"There is more to the mind than reason alone.  There is awareness itself and what we sometimes think of as the deeper qualities of mind.  Most of us know how supportive it is merely to be in the presence of a mind that is open, quiet, playful, receptive, or reflective.  These attributes are themselves helpful.  Moreover, there is something we frequently experience--perhaps we can call it intuitive awareness--that links us most intimately to the universe and, in allegiance with the heart, binds us together in generosity and compassion" (94).

I had to separate this quote from the rest of the text just so I could take a closer look at it.  Ironically, my own mind is currently trying to reason its way through this passage, at the same time remarking at how interesting it is to realize that it is capable of things other than reason.  Now I'm just confusing myself.

"There are some two hundred and eighteen prohibitions, all of which he adopted.  Then he added ten more on his own, such as never driving in automobiles.  This meant that when he had business in Bangkok, about a hundred and fifty miles away, he's just pick up his walking stick and start walking" (95).


This is absolutely shocking to read--"two hundred and eighteen prohibitions?"  I wonder what they all are...

Bangkok is a long walk from here...

"As I hung out with him longer I began to realize that his mind was so centered and one-pointed that his being was stronger than their addiction.  And I saw that his commitment was so total, that he wasn't just someone using a skill.  He had died into his work.  He was the cure" (96).

This is an interesting concept: being so sure and convinced of your place on earth that it rubs off on other people, thus helping them achieve a little bit of the self-nirvana you enjoy.

"At a certain stage, personal judgements may start competing for attention" (97).

I'm definitely guilty of this--having had many phone calls with friends looking for advice or counsel, I tend to find myself zoning out or getting distracted by what I was focusing on prior to receiving the call.  It's just an unfortunate part of human nature.

"This mental chatter goes on and off.  Sometimes we really get lost, and by the time we're back, we realize we've missed a key point, and it's too late to ask for it to be repeated" (98).

Again, I can't begin to count the amount of times this has happened to me.

"Partly we are agitated because we so intensely want to help....So part of the time we are listening, but we may also be using our minds to solve the problem.  There's a pull to be efficient, to look for some kind of resolution....In order to be helpful, our analytic mind must stay on top of it all" (98-99).

I've never thought about why we tend to get distracted when listening to someone in pain, but this passage offers an interesting explanation.  However, I wonder if getting distracted is limited to phone calls and non-face to face interactions--after all, I feel like physically seeing the pain in someone's face would trigger enough empathy to bypass any distractions.

Brad Pitt knows; sometimes our minds just can't deal with the plight of the person on the other side of the line.

"For all of us, there are times when our minds become concentrated, sharp and clear....Perhaps we are...playing a video game...." (100).

Video games were my escape throughout much of my adolescence.  After a particularly rough day at school I would always try to find a way to sneak off and play for an hour or so (my Xbox was strictly off limits during school days).  Indeed, even though I would enter into a sort of concentrated trance while playing them, sometimes I would experience a reality check and, for a brief moment, realize how worry-free I was.

Racing games were my favorite.  Being able to slip away into a reality where all I did was speed along at 150+ miles per hour next to beautiful, virtual vistas really put my mind at ease.

"And we can remain aware behind all these thoughts, in a state that offers an entirely new level of openness and insight" (102).

I thought the sky metaphor as a way to imagine one's own awareness was very eye-opening.  I'm going to try to picture this the next time we meditate in class.

Which thought should I focus on next?