here: I DID NOT SAY MINDFULNESS COME AND GO but when THERE IS NO DILIGENCE IN THE PRACTICE OF PRODUCING MINDFULNESS THEN THE ENERGY OF MINDFULNESS IS ABSENTED. Example given about paying attention to TNH was only to give somehow a sense of what mindfulness was in the form of a person who embodies it. To make me understand better what I was trying to explain over the subject. Nothing else than that. I don't usually get much into explaining mindfulness because I've already had a go in the past and never managed it. And the reason is very simple there is nothing to explain. The only thing one can do is to give the tools to be used if one feel like it to have a go. If you are aware within yourself and around, then you are already mindful. I told you this morning, your difficulty is the word but not the action of mindfulness for as long you use your full attention and awareness. Mayka --- On Thu, 3/3/11, mike brown <[email protected]> wrote:
From: mike brown <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Realization To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, 3 March, 2011, 17:48 Mayka, I hope you're enjoying this thread as much as me : ) ! I think we might definitely be getting tangled up in words, but I'm afraid we're definitely not talking about the same thing. As you keep saying, mindfulness is something that comes and goes (it's transient), but as I keep saying aware is something you always are even before you decide to be mindful. Personally, I don't feel I need to pay attention to TNH whatsoever (great man as he undoubtedly is). Whilst he might have many more worthwhile attributes than me, the one thing he can't have more than me is that awareness. Pay attention to and trust your inner-self, that is your best teacher/guru. I think this is a problem for many seekers of enlightenment, and particularly Zen, in that the answer alsways seems to be 'just around the corner': if I just read one more article/book/wise saying then I'll 'get it'. The irony being that all the masters worth listening too keep saying the same thing - you're already enlightened now and no different from them From: Maria Lopez <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, 4 March, 2011 2:02:21 Subject: Re: [Zen] Realization Mike: Mindfulness is both: The technique in order to produce it and the energy that you get through the tools used. We may both mean at the end the same thing but are getting entangled with the words. You said that those techniques may be something at the end one will need to let go. Once mindfulness becomes ones natural daily way of living there is nothing to let go as that is one second skin. Pay attention to TNH. Mindfulness is his second skin. He doesn't need to be worried about any technique and yet he makes use of his in and out conscious breath, most important tool in mindfulness. But all that is as natural in him as eating, sleeping, sitting down, laughing....There is nothing to let go. We let go something when we cling onto it. There is no clinging in mindfulness. Mayka --- On Thu, 3/3/11, mike brown <[email protected]> wrote: From: mike brown <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Realization To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, 3 March, 2011, 16:31 Mayka, >zazen is a technique. Using the awareness of the in and out breathing to come >back hone to your true home is also a >technique or a tool whatever you want >to call it. And so what? . Why you shouldn't made use of it if it's >available there >for you to use it when you need it?. But that's exactly what I'm saying! All the above (including mindfulness) are techniques and ultimately have to be let go of. And what is left after they have been let go of? Awareness. Awareness always is even before you decide to do something. You can forget about being mindful, but you can't be anything other than aware. That's why all the great masters say you are already enlightened and there is nothing to do. >Why you should open a can beer with your teeth when you can use your both >hands?. Why you should give to your teeth a hard time >when you have your both >hands to open it? You're stuck on the technique again, rather than what the technique is for. If I tell you how the beer tastes from the glass, why focus on the methods used to open the can? Mike
