We bring our world into existence by focusing on certain appearances and ignoring others, then making sense of those appearances through our conceptual demarcations and interpretations. Out of ignorance, like a nonlucid dreamer, we take this conjured-up world to be substantial and independent. Wake up to the reality of yourself and the rest of the […]
How can one know whether it is possible through practice to transcend the sense of duality, to transcend language, to transcend experience mediated by concepts? The only way to know is to do it, and that is the challenge. The Buddha declared it is possible. You are not locked into your own personal history, your […]
When you first try stabilizing the attention, it seems that mental agitation is worse than before you made any effort at all. But the mind was always scattered. You were just not aware of it. If you acknowledge that one of the goals of meditating is to witness the condition of the mind and realize […]
Like a wild elephant, the untamed mind can inflict enormous damage on ourselves and those around us. In addition to oscillating between an attention deficit (when we’re passive) and hyperactivity (when we’re active), the normal, untrained mind compulsively disgorges a toxic stream of wandering thoughts, then latches on to them obsessively, carried away by one […]
In addition to the two basic qualities a teacher must possess — altruistic intention and a sound knowledge of Dharma — three qualities are necessary on the part of a disciple. The first is perceptivity — attending closely, clarity of attention. The second quality is having an aspiration to put the teachings into practice. You […]
Meditation is a balancing act between attention and relaxation. Alan Wallace
Imagine yourself as a child lying on your back, gazing up into a cloudless sky, and blowing soap bubbles through a plastic ring. As a bubble drifts up into the sky, you watch it rise, and this brings your attention to the sky. While you are looking at the bubble, it pops, and you keep […]
