28 Mindfulness of the mind (1)
This week, Alan embarks on the 3rd application of mindfulness to the mind. As a prerequisite for this practice, you must be able to distinguish between stillness and motion and maintain single-pointed mindfulness as cultivated in the shamatha practice of settling the mind. As a vipasyana practice, we observe from luminosity and cognizance origination and dissolution of a whole range of emotions and states of consciousness. An emotion like anger exists at the conscious, unconscious, and seed state. Meditation: mindfulness of the mind. Let you eyes be at least partially open, gaze vacant. Direct your attention to the domain not covered by the 5 senses. Ensure core sense of relaxation in both body and awareness. Distinguish stillness in awareness. Ask and observe closely 1) is there anything static or unchanging?, 2) how do mental events arise, how are they present, and how do they vanish? Apply introspection to the quality of mindfulness and apply remedies as needed. Q1. In my practice, I’ve experienced sense of oneness of everything, greatest joy not dependent on stimuli, etc... This carries over into post-meditation. Is there a name for this space? Q2. In settling the mind, I get stuck in a spiral of thoughts and wind up with a headache. I’m also confused about which is the mind. Is it the mental event, that which recognized the mental event, or that which recognized the recognition, etc...? Q3. Does the mind always need an object, or can it be completely blank? Q4. You mentioned that upon achieving shamatha, the pranas converge at the heart chakra. In Hindu yoga, the 3rd eye chakra is correlated with states of absorption. What does Buddhism have to say about the 3rd eye chakra? Q5. In settling the mind, is the awareness you’re using also part of the mind? If substrate consciousness dissolves into the substrate, does the substrate also have nature of consciousness? Q6. In settling the mind, I’m observing events but not knowing them. The knowing comes eventually. Is it possible to be aware of implicit knowing? Meditation starts at 24:30
