Yogi: Sometimes when I listen to a talk and I realize that it’s information which I already know, I jump to the conclusion and my mind skips the talk. How do I adjust the mind on this matter?
Sayadaw: For 6 months you were thrilled with all the new information. But then, it hasn’t sunk into more experiential insight.
When these thoughts of déjà vu come up, recognize them. We don’t know everything yet; if we’re mindful, if we apply ourselves, we’ll discover more things happening in our own experience.
Also, recognize the things you’re discovering, whether through seeing, hearing, thinking, or attitudes. We need to be sensitive to all the things we’re experiencing.
If you’re practicing in your daily life, during your ordinary moments and difficult moments, the more you’re aware, the more learning unfolds. When you have experiences that give you little insights into what happens every day – you’re able to deal with things in a more skillful way – when we’ve learned it doesn’t mean that it is done, it is never for good.
If we continue to be mindful every time we learn something, there’ll be more new learning.
It gives us confidence when we notice that we’ve learned something when we practice – how it has influenced the way we see things, the way we speak or act or think of things, it gives us that faith, that the mindfulness is working. It becomes practical and real in our lives.