601. JUST KEEP KNOWING WITHOUT HAVING TO ANALYSE – VERY SIMPLE
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 15 Day 6 Group A (1:26:10-1:31:20)
Yogi: I noticed restlessness and its characteristics – and the mind made a series of reflections, including identification and the 5 Hindrances.
Sayadaw: When you could recognize the restlessness for what it is, that is wisdom; it means that the awareness is good. You could also see many other things and that is also seeing things clearly.
At that time, you should continue to be aware, and not go into thinking about the theory of the Hindrances. We already know the theory – we want to understand more, not what we already know.
So, keep on knowing the experience and just keep observing – very simple. There’s no need to analyse.
602. QUESTIONING IS TO DIRECT THE ATTENTION INWARDS
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 16 Day 6 Group B (42:32-44:23)
When we ask the W and H questions, we immediately go to the external reasons. Why am I angry? She made me angry. Why am I upset? They are noisy.
When I say why, I’m not talking about the story. I’m asking what it is that I know now (in my own experience, not outside) that is making the mind angry. So, you have to look within yourself to see what you are knowing that is directly connected to the feeling right there.
When unwholesome qualities are in the mind, there are thoughts and beliefs that are operating and the emotions that come with them. They are all feeding each other and we want to watch the process.
It’s only when we have stepped back from that experience that we can look at it like an outside observer and can then see that this is happening. But, if we are identified with the experience, then it is difficult to separate ourselves from what is happening.
603. WE MUST USE OUR WISDOM SO THAT IT CAN BECOME STRONGER
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 15 Day 6 Group A (19:24-21:40)
Yogi: I find practicing with the sangha in the group sitting and walking in the meditation hall very positive with a strong atmosphere. Now with the no-schedule practice, I’m a little lost.
Sayadaw: Rather than think about a situation we find helpful but we don’t have at present (e.g. group sitting), we can make the situation work for ourselves – that’s the best way to help ourselves.
At home, not only do we not have the support from the outside to be mindful, the external is always pulling us away from mindfulness.
So, it is important to learn to use the strength within ourselves – the decision and intention to be mindful within ourselves – because when we use that, it becomes stronger.
When we use our own strength and wisdom to find out how to be aware, when we make our own effort without anybody’s help to be aware, when we find the faith in ourselves to be aware – that’s when these qualities grow stronger.
When we say we strengthen the mind, it’s when we use the wholesome qualities of the mind. We practice them and they become powerful.
In our whole lives, we have done things because other people are doing them and we follow the crowd. We need to think for ourselves and walk our own paths.
We must use our wisdom so that our wisdom will become stronger.
604. SIMPLY BE AWARE UNTIL WISDOM ARISES
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 21 Day 8 Group A (1:42-4:33)
Yogi: I experience unpleasant physical feelings arising from aversion, sometimes they last for hours, and I don’t want these unpleasant sensations. I want good feelings on retreat but I don’t have the tools to get rid of them and I get stuck.
Sayadaw: These are bodily sensations related to the mind. Unwholesome mental qualities will give unpleasant effects in the body.
Yogi: Expectations, holding on and wanting things to go away make it more stuck. These unpleasant physical sensations arise from time to time and I don’t know how to handle them.
Sayadaw: Yes, that’s right. There’s no need to do anything about it – just know it, just recognize it. (If there are expectations, holding on and wanting things to go away, know that too.)
Awareness is not trying to make it go away, or make it better, or handle it. Awareness is knowing what is happening so that eventually the mind will learn something about it.
If and when learning does happen, if and when understanding does arise, then wisdom allows the mind to let go of the unwholesome.
605. THERE IS NO NEED TO INTERPRET THE EXPERIENCE
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 15 Day 6 Group A (1:36:00-1:36:22)
Yogi: The mind wants to interpret the experience more than it understands.
Sayadaw: There’s no need to interpret it any further than you already know. So, just recognize that the mind knows what is being known.
When you keep it simple and leave it only to the information you have instead of trying to interpret it, then when the mind really understands, it will tell you.
606. IT’S HOW THE MIND VIEWS THAT GIVES RISE TO EMOTION
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 14 Day 5 Group C (12:45-15:50)
Yogi: A deep sadness arises during meditation and I know why I’m sad.
Sayadaw: We often think that the external reason – something that happens in our life – makes us sad, but we don’t recognize the internal reason.
When we consider something to be sad – when the mind has decided that this is a sad event or situation – that’s what makes the mind sad. It’s how the mind views something that gives it emotion.
So, if you think that something shouldn’t be the way it is, you will be angry. If you think ‘I wonder if this will happen and I don’t want that to happen’, you will feel anxiety or worry.
So, it’s how the mind thinks that will create the emotion.
In fact, no external event makes this mind sad or happy. It’s what the mind thinks of what is happening that makes this mind happy or sad.
When we don’t see the entire process, from the way we think to the way we feel, then we think that what is happening outside is what makes us feel this way.
