Vinaire's Blog

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Mindfulness provides the discipline for looking and contemplation.

You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café, or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

If something does not make sense, then recognize that it does not make sense. Do not try to justify it. Justification simply puts the blame somewhere without resolving the inconsistency. When you are faced with an inconsistency, and you feel an impulse to explain it away, then be alert to what you might be taking for granted. At times it may take some out-of-the-box thinking to realize what is going on.

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MINDFULNESS 4: If something does not make sense then do not explain it away.

1. Observe as usual. Notice the environment and the people in it.

2. Start applying the aspects of mindfulness that you have learned so far.

3. As you observe, see if there is something that does not make sense.

Example: Some people literally view God as a person who has created this universe. However, a person has a form that occupies space. That form and space of a person are also things that are created as part of the universe. So, God cannot be a person and also the creator of the universe. Reference: A Lovely Discussion on God

4. Recognize it as an inconsistency; do not pretend that you understand it.

5. If there is an impulse to explain it away then recognize that too.

6. Look more closely and isolate exactly what it is that you do not understand.

7. If it is an idea or concept then look it up in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or on Internet.

8. If it is some contradiction or inconsistency, then check your assumptions. Be alert to what you might be taking for granted. Verify any assumptions.

9. If it is a failure in life, then check if there is blame being placed somewhere. Blame pretends to be an answer, but it does not provide solution. Ignore all attempts at blame.

10. If it is an unwanted condition, then check for explanations that are being used. Ignore all explanations that have not led to resolution in the past.

11. Simply observe around what does not makes sense without explaining it away, until it starts to resolve.

12. Expand your span of attention and let the perceptions pour in.

13. Let the realizations present themselves to you without you making any effort.

14. Use your own judgment as to when to end a session.

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Develop this exercise to a point where you may execute it even while interacting socially with others. Keep observing patiently without explaining things away and things will start to fall in place. Many things may come up naturally to be scrutinized. Simply observe and become aware of them without effort.

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Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Mindfulness provides the discipline for looking and contemplation.

You may do this exercise while sipping coffee in a café, or strolling along a river. You may even find a place where you can sit comfortably for a while without being disturbed. Then patiently observe the world go by.

As you look do not assume anything. It is easy to assume what one normally expects to be there. For example, if you are looking at the profile of a person, you see only one ear, but you may take it for granted that the person has two ears. Separate the actual perception from the ideas of what should be there.

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MINDFULNESS 2: Observe things as they are, without assuming anything.

1. Observe as usual. Notice the environment and other people.

2. Start applying the aspects of mindfulness that you have learned so far.

3. As you observe, see if there are any assumptions that are hanging around. Spot them as they come up.

4. Don’t suppress them. Simply become aware of them, and then move on.

5. As you observe, see if the actual perceptions are different from the ideas in the mind. Notice such differences one by one.

   Example:  You are looking at the profile of a person. You see only one ear. The mind tells you that he is supposed to have two ears. Notice that you cannot verify what the mind is telling you. Taking for granted that the person has two ears, would be an assumption.

6. Don’t suppress them. Simply become aware of them, and then move on.

7. As you observe, see if you are being judgmental about some situation. Notice any preconceived ideas present one by one.

   Example: You may look at a person of certain sex, color, profession or cultural background with certain preconceived ideas. Separate the actual perception from the ideas contained in the mind.

8. Don’t suppress them. Simply become aware of them, and then move on.

9. As you observe, see if there is something that does not make sense. Notice if your own ideas are contributing to that inconsistency.

10. Don’t suppress them. Simply become aware of them, and then move on.

11. Expand your span of attention and let the perceptions pour in.

12. Let the realizations present themselves to you without you making any effort.

13. Use your own judgment as to when to end a session.

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Develop this exercise to a point where you are doing it naturally even while interacting socially with others. Keep observing patiently without assuming anything. Keep actual perception separate from the ideas contained in your mind. Many things may come up naturally to be scrutinized. Simply observe them and become aware of them without effort.

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 Reference: Observe without Desires

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KUMARE: The True Story of a False Prophet

This movie documents an enlightening experiment in line of “If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him!” It highlights the occurrence of conditioning in a teacher-student relationship. Vikram lost some disciples when he revealed the experiment, fortunately most of those he “taught” stayed in touch with him.

Even though Vikram is faking a wise guru and being upfront about it, he is providing an environment that people believe to be safe. In this environment people feel encouraged to go beyond the beliefs that surround them. They learn to look for themselves. This experience is very exhilarating for someone who has been cowed down by beliefs surrounding him.

“Looking for oneself”  is the key to the enlightenment process. This process has a name. It is called mindfulness. This mindfulness must extend even to one’s relationship with one’s guru, teacher, or trusted friend. But most disciples are prone to becoming dependent on their guru.

The topic “Learning versus Conditioning” is ripe for discussion. Actual learning implies the ability to assess situations and to resolve them with the know-how provided. Conditioning comes into play when one starts to use the “source,” or purveyor, of the know-how as a crutch.

When know-how works, but a person does not fully understand why it works, he starts to blindly follow the source, or purveyor, of that know-how. This is a form of conditioning.

It is important to understand that the knowledge, and the ability to use that knowledge, is what produces the results. One has acquired that knowledge by one’s effort. That knowledge is more important than any “source” of knowledge.

Should one implicitly believe the entity, which made it possible for one to look? Should a disciple believe in the guru implicitly? Should a Buddhist believe in Buddha implicitly? Should a Scientologist believe in L. Ron Hubbard implicitly?

There is a Buddhist saying, “If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him!” Why?

Because one should not use the Buddha as a crutch. There is a great danger in implicitly trusting the entity that taught you. Your belief can be manipulated very easily. Mindfulness is bypassed when one believes blindly.

We have seen this in the history of religions. We see that happening today in the religious conflict raging in the Middle East. We see that happening in Scientology.

Buddha taught mindfulness. He put mindfulness way above any blind belief or trust.

Here is Colbert Report on Vikram Gandhi of Kumare.

Vikram Gandhi – The Colbert Report

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Further references: KHTK Mindfulness

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