Great question, Shelly. I think it's an individual thing. For me, I know if a directive is "Do YouTube videos and see if you can amass thousands of subscribers." it's coming from ego.
J. Krishnamurti would have nodded in agreement with you, David.
He wrote about the notion of “choiceless awareness”—a state that allows the whole of experience to be as it is without interference or identification with the self.
He also argued that any activity of the will or conscious effort to become mindful actually prevents true seeing. He wrote that these actions become “time-bound, rooted in the known.”
Finally, my favorite quote from him is what some call his ‘secret’ to living mindfully: “I don’t mind what happens.” Which echoes your thoughts about nonresistance to this moment.
So, it looks to me that to both you as Krishnamurti, mindful awareness IS life— with no division between practice and living.
David, I agree wholeheartedly with Lao Tzu —that if we truly practice not-doing, everything will fall into place. It's the not-doing part that's difficult. That's a matter of degrees. All the way from being aware while eating breakfast to Buddha-level enlightenment. I haven't even mastered the eating breakfast thing. I've done it at Zen retreats — but not when I'm home and no one's watching. What makes it even more maddening is the Zen teaching that we are already enlightened; we just don't yet know it. One of the greatest Zen masters, Dogen, began his practice with the question: "If I'm already enlightened, why do I need to practice?
My only answer is to be more gentle with myself and keep working at it. (Or keep "not-working" at it.) As you said, it's not easy.
Always love your Buddhist take, Gary. With all the studying and pondering I've done on this stuff over the past years, I say that the Buddha's teaching that suffering is caused by desire/preferences is the most important and all-encompassing.
Love it David G. Being. Being. Being. I’ve made friends with Jim Murphy, Author of Inner Excellence and will have him on my podcast sometime soon. I mention him, because AJ Brown who launched him into stardom as you probably know, was quoted recently saying that he enjoyed winning the Super Bowl for a few minutes and then he realized what he really enjoyed way more was the process of getting there. Not the outcome, the process. For me the only way to enjoy the process is to BE fully present, in the moment, enjoying the ride. I think that’s what you’re doing—enjoying the ride. Rock on man.
David, AJ was found on camera, while on the sidelines during the Wild Card game, reading Jim's book. That blew the doors off a book sitting at the bottom of the pile and launched it and Jim into stardom. He just got a book deal and his life has been turned upside down, in a good way. I went out and bought the book right away. It's fabulous. I think you would eat it right up.
Great question, Shelly. I think it's an individual thing. For me, I know if a directive is "Do YouTube videos and see if you can amass thousands of subscribers." it's coming from ego.
J. Krishnamurti would have nodded in agreement with you, David.
He wrote about the notion of “choiceless awareness”—a state that allows the whole of experience to be as it is without interference or identification with the self.
He also argued that any activity of the will or conscious effort to become mindful actually prevents true seeing. He wrote that these actions become “time-bound, rooted in the known.”
Finally, my favorite quote from him is what some call his ‘secret’ to living mindfully: “I don’t mind what happens.” Which echoes your thoughts about nonresistance to this moment.
So, it looks to me that to both you as Krishnamurti, mindful awareness IS life— with no division between practice and living.
Thank you for sharing your insights.
Bob
Love that, Bob. Krishnamurti was one of the greats.
Love this article and I can so relate. Thanks, David!
RQ
Thank you, RQ. Hope all is well with you!
David, I agree wholeheartedly with Lao Tzu —that if we truly practice not-doing, everything will fall into place. It's the not-doing part that's difficult. That's a matter of degrees. All the way from being aware while eating breakfast to Buddha-level enlightenment. I haven't even mastered the eating breakfast thing. I've done it at Zen retreats — but not when I'm home and no one's watching. What makes it even more maddening is the Zen teaching that we are already enlightened; we just don't yet know it. One of the greatest Zen masters, Dogen, began his practice with the question: "If I'm already enlightened, why do I need to practice?
My only answer is to be more gentle with myself and keep working at it. (Or keep "not-working" at it.) As you said, it's not easy.
Always love your Buddhist take, Gary. With all the studying and pondering I've done on this stuff over the past years, I say that the Buddha's teaching that suffering is caused by desire/preferences is the most important and all-encompassing.
Love it David G. Being. Being. Being. I’ve made friends with Jim Murphy, Author of Inner Excellence and will have him on my podcast sometime soon. I mention him, because AJ Brown who launched him into stardom as you probably know, was quoted recently saying that he enjoyed winning the Super Bowl for a few minutes and then he realized what he really enjoyed way more was the process of getting there. Not the outcome, the process. For me the only way to enjoy the process is to BE fully present, in the moment, enjoying the ride. I think that’s what you’re doing—enjoying the ride. Rock on man.
Love that, Donald. Hadn’t heard that about AJ Brown. Just a coincidence that he’s a star for your Eagles???
David, AJ was found on camera, while on the sidelines during the Wild Card game, reading Jim's book. That blew the doors off a book sitting at the bottom of the pile and launched it and Jim into stardom. He just got a book deal and his life has been turned upside down, in a good way. I went out and bought the book right away. It's fabulous. I think you would eat it right up.
That’s amazing. Love to hear that. Will check out.
I get this. My next question is how to discern internal directives-whether they’re ego based, or intuitive guidance.