When it comes to emotions – whether sadness, worry, anxiety, or anger – it is very important to not only recognize the feelings but also the thoughts. Then we see that when the thoughts are happening one way, so too the feelings. When the thoughts are different, the feelings are different too. We then start to see the direct connection between how thoughts influence our emotions.
607. UNDERSTANDING HOW THOUGHTS AFFECT OUR EMOTIONS
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 14 Day 5 Group C (18:00-18:56)
Whether the sadness (or any strong defilement) goes away or not is not important; what matters is we’re watching the way the mind interacts with itself – how thoughts affect our emotions.
If the mind understands how thoughts affect our emotions, if we can see that connection, then it becomes useful in all aspects of our lives whenever emotions arise.
608. SAYADAW’S TIP ON HOW TO DEAL WITH ANY DEFILEMENT
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 21 Day 8 Group A (16:58-18:20)
One of my favorite aspects of wisdom is understanding how to instantly calm the mind when it is disturbed; how to deal with any defilement like sadness, worry, or anger.
The more you understand the nature of this mind and body, the more the mind understands how to handle the body and the mind.
When I was depressed and trying to practice at home, this question kept coming to me: ‘Why is the mind suffering?’
It was very clear to me that the mind didn’t understand and that was why it was suffering. Therefore, I constantly watched the mind.
Wisdom is when it’s clear, when the mind understands how to do something and when to do something.
609. RECOGNIZING WISDOM AT WORK MAKES THE MIND FEEL GOOD AND CONFIDENT
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 22 Day 6 Group B (28:43-29:28)
I grew wisdom simply, like holding my tongue when I wanted to say something to somebody and realizing that it wasn’t the place and time to do so.
I saw the person passed by my shop, but I had already understood that it was not the right time and place to talk – so, I let it go. Recognizing that the mind had that wisdom to let go of the desire to speak because it was more beneficial not to speak at that time and place, it felt really good.
Every time we do the right thing, the mind feels good, it feels more confident.
610. NOTICE THE OPERATING QUALITY THAT IS DRIVING THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 21 Day 8 Group A (71:10-76:16)
Yogi: I notice that my thoughts have different qualities and characteristics – some are ‘Blah! Blah! Blah!’ and others are dhammic. How may I understand them?
Sayadaw: A thought is just a thought – it is neither wholesome nor unwholesome because thinking is a function of the mind.
When we first watch the mind, we notice the thoughts and the feelings. When we have something unwholesome in the mind and we say that we’re angry, we try to look at anger and the first thing that we meet are the angry thoughts and the feelings that come with anger. But, that’s not anger.
The thought is just a thought and the feeling is just a feeling. Just as when we’re happy, we have happy thoughts and we have happy feelings, but they are not the happiness.
At first we see the thoughts and the feelings and think that they are the anger; but later we begin to recognize that there’s something behind – there’s an operating quality that is driving and conditioning the feelings and the thoughts. These qualities work through the feelings and the thoughts to express themselves, but they’re not the thoughts and the feelings.
Thoughts and feelings are functions of the mind that allow the mind quality to be expressed.
When wisdom arises, there’ll be wise thoughts. Wisdom acts through thoughts to give you wise thoughts, and there are different feelings in the body and in the mind.
Every one of these wholesome and unwholesome qualities has its own characteristics – anger makes the mind think and feel in certain ways, and likewise greed, wisdom, happiness, sadness, anxiety, worry, metta and gratitude. All of them have their characteristics that are separate from the thoughts and feelings.
The words are different because the meanings are different which means their natures are different.
The more we observe them, the more information we gather about them, the more we understand them and how each of their characteristics function and also understand more about what a feeling is and what a thought is.
611. CHOICE AMIDST CONDITIONING
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 21 Day 8 Group A (49:55-54:45)
Yogi: If everything is cause and effect and there’s no free will, then why don’t I just indulge in my greed all the time? It’ll go away eventually or it won’t; it’s just conditions eventually.
Sayadaw: We understand cause and effect incorrectly if we think that it is just an independent process because in every moment we create conditions for the next event. And that’s where wisdom can choose or the unwholesome can choose.
If we choose the unwholesome all the time, then there are the effects of the unwholesome; and if we choose the wholesome, there will be those effects.
What wisdom is doing is that it is trying to understand the right conditions so that it can fulfill those conditions in every moment for wholesome results to arise.
One definition of anatta is that we cannot control things. What is misunderstood instead is that we cannot control the result. What is happening now is the result of past conditions – and you can’t change that – but what you can change/choose are the present conditions. That’s why we practice meditation, or else, what is the point? If we choose the right current conditions, the result will be different.
That’s where we can exert control if we understand.
For example, when we choose to practice any of the Paramis – the 10 wholesome qualities of the mind that can be perfected – again and again, these qualities become more established in the mind, and they have their wholesome results.
612. THE PRACTICE OF AWARENESS IS NOT THROUGH DELIBERATE THINKING
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 15 Day 6 Group A (0:59:30-1:04:26)
Yogi: How do I know if my investigation/analysis is right or wrong? I’m confused.
