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GOOD OR BAD, WE NEED TO BE AWARE
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HOW TO MAINTAIN THE PEACEFUL MIND THROUGHOUT ...
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PRACTICE WATCHING ALL FEELINGS IN DAILY LIFE
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STILL OKAY IS NOT OKAY
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PARAMATTHA (NATURE/REALITY) AND PANNATTI ...

MEDITATION IS A GENTLE ART

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 15 (54:00-56:50)

Yogi: I have created a concept of strict and serious mindfulness and I try to let go of it.

I see a tendency of the mind to find the faults and defilements. I’m grateful for Sayadaw’s teaching that when I check my attitude to see what is there, not to search for something – and I used to do that quite often.

For a change, it is good to recognize something good or see the absence of the defilement.

Sayadaw: Yes, you have to also acknowledge everything – the good too.

Meditation is an art, something gentle and creative. It is not like chopping a tree.

In meditation, we don’t have to punch an ant with our fist – swiping it with a finger is enough.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY WHEN THE UNWHOLESOME PLAYS OUT

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 15 (10:15-14:03)

Yogi: I have had 2 difficult days and realize that meditation is not being happy or calm or have good samadhi – it is to allow seeing and feeling what is when it is painful or suffering.

Sayadaw: Not to avoid or run away – just to be with it and you can get a profit from it.

Yogi: Sometimes I feel that I have to be unwholesome to get wiser.

Sayadaw: It is true that when the unwholesome comes up, sometimes they are stronger than we can restrain them. If possible, stay aware of what is happening.

So, the unwholesome does its own work and the awareness does its own work.

In the retreat, the unwholesome is contained, but out there in the world, the mind will do a lot more, but you must keep being aware of it.

In our life, the unwholesome stuff really acts up and the awareness when it works, it can also become very real.

Knowing is not wasted; it is always learning something.

NOT FIXING THE FUTURE

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 15 (01:46-03:47)

Yogi: I have less problems with my pain these days – I don’t fight it so much although it’s still there. I recognize that it’s better to move rather than to stay with it.

Before, I would say to myself that I would want to sit 45 minutes without moving. That was too focused on the pain and I realize that.

Sayadaw: Saying that I won’t move for 45 minutes can cause too much tension for the mind.

It is not necessary to fix something for ourselves and not be flexible with the situation.

We always need to make plans and have goals, but we mustn’t expect them to turn out exactly as we want them to be.

Let the mind be free.

WITH AWARENESS, THE PROCESS OF THE EXPERIENCE IS RECOGNIZED

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 15 (18:35-21:28)

Yogi: I’m concerned about self-criticism – whenever there is should and shouldn’t be like this or why am I not like this, I recognize the thoughts and discomfort.

Aren’t these thoughts of self-criticism already the mind wearing the glasses of self-criticism?

Sayadaw: Yes, but you have to differentiate 2 processes – there is a process that is being seen and the seeing process.

And the process that is being seen right now is the process of the mind having self-criticism glasses on and doing self-criticizing and the feeling of being self-criticized.

And there is a process that is seeing this process – and that process may not have the glasses on. You can see for yourself. This type might be seeing with wisdom.

The seeing what is happening is not self-criticizing, it is seeing the process of self-criticizing happening.

ENJOYING DOES ITS WORK AND AWARENESS DOES ITS WORK TOO

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 14 (39:05-40:15)

Yogi: I was sitting on a bench behind the center and was hearing all the surrounding sounds. I enjoyed them. It was like listening to a concert.

I asked myself if I could be lost in hearing like I can be lost in thought.

I don’t know if I was lost in hearing, but I enjoyed it very much.

Sayadaw: You knew that you enjoyed it, but did you know whether you were aware? This is what you have to ask yourself.

You can enjoy but you need to ask yourself if you’re still aware.

You can still enjoy and be aware of enjoying and be aware of all those sounds.

So long as you check if you’re aware, then you won’t be totally lost.

DHAMMANUPASSANA – CONTEMPLATION OF NATURE

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 14 (1:20:45-1:22:40)

Yogi: How can I wish compassion for myself or somebody else if there is no ‘I’ experiencing that there is consciousness knowing that there is pain? Who do I wish for then?

Sayadaw: There is nobody, just on the conditions.

There is no need for a self to be there – in fact the self intensifies the suffering. It is just compassion on the conditions.

When the mind is in that state, we can also contemplate the dhammas that are present. The dhammas that are present then are sensation, object, awareness, vedana/feeling.

Contemplate the nature of the dhammas that are present.

