Yogi: I have a rough time – it is not easy or peaceful and calm during this retreat. All these days, I have lots of emotions.
Normally, when I have a problem, I think about it and do it. Now, I can’t solve anything because I’m not doing anything except feeling.
It’s not calming – I’m getting sad or angry and I’m struggling.
Sayadaw: Consider coming here like learning about the Mind 101 course. When the mind is like this, it does this, and when the mind is like that, it does that – just observing the mind to see how it reacts, changes and behaves.
Not just the mind, but also the body. If we just want to calm the mind down, that is easy – give it one object, be simple and just watch and the mind calms down.
But we don’t learn about the mind-body process.
Yogi: So, it’s okay if the mind is not peaceful?
Sayadaw: YES! Peace is not the goal of meditation.
If you listen to the yogis, they are sometimes good and sometimes bad; it is a learning process.
Yogi: Oh, I’m glad – it’s a relief that I’m not the only one. I’m a little stressed because I have the concept that meditation has to be a little more peaceful and stable.
Sayadaw: It is okay; when we’re not skillful yet, it feels like that because we’re feeling our way through.