However, in this recent retreat there is a shift in understanding that actually experience should be treated as just an experience, there is no need to personalise the experience to oneself. I remembered I've read or heard something that Byron Katie said that if a person were to hit her, its over. However, because of thinking in the mind, we hit ourself over and over again though the actual hit was just once. This is because we give so much priority to the experience, be it good or bad and hardly give attention to the workings of the mind who experiences the experience .
Just with this foundational information to see all experiences as just experiences, which the teacher mentioned that we have to constantly remind ourself of it, there was a loosening of the grip towards overly identifying with an experience.There was an incident that I had a conversation with a fellow yogi and she was making nice comments and being very grateful for my help in translating her needs to the office people as she did not speak English. I observed that there was feelings of happiness listening to the comments. Normally, the mind would hold on to this nice feelings and play the comments over in the mind in later time. This time after saying good bye to the yogi, I turned to walk to where I wish to go and I observed that the mind was not thinking of the incident and all I could sense was a residue of the happy feeling. It was truly experiencing the experience as just an experience. And once its over its over. It was quite interesting because the mind was stable and clear and knows that there is no need to hold on to the incident and that it was over. This is truly wisdom at work.
Such an important point. Had a similar realization this time. A note to "self" from retreat, Dec 8: "If conversation contains unskillful thought or action - if speech carries some defilement - then there's a residue in the mind...it plays itself out in further commentary/thought. If not, then mind is clear and stable...Those are the kinds of conversations to have!" (Interesting we both use the word residue but differently.)
ReplyDeleteYes, experience is just experience when wisdom and awareness are both there and it's just mind and object, no "me" experiencing. Just experience itself. I don't think this insight will ever get old! Thanks for sharing your wisdom @ work ;)