That will be dhammanupassana, contemplation of nature.

MEDITATION IS HAPPENING SO LONG AS THERE IS MINDFULNESS

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 15 (31:50-33:41)

Sayadaw: We have to find out for ourselves what helps the mind to be mindful throughout the day.

I used to sit in a coffee shop very often in Burma when I was working – to just gather my mind in between work.

Yogi: I’m thinking of a longer retreat and am considering bringing my guitar along because it will help me to relax.

Sayadaw: Sure, play the guitar mindfully. A yogi came to Burma for a retreat with me with a guitar.

So long as there is mindfulness, meditation is happening. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. It could be toilet meditation, eating meditation, swimming meditation or jogging meditation.

Yogi: That’s good to hear.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPLIED THOUGHT AND INSIGHT

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 16 (14:35-17:45)

Yogi: I have always been thinking about fixing the future and a thought came up that nothing is certain and the only sure thing is death – and I said that’s not true. The only sure thing is now – the next moment I don’t know and I don’t have to do anything.

And with the past, I don’t have to do anything either because I can’t do anything. This realization was extremely relaxing, but it didn’t last long.

Sayadaw: Sometimes, an insight just pops up like that and some don’t last long. Sometimes, as we watch thoughts, we see their nature – some are right and some are wrong.

We will learn, when there are wrong thoughts in the mind, not to accept them, not to believe them and get involved with them.

TRY NOT TO IDENTIFY WITH THE UNWHOLESOME QUALITIES

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 17 (23:45-26:42)

Yogi: Yesterday, I was angry at something. I chose to ignore it and got into a state of confusion, doubt, being overwhelmed and aversion.

So, this morning I decided to stick to a neutral object for a while. When I remembered the anger from yesterday and sat with it, the mind grasped onto something else of the past, and the mind made such a huge deal of the whole thing.

Sayadaw: When we observe the unwholesome minds – when we acknowledge and recognize them – it is very important to have the right view of not identifying with them.

You see the unwholesome quality comes up and you do not think: This is me. If you notice that the mind thinks ‘This is me’, you recognize that the mind thinks ‘This is me’ – when you recognize the selfing, you’ll be less involved.

REALITY IS NEVER BORING – THE TRUTH IS ALWAYS INTERESTING

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 18 (56:40-59:11)

Yogi: I was lost in thought and there was a lot of anger; it started when I became angry with someone at home. I realized that this mood attracted everything that would make me angry.

I also realized how much all the anger is related to selfing, all the time.

Sayadaw: That’s right. It’s very interesting, once the aversion is there, it finds its object and finds things to be averse about.

When you see the truth of what aversion does, it is not personal. The truth is always interesting.

When you see reality like that, when you see the nature of things, no matter how many times you see it, it is always fresh and interesting because it is so real and fascinating.

PRACTICE LONG, PRACTICE PERSISTENTLY AND THE WHOLESOME WILL GROW

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 18 (1:26:50-1:28:35)

Yogi: Walking out by the creek this foggy morning, I had a quick moment of happiness just to be in the moment and everything was okay.

It makes me realize that the practice works despite all the difficult times – there are moments which give me faith.

Sayadaw: Practice long, practice persistently and the wholesome will grow.

BE WILLING TO FACE THE CHALLENGING SCENARIO

Swiss Retreat 2019 Group Interviews 18 (1:30:34-1:35:00)

Yogi: I was calm and watching thoughts come and go; suddenly there was a negative thought about my daily life. I felt and saw the aversion and nothing special happened – I was happy about that.

Then the mind said that the thought would come again and again and the calm would go down.

I would like to rehearse and prepare for this repeating negative thought. Whenever I’m in that situation, I lose the calm and wise way of seeing it – I don’t want to have it and get impatient with it.

Is it possible to rehearse going through it again and again and discover all layers of what is going on?

Sayadaw: It will keep coming until you understand it. Welcome it so that you can understand it.

You won’t lose, you will profit from it. Let it come and you’ll learn something from it.

Just even being aware of it is a profit. Whether we’re aware of it or not, it’ll come.

Yogi: Can I rehearse it because I’m afraid of falling in the old patterns because I’m so used to reacting that way?

Sayadaw: Yes, you can rehearse but you’ll still find yourself getting carried away, but it is okay. Don’t be afraid – we’ve already got carried away so many times.

Now, you’ve set up an intention – you’ll remember to come out of it faster. You lose yourself and you’ll remember faster and you’ll remember faster and faster. And then, you’ll understand more and more.

Be willing to face it and then it’ll get better.