Sayadaw: You have thought enough and it hasn’t helped – you should stop thinking.
The practice of awareness is not about thinking. When you’re aware, the mind is also gathering the information that you’re not conscious of.
The intelligence bit is just the wisdom of how to be aware. It is not thinking about what you’re being aware of. It’s just the intelligence of how to be aware.
When insight comes, it gives you an answer that is beyond what you can think about. And that’s what insight is – it is something that you cannot think about.
It is something that becomes understood beyond our current understanding.
You have thought enough – now you’re going to be aware. Every time you have this recurring thought, you’re going to recognize the thought and recognize how it feels to have this thought, again, again and over again – ‘thought, feeling, thought, feeling’ every moment. You’re not stopping the thought – just recognizing it and the associated feeling.
Doing this actually stabilizes the mind, and at some point, wisdom will bring all the gathered information together and tell you something. When? We don’t know.
613. JUDGING AND THINKING WILL INTENSIFY RESTLESSNESS
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 16 Day 6 Group B (00:15-03:30)
Yogi: I feel terribly restless today. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I went to rest and fell asleep.
Sayadaw: It’s important not to resist the experience because when you don’t like it and you don’t want it to happen it becomes stronger.
You can either change your attitude about what is happening or become aware of the attitude that you’re having (the mind is not happy...it’s still happening...this is how it feels in the body and mind).
The important thing is not to keep thinking of what’s happening.
If it doesn’t go away when you watch it, it’s no problem. You can watch something neutral like the touching sensation and not pay attention to it directly.
The important thing is not to let the mind keep judging and thinking about the restlessness.
614. THE FOUNDATION OF THE PRACTICE IS CONTINUITY OF AWARENESS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group G Q&A (04:00-11:42)
Yogi: I’m not sure if I’m practicing or not. I’m aware of something but I’m not sure if there’s enough effort, or it has become a bit natural.
Sayadaw: If the awareness is present, then you can know what the awareness is aware of – there is an object and the awareness. And then, you can differentiate whether the object is a concept or reality. So, check when the mind is unsure if awareness is present or not.
The objects are just mind and body – in the body they are the senses; and in the mind, the feelings or the thinking.
On retreat, just strengthen the mindfulness; and as the momentum grows, the mind will be more confident about the practice.
The practice comes in phases and the first phase is gaining some continuity and momentum in the awareness.
If the awareness slides, we just have to build up the continuity of awareness again.
615. THE MIND RESISTS, NOT THE BODY
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 15 Day 6 Group A (1:36:52-1:37:25)
Yogi: Is there a resistance in the body to going to the awareness?
Sayadaw: Resistance is something that the mind does. Whatever we feel in the mind gets reflected in the body as sensations – that might be what you’re detecting.
Yogi: Should I look at the tension in the body?
Sayadaw: Yes, you can.
616. STRENGTHEN THE AWARENESS WITH SUBTLE OBJECTS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2019 Vassa Q&A 20190717
When the mind is stronger, it can be aware of more subtle objects, or choose to be aware of the subtle objects.
Your mind already knows how to be aware of obvious objects. Between the obvious and the subtle object, choose and stay with the subtle object.
When the awareness becomes stronger, the subtle objects become obvious.
617. PRACTISE WALKING SO AWARENESS BECOMES HABITUAL WHENEVER WE WALK
Singapore 4 Dec 2019 Q&A 1 (4:22-5:37)
If you can only practice when you’re on the cushion, try to know that you’re walking whenever you’re walking. That’s more meaningful because you can then bring your practice to daily activities.
When you practice knowing that you’re walking in daily activities, slowly, the awareness becomes a habit whenever you walk.
Every time we walk, awareness comes back because it has become a habit.
So, try to practice every time you walk. This is your homework – the next time I return, you need to report your progress.
Only one thing – every time you walk, try to be mindful. That’s enough.
618. LEARN TO WATCH FEELINGS AS AN ALTERNATIVE
Singapore 4 Dec 2019 Q&A 1 (13:15-15:04)
Yogi: I do anapana but I cannot watch in a relaxed natural way. The mind always wants to control the breath.
Sayadaw: If you cannot watch your breath naturally, place your awareness in your chest area. Then you can notice something happening there – whether it’s relaxed or tense or if the mind is happy. You don’t have to try to do anything – it’s already happening.
You can also know your mind state easily if you watch your chest area. In this area, you can know whether you’re happy, sad, or angry.
There is always some tension in the chest when we’re not very relaxed. So, it is obvious to watch this area naturally without much effort.
619. ALWAYS MATCH CONCENTRATION WITH ITS LEVEL OF WISDOM
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 25 Day 9 Group C (1:00:00-1:03:55)
Yogi: It’s useful to develop one-pointed concentration and then open up to vipassana mode.
Sayadaw: Yes, it’s possible. But, it’s always important for samadhi to be matched with its level of wisdom. Samma samadhi means right or wise concentration – so, always pair it with wisdom; then the effects are wholesome.
