Yogi: During the retreat there have been aversion, agitation, lots of doubt and boredom. Am I practicing correctly?
Even when there is interest in boredom and aversion, there is greed for the interest; it feels like there is greed everywhere.
Sayadaw: Yes, that is right – there is greed everywhere.
Greed breeds discontent because of the expectation for the experience to be better.
Before coming for the retreat, what do you think that you’ll come and do?
Yogi: I have expected a mixture of the way it is and also something better.
Sayadaw: As strong as the greed is, that’s how strong the aversion will be.
Never mind – just continue practicing. If you’re interested to bring the practice to your experiences, that’s great.
Things will never be the way we want them to be, but our experience will match the skill we bring to it.
Never mind the result; just be interested in the process of practicing.
If there is a lot of stuff going on in the mind, just ground the mind on something neutral to build up the continuity of awareness before going back to observing the mind.