Yogi: I’ve been practicing different techniques for the last 4 years and this is my first time here.
I can feel doubt and ill-will coming up and that causes tension to build up in the face and mind over the day. What kind of questions can I ask myself?
Sayadaw: Don’t think about asking questions, and be careful about how much the mind tries to focus to see something clearly.
Yogi: The mind focuses even more when I try not to focus.
Sayadaw: The greed to get it done, to perform, is very strong. You need to understand how simple it is to be aware. And then you’ll see that it’s there all the time – there’s no need to do something.
Awareness is just knowing your own experience. And your only experience is what comes through your senses – you can see, you can smell, you can taste, you can hear, you can feel, and you think and you know. These are things you can sense – they’re your direct experience.