If wisdom is not there, then it’s possible for greed or aversion to come in and work with the samadhi and then the effects can be quite devastating.
Yogi: Usually, when something happens, the concentration latches onto it.
Sayadaw: Yes, it can be very bad and it can become dangerous – if it is fear, it may trigger a panic attack.
620. WHY ARE INSIGHTS/REALIZATIONS SHOCKING?
Sweden 2019 Retreat File 18 Day 7 Group C Q&A (43:00-43:50)
The object is still the same, same thing that you have been noticing all the time, but suddenly you understand it totally differently.
When the mind is pure, suddenly from the view of delusion, it switches to the view of wisdom; it has right view. Suddenly, it has a totally different view – it sees things as it is.
Any insight we have is quite shocking.
621. MEDITATING ONE OR TWO HOURS A DAY IS FOR SURE NOT ENOUGH
Singapore 4 Dec 2019 Q&A 2 (9.25-12:25)
Defilements, they do their job very well. They arise automatically because of habit.
Go and check the mind quality of old people – moha grows stronger and stronger for these people because they live with moha.
People often say that they fear growing old because their mind and body would get weaker and weaker. Actually, the mind never grows old; it’s only the body that grows old.
The mind never grows old because the lifespan of the mind is so short – it comes and goes repeatedly. When people say that their mind is weak, it means that wholesome mind is weak, but unwholesome mind – moha – is so very strong.
Old people forget real life because they constantly live in their day dreams and get confused by mixing together the past, present and future; their mind is very deluded.
If we don’t train the mind, we’re sure to go the same way.
Defilements do their job 100 percent well, never less, but awareness, samadhi, and wisdom are struggling to do their job.
That’s why we need to practice all the time, not only for a short time. Yogis think that meditating one hour in the evening every day is enough, but it is for sure not enough.
622. SHWE OO MIN SAYADAW’S INSTRUCTIONS WERE FEW AND BRIEF
Singapore 4 Dec 2019 Q&A 1 (11:04-12:21)
It’s hard for yogis to remember if I teach too much at a time. My teacher would only teach a few words each time, and we had to patiently collect his teachings.
He did that for many years, teaching one brief instruction at a time. He instructed, for example, ‘Don’t hold on or resist’. That was it; and he would then ask us to go back.
At that time, I didn’t understand what he meant. What everyone does all the time is either holding onto or resisting whatever experience that arises because we don’t know of any better way.
It was only after I had been practicing for a long time that I understood what was meant by not holding onto or resisting any experience. When there is awareness and understanding, the mind lets go of grasping or resisting the experience.
623. NEVER SAY DIE WHEN IT’S HARD TO PRACTICE POST-RETREAT
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group G Q&A (1:23:40-1:26:47)
Yogi: Going home from retreat, after a while I lose interest and the practice slides.
Sayadaw: It happens to all of us. Despite that, we have to keep trying. It’s when we lose inspiration and the practice starts to go down, that’s when we have to make more effort. If we keep trying when it’s hard, we start learning the skill of getting through it.
Two of the biggest reasons why we can’t maintain our practice in daily life are lack of skill in practice and lack of understanding of the mind.
We don’t know how to clear the mind when it gets agitated – when the mind is confused, we don’t know how to deal with it quickly. Because of that, all that starts to accumulate and we cannot get back on track to practicing. We’re not skilful with that.
There’s nothing supporting our practice at home; we have to find all the strength within ourselves. When we’re not skilful, it’s a hard battle to keep the mindfulness going day after day. It takes a lot of faith and determination.
One of the disadvantages of the retreat is that it conditions us to only know how to practice when it’s supportive and quiet. So, when it’s chaotic and everybody is demanding our attention, we don’t know how to remain aware and respond to those demands.
If we learn how to build our stability of mind in chaotic environments, how to remain aware and keep the mind stable while everything is happening around us, then we can become more skilful.
That requires us to practice at home because that’s where we’ll have the environment where we can learn that skill.
And if we find that interesting and we keep trying, then we’ll become skilful.
624. AN ORDINARY SLOW-AND-STEADY PRACTICE
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (45:00-48:18)
Yogi: I appreciate this practice that invites us to be with the ordinary, or else the mind expects the esoteric to happen at some point into the retreat.
Sayadaw: From the beginning of our journey of cultivating awareness, the things that we observe will always remain the same – the feelings, the mind, the thoughts, and the physical sensations.
The objects don’t change, but what changes is our perspective, our understanding of what objects are and how they work – that’s the wisdom that grows.
625. HOW TO FACE DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (41:17-42:52)
Yogi: How do I work with reconnecting with my dad whom I have a difficult relationship with?
Sayadaw: Never fear – when you go back to your home country, all that stuff will come.
You can’t prevent it from happening because that’s the pattern the mind has fallen into in such relationships. But, what we can do is to become very skilful at watching the feelings/emotions, at watching the reactions the mind has when it interacts with those persons the same way you interact with your thoughts.
