“But if our mind is all clouded with desire, anger, and ignorance, we are part of the problem and we are just increasing the suffering of the world.”–Zen master Bon Soeng
Two weeks ago I felt a little bit of pressure of my left ear. It became pain a few days later and, at the end of the week, my ear was ringing. It was disturbing to see how uncomfortable and irritable I felt. Even listening to music was torture. My interactions with the world were interrupted by a constant ringing and pain that made every moment a constant struggle.
Our minds are crowded with anxiety and fear
When I went to see the doctor, he checked my inner ear, smiled, and laughed. “Don’t worry, it is just wax.” The warm water, and the cleaning process brought great relief to my ear. One hour later, I could hear again, and my experience of things became open and clear.
How about your mind? Is it clouded with desire and anger, or anxiety and fear? How do you clean up your mind? How do you clean up your heart, so you can become open and clear?
Try this exercise:
-Sit for a few minutes in silence, breathing in and out, and just simply paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, emotions and physical sensations.
-Notice which ones keep coming up over and over again. That is the filter you bring to the world. Notice your reactions to your thinking, the way the layers of thinking, emotions and physical reactions prevent you from seeing What Is in that moment.
-Develop the strength to stay with your mind, to stay in the breathing in and out, in that moment. You don’t want to repress anything but don’t be attach to it either. Just simply give yourself permission to be.
-After a few minutes of meditation, write or reflect on your experience. What insights did you get while watching your mind? What did you find in there that might prevent you from leaving your life, open and clear?
Namaste,
Juan