Living in Awareness – Day 22
Living in Awareness Day 22
By Vedam Clementi
Vipassana Meditation
Welcome back to Day 22 of the “Living In Awareness” Challenge. Today’s challenge is focused upon learning and experiencing Vipassana Meditation.
This simple but profound technique has helped me more than any other meditation technique. This technique created a powerful ripple in my life that not only supported me during the actual meditation, but it also showed me that I could use this same technique for my benefit when I was not meditating, and going about life.
Initially, my mind fought against this technique. The mind was bored by it, and the mind wanted me to participate with its rantings. The mind wanted me to participate with its random thoughts in the same manner that I had in the past, and when I did not, the mind did not like it. Remember, the conditioned, thinking mind operates under a constant power and control game; the ego wants to be in charge. When I stopped participating habitually, it seemed as if the mind came at me with a vengeance. Once I remembered that I was not the mind, and that I did not have control over what the mind did, I could then allow the mind to do whatever it wanted to do, and I could remain untouched by it.
Observing the mind is a process that can be learned. Actually, I should say that participating with the mind is something that can be unlearned. Observing the mind is a process, a way of being that breaks the habit of jumping on every thought that arises. It is completely passive, you do nothing other than observe. You just watch, and do nothing with the thoughts that arise. You accept, you allow. Once again, you also observe the feelings that arise because of the thoughts that pass through the mind. Begin to see the difference between having a thought arise and doing nothing with it, compared to having a thought and thinking about that thought. Just imagine a life without jumping on board (out of habit) with every thought based in useless worry, regret, or any of the other many egotistical rants. Imagine a life of liberation simply by breaking an old habit. Then, when you do have a thought that you want to participate with, the mind is stronger, more eager, more rested, and focused on the task at hand. Most people chase after thoughts just like a dog that chases cars. We all know what happens to many of those dogs; their lives are shortened or diminished because of their behaviors, and just like a dog that chases cars, our lives are diminished by chasing your thoughts. Observing the mind and the feelings those thoughts create will allow you to see the randomness of the mind, and its activity. It also allows you to see the transient nature of your thoughts and feelings. Yes, your thoughts and feelings are transient, they pass just like clouds pass through the sky.