The exercise is the same – recognizing the feelings but not getting lost in the content of your conversation with the person.
You really need to understand the difference between the concepts the mind builds and the reality. We can hear a simple ‘Hello’ and give it many meanings in our mind – that’s the concept. But the reality is that we hear a ‘Hello’ and there are these feelings. We can just be with the feelings and not believe all the stories the mind presents to us in our thoughts.
We need to practice that and become very skilful at staying with the reality of what we feel and not get lost in the stories that the mind feeds us.
626. WHY WE’RE ATTACHED TO OUR HOMES
Finland Retreat 2019 End Instructions (19:07-21:25)
At home, everything I see and hear belongs to me.
How do I define my home? My home is the place where all unwholesome minds are allowed to have a party.
We fill our homes with everything we desire. We’ve taken everything we don’t like from our homes. Ultimately, we just keep the people we want in our homes and we don’t invite anyone we don’t like into our homes.
And what do you think happens every time we see these lovely objects that belong to us?
You’re getting more and more attached by the day even without practicing – whenever you see these objects, the greed and aversion are being practiced.
The only difference we can make is to be aware of the greed and aversion because whether we’re aware or not, the unwholesome minds are already happening. If we’re not aware of them, then they grow faster and stronger.
627. DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES ARE THOUGHTS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2019 Vassa Q&A 20190721
Yogi: I woke up scared stiff from a nightmare. What should I do?
Sayadaw: Don’t replay the dream because dreaming is just thinking – try to be mindful of the feeling instead. You already feel scared when you wake up. (The feeling is obvious.)
So, don’t think; try to be aware of your feeling instead.
You have to practice staying with the unpleasant feeling; you can learn to make that a habit. Thinking is just thinking – dreaming is thinking.
628. DO NOT SIMPLY BELIEVE IN WHAT THE MIND SAYS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2019 Vassa Q&A (20190814)
Whenever we simply believe what the mind says, it becomes problematic. So, don’t believe what the mind says; just maintain the awareness continuously, and naturally the awareness energy builds up day by day.
If you believe whenever the mind says ‘No good’ or anything negative, the awareness energy goes down.
Try to think that a thought is just a thought. Don’t believe your thoughts. People believe too much what the mind says. That’s a problem because the initial thought is delusion and believing it is a greater delusion.
So, don’t believe, and simply try as much as you can; if you continue to practice day by day, the awareness will certainly build up.
629. THE MIND THROUGH THE SIX SENSE DOORS ALREADY KNOWS THE OBJECTS
Czech Retreat 2013 Introduction Talk (3:00-4:00)
Through our 6 sense doors, the mind can know the 6 objects: the 5 physical senses of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and body sensations, and the mind door.
The object is already there because the experience is always happening. We don’t have to do anything about the object (because our senses are always happening naturally). What we need to check is if the awareness/meditating mind has right attitude or not.
630. WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING REALITY, THE MIND CANNOT BE SEEN
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2019 Vassa Q&A 20190721
If there is no understanding, you cannot watch the mind because the mind is not solid – it has no shape or color.
Actually all reality has no shape, form or color. The conceptual object is obvious because it has a place, shape and form.
Reality is not obvious – it is not solid; just coming and going; that we call nature. For example, when you understand the meaning of object – being known – this is an understanding. Knowing is mind and being known is object – do you understand this meaning?
Can you see the object? Being known cannot be seen. You can only understand – that we call nature. Paramatha is like this; it is neither solid nor clear. It can only be understood because we can only understand nature.
631. USING FEELING AS AN ANCHOR
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 4 Group F Q&A (50:30-52:27)
Yogi: I notice fluctuating tension in the heart area when I meditate.
Sayadaw: That’s fine. Just be aware of it when the tension is there.
Many of my anchor objects were in the heart area as well. I like that area because it’s connected to our emotions, it’s connected to the way we feel and to the way we think. So, it gives a more complete picture of how the heart-mind works. You see the cause-and-effect of things because you see it all.
You can use that as an anchor and just notice whatever else is happening in the mind.
In my practice at home, I continuously check to see if I’m relaxed or whether tension was starting. Because I watched tension a lot, I began to understand what helped me to relax and what made me tense. I learned what activities were skilful and what were not skilful for the heart.
632. THE SENSIBLE PRACTICE
Sweden 2019 Retreat File 18 Day 7 Group C Q&A (00:15-1:50)
Yogi: The mind was really stressed this morning when the gong rang for meditation. That triggered a problem and I had to rest the body.
Sayadaw: There is no need to do sitting meditation. It is absolutely fine to be in any posture that you find comfortable – you can lie in bed. All you need to do is to be aware.
There is no need for long sittings that tire you out.
