32 Mindfulness of the mind (3)
In these practices focusing on the mind, it is useful to stabilise them with a reference point: 1) awareness resting in its own place as a subjective reference point or 2) space of the mind as an objective reference point. These practices counter the common belief that we think thoughts rather than thoughts just happen. Meditation: mindfulness of the mind. Release into the body, and release the body. Release into the breath, and release the breath. Release into the mind, and release the mind. As Shantideva said, “Release everything in an instant. That is nirvana.” 1) Release appearances, and let your awareness fold back onto itself, hold its own ground, rest in its own space. 2) With your eyes open, let the light of awareness illuminate the space of the mind. 3) Illuminate the entire system of your awareness and the space of the mind. Know when and where javana emerge, remain, and dissolve. Q1. In settling the mind, when I realise that I’m viewing the referent rather than the thought, I intervene with statements which redirect me to the thought. I find it helpful, but is this appropriate? Q2. In settling the mind, why do we practice with out eyes open? Q3. Is the space of the mind a vacuity in our heads or in our head/body? Q4. Within the 5 obscurations, you mentioned excitation/anxiety. I feel anxiety when lucid in a dream, so are the remedies the same? Q5. I’m not sure about the experiential difference between awareness of awareness viewing the space of the mind and just space of the mind. I find it much easier to engage with the space of the mind coming from awareness of awareness than mindfulness of breathing. Q6. You mentioned the 5 elements and assigned elements to each of the shamatha practices. Should we take these into account when balancing the 5 elements in our daily lives and our practice? Q7. In nature of mind practice, how do we remedy laxity and excitation? Meditation starts at 17:05