633. WHENEVER THE MIND IS IDLE, ALWAYS BE AWARE OF SOME OBJECT
Sweden 2019 Retreat File 18 Day 7 Group C Q&A (15:15-17:50)
Yogi: I have anxiety and I’m grateful for the instructions to develop continuous awareness before diving into the emotions. I’ve been following the breath as a neutral object but anxiety is also in the body, and it doesn’t help much.
Sayadaw: You can be very creative in finding neutral objects yourself.
Anytime I’m alone or quiet, I’ll keep my mind gathered by being aware of some object.
I’d touch all five fingers and pay attention to one touching point until the others faded. Once I know that the others have faded, I would switch to another touching point. I would challenge the mind to start again with the next finger and so on.
Always, I would exercise the mind’s ability to rest and stay because thinking creates agitation. I had also used the inhaler, sticking it into my nose for the sharp scent to grab my attention.
You have to find a way for yourself.
634. SAYADAW TEACHES HOW NOT TO ENTER HANDPHONE JHANA
Singapore 6 Dec 2019 Q&A 1b (1:00-2:25)
Everybody has a smart phone nowadays. Whenever we focus on the phone, we should change to a neutral object.
Phone jhana is extremely powerful. Whether in Shwedagon Pagoda or in a restaurant, people just pick up their smart phones, get totally absorbed into it and forget everything else.
Every time you think of your phone, you should practice anapana (remember that when there is a reaction to the object and you cannot watch your reaction, change to a neutral object).
Each time the mind wants to pick up the phone, you should practice watching your breath.
635. WHEN YOGIS GET ABSORBED INTO THE QUIETNESS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group G Q&A (56:57-59:35)
Yogi: When the mind is too quiet, I cannot observe anymore because the mind gets absorbed into the calmness.
Sayadaw: Open your eyes and you won’t get absorbed into the quietness. You can watch your feelings, touching sensation, sounds and seeing – just stay aware with your eyes open.
When it becomes very quiet and you sit with your eyes closed, it’s not that there is nothing; it’s because things have become subtle. You have to learn to be aware of the subtle stuff or stay aware enough until the awareness can catch up with the subtlety.
If you get absorbed into the quietness, then it’s better to keep your eyes open.
Between the quietness and the awareness, you should know the awareness rather than the quietness.
Objects are always there – they’re either subtle or gross. When it’s very quiet and you’re thinking to yourself ‘What do I do?’ you can recognize that the mind is thinking those thoughts. That’s still activity; the mind never stops working. So, don’t miss that.
636. HOW TO HANDLE THOUGHTS DURING MEDITATION
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (08:15-11:00)
Yogi: Can Sayadaw advice how to handle thoughts during meditation?
Sayadaw: When you realize that you’re lost in thought, make it a point to recognize that you’re aware. Take a moment to recognize that there are these thoughts and there is awareness present now. Once you’ve done that, bring the awareness to the body.
If the breath is your anchor, gently return to your breath and stay aware again, always checking that the mind stays aware.
It’s okay that the mind gets lost in thought. You want to do this exercise when you become aware again. It doesn’t matter how many times you have to do it.
When you become aware again, and you acknowledge the thoughts, it’s not the story you want to recognize, but the fact that the mind is thinking.
You’re not going to continue to watch the thoughts; just a moment to acknowledge that the mind is thinking and then coming back to the breath.
637. WORKING WITH UNWHOLESOME THOUGHTS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (25:05-27:44)
Yogi: How much room should I allow unwholesome thoughts to carry on?
Sayadaw: When we want to work with unwholesome thoughts, the important to remember is that we’re not going to intentionally feed or think the unwholesome thoughts. They may still have their momentum, but we’re going to intentionally be mindful – so, our intention is to be mindful and we come to the feelings because unwholesome thoughts always generate feelings.
Don’t look at the thoughts directly – you know that the thoughts are happening, but your intention is to keep watching the reaction in the body and the mind.
Now you’re paying attention to the feelings, the reactions in the body and the mind, and if you find that the reactions get worse as you are watching it for some time, that means that the mind is not so skilful at watching – the emotion is overwhelming the awareness – then stop watching that and start to be aware of a neutral object.
Now you need to ignore the feelings and switch to a neutral object to build the strength of the awareness; and when the awareness becomes more stable, you can challenge yourself again.
638. WRONG ATTITUDE TURNS THE EXPERIENCE INTO A PROBLEM
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2019 Vassa Q&A 20190825
Whenever the mind is not happy or reacts, or whenever defilement is present, yogis think that it is a problem. This is actually not a problem. It is only a problem when the mind thinks that it is a problem.
If you have right thought, it is just an experience (being known). It is only a problem when the mind thinks that the experience is a problem.
Experience is always happening; sometimes we can bear the experience, sometimes we cannot. However, no experience is a problem. (An object is just an object.)
639. SWITCH TO A NEUTRAL OBJECT ONLY IF YOU CAN'T WATCH THE DEFILEMENT
Sweden Retreat 2019 File 16 Day 6 Group B (1:40:00-1:44:18)
Yogi: When there is a strong defilement and I switch to a neutral object, it doesn’t work because the mind feels like it’s avoiding the defilement.
Sayadaw: You can see that neutral doesn’t work this time because the mind doesn’t need it. It’s easier to just watch the defilement. It’s faster to just watch what is happening; using a neutral object is only when you find the negative overwhelming.
That is already a lot of work and then it’s not finished because you still have to come back to the negative when the mind has stabilized.
It’s like you already know how to box and you’re in a competition; and instead of boxing, you keep looking at the trainer to check if you should do this or that. And, you get boxed because you’re not paying attention.
640. OUR REACTIVITY TO THE OBJECT REFLECTS OUR UNDERSTANDING
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya Morning English Q&A 10.12.2019 (46:30-49:33)
Yogi: I thought that the mind already understood ‘A sound is just a sound’ until it reacted to the loud music from the village.
Sayadaw: Your idea will change according to your level of understanding and it only means that your understanding is still not enough.
You think you already understood that a sound is just a sound, right? But, you cannot accept this sound – it means that your understanding is incomplete. You don’t react to some sound, but there is still attachment or resistance to certain sounds – and the problem arises when that happens.
If you really understand, there is no problem with any sound. Because of your past experiences, you have lots of ideas – liking and disliking – of different sounds. Now, you need to know that there is a wrong idea. If you notice what is right and what is wrong, it is also an understanding.
Because of the object, we can understand our mind – how much the mind attaches to or resists the object and how to become calm.
So, when any experience arises, we need to learn.
641. REAL-LIFE DEFILEMENTS DEMAND REAL WISDOM
Sweden 2019 Retreat File 22 Day 8 Group B Q&A (70:15-75:19)
Yogi: I had an unpleasant day going to the hospital having needles stuck into me. It was painful and irritating to the body. The sensations kept coming and going, but the irritation was constant. It became very clear that the irritation was the mind and not the body. It was interesting that the aversion was present even though the thing it was averse to was not present. The aversion was just demanding my attention.
Sayadaw: Yes, you can’t buy this sort of experience with money. Real life experience is so valuable. It’s only when things happen in our life that we see the real stuff.
With real situations in our lives, we see real defilements and real wisdom must work; artificial or intellectual wisdom is not good enough.
642. REPEATED AWARENESS OF REALITY ERODES THE IDEA OF SELF
Singapore 6 Dec 2019 Q&A 1a (1:10-3:24)
Yogi: If I know that I’m perceiving something, how is it beneficial?
Sayadaw: You know that the mind is doing this. If you can be aware of perception repeatedly, then you will realize that the mind is not personal – each different mind has its own function.
For example, you know that perception is happening, that it is doing its job. If you notice it many times, you can understand that perception is not personal – it’s just the mind happening. You can understand reality.
Previously, you think that perception is ‘me’; much later on, you’ll realize that perception is nature. The view can then change.
That’s why we’re aware – we learn from the experience, not for nothing. Secondly, when there is awareness of any object – any mental state or physical object - the quality of mind is also good because awareness is a wholesome mind.
643. RIGHT THOUGHTS AND WRONG THOUGHTS DURING THE PRACTICE
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 4 Group F Q&A (1:28:00-1:34:40)
Yogi: Do some amount of analyzing and making inferences have a place in the awareness practice?
Sayadaw: There are right thought and wrong thought. Right thought is helpful to the dhamma – right thought or wise thought helps the awareness because if there is wisdom in the thoughts, awareness is already present.
It is wrong thought that we don’t feed. If the mind is discursively thinking about somebody that makes the mind angry, don’t keep paying attention to the story; look at the emotion. If you can’t look at the emotion, look at something neutral, because thinking about that wrong thought is just going to keep feeding the anger and keep making the mind suffer.
Negative thinking also doesn’t allow the mind to see clearly.
When there is wise thinking, we should think it, but we should also be careful that it doesn’t get out of control where greed just wants to continue to think.
Right thought actually helps awareness to be awake. Right thought is also like right attention, bringing the mind’s attention to what is wise and skilful – that’s right thought’s action. And, wrong thought will bring more agitation and suffering to the mind.
Don’t just keep practicing – stop and check what is it happening that is making the mind tense? How have I been practicing that is making the mind tense? If the mind is relaxed, how have I been practicing? What is the mind doing that is giving this result now? That’s right thought – it helps the awareness to see the right thing.
When motivated in the right way, this sort of investigation helps to maintain the awareness.
644. AWAKENING FROM THE PAST OR FUTURE
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group G Q&A (1:21:15-1:23:15)
Yogi: My mind can’t stay in the present during walking meditation – it goes to the past or future. How can I be more aware of the present?
Sayadaw: We cannot make the mind stay in the present moment, but when we awaken from our memories or plans, when we realize that we’re aware, that’s when we can bring our attention back to the walking.
The moment that you have awakened from your memories or planning, that’s when you just recognize that you’re aware right now. Now you’re in the present moment, and then you bring your attention to your walking – actually feel the touching sensations or the movement of the legs; feel the body or the breeze, feel it and actually be with it. See how long you can stay aware before you awaken from another thought.
Do that again and again; and be patient.
645. RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROCESS OF MEDITATION HAS BENEFITS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group G Q&A (21:03-26:18)
Yogi: I have strong aversion to the outbreath because it’s hard to relax completely on the outbreath. It’s only when I’m in a deep meditative state that I can relax completely.
Sayadaw: You know quite a bit about what is happening – and that’s enough to know.
You don’t have to be totally relaxed; only if the tension is increasing hour after hour or day by day, then you have to address that.
If you notice aversion on the outbreath, then you can use the aversion as an object.
Yogi: I tried, but it’s very hard to watch the tense breath.
Sayadaw: Then don’t watch the breath. If the object is constantly agitating the mind, then don’t use that object. You can use the whole body; just notice different sensations in the body.
Yogi: It’s pretty nice to sit when I get my focus.
Sayadaw: Rather than think that it’s only good when you get concentration, that a certain state or result is good, you want to recognize that the process of meditation has benefits. You can learn something from just observing.
Yogi: It’s hard not to think of the results.
Sayadaw: Just keep acknowledging that the mind is still wanting the goal, notice that. You don’t have to put it aside, but you can acknowledge that and keep recognizing that is what the mind is doing.
From just observing the aversion, the way the mind is wanting the goal, and how this process is working for you, your mind might figure out that greed is not helpful when you meditate.
646. WHEN WE ARE NOT WATCHING CAREFULLY, OUR BELIEFS APPEAR SOLID
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (50:55-52:00)
Yogi: I have always believed myself to be a bad person from young and this dosa can be overwhelming.
Sayadaw: When we feel overwhelmed with unwholesome minds, we can get to believing that we have it all the time – we blame ourselves and we name ourselves bad people – but remember that no mind ever holds some quality forever.
It cannot because everything is conditioned – so, if something is triggered, only at that time will those minds arise. But if something happens frequently, that’s how we hold that view because we’re not watching carefully.
647. USE WISDOM TO ADAPT THE POSTURE IN CULTIVATING MINDFULNESS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (28:50-33:11)
Yogi: I lead a stressful life; at the end of the day, the mind is very tired. I find that cooking or washing after work helps to calm the mind and be aware, but not sitting meditation.
Sayadaw: The way mindfulness works should be applicable to all postures. If you find washing or cooking works but not sitting, it means that the mind is not doing mindfulness in the same way when sitting.
The key is that in the washing and cooking, you’re not trying to be less agitated or feel calm – you’re just letting yourself be mindful with whatever is happening. But, when you sit, you have to face the agitated mind and you can’t just let it be – then, you want to be calm.
Yogi: The problem is that when I sit, I can be lost in thought for a long time.
Sayadaw: It then makes sense because when you do the other activities, it keeps the mind awake and the mind can remain mindful. But when we sit, it’s true that thoughts can really take over and it’s hard to stay mindful.
The skilful thing then is to choose the postures and activities that will help you to stay mindful – and you’re already doing that.
If you do want to sit, you can choose to sit with your eyes open.
648. IT TAKES TIME TO CHANGE HABITS
Finland Retreat 2019 Week 3 Day 2 Group F Q&A (11:28-13:34)
Yogi: I have the problem of getting caught up in thoughts – awareness only comes in seconds and off it goes.
Sayadaw: This is to be expected especially in our sitting meditation because at home we’re not used to being quiet and watching our sensations; we’re used to sitting and being lost in thoughts. That’s the habit the mind will keep going to.
The part that is helpful on retreat is that we keep getting awake again – just recognize that that’s a good thing.
The mind is a series of habit patterns. If we recognize that it’s a habit of the mind, then it is okay because we’re building a new habit. Every time we become awake again, we’re building a new habit and soon that will gain momentum.
We can’t force the mind to be what we want it to be – we just have to learn to build the new habit of being aware.
649. WHEN THE BODY AND MIND ARE TENSE, WE ARE WATCHING WITH CRAVING
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya Vassa 2019 File:190717 (05:09-05:27)
If there is too much tension, it means that the mind is observing with craving.
We don’t need to force to be aware. For example, now you’re aware of yourself and you know you’re sitting. How much energy do you need to know that you’re sitting?
Just this light attention is enough, but you continue doing it over a long time.
650. OPEN-EYE MEDITATION MEANS KEEPING EYES OPEN NATURALLY
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 8 Jan 2020 Malaysian Group Q&A (45:30-46:08)
Yogi: I can only keep my eyes open continuously for 20 minutes and then they get tired.
Sayadaw: We’re not opening our eyes for the whole hour – sometimes the eyes are open and sometimes they are closed.
Open-eye meditation means we are keeping them open naturally. For example, before you are sitting, what are you doing? You are keeping your eyes open naturally (most times open and naturally we blink regularly; also we don’t force our eyes to open wide and stare), right? Just do it like this when you meditate with your eyes open.