Chris Gilbreth:
It seems that really trying to observe with a heightened level of awareness leads to these moments where I just kind of realize I'm here, and it feels very much as if I'm waking up from a life which has otherwise been a dream up until that point. They haven't been permanent, so it's more like opening my eyes and going back to sleep; but I was wondering -- how does this fit into the scheme of things? It certainly gave me the feeling that I know where the term "Awakening" comes from. (This started happening a while back, but I haven't been doing that much high-intensity vipassana in the interim.)
Actually, for the record, these don't necessarily even happen during practice. I first recall getting it something like 15 minutes after practice while walking to my office. I just looked up at the parking lot and the trees and -- oh!
Those little moments of "clear seeing" are actually another way of understanding what
vipassana (Skt
vipashyna) means. As we practice, or even before having taken up a practice, there may be little flashes of experiential insight that really point to the way things truly are. I don't think that these little flashes of insight necessarily mark any particular stage on the path, but I could see how it might be more likely to occur during either the Arising & Passing Away or Equanimity. The experience is quite nice, and may motivate one to either take up a practice or continue one's current practice.
I terms of vipassana practice, you will want to simply make note of this state of mind when it arises and then continue noting everything else that arises both as mind (
nama) and matter (
rupa). If this flavor of experience does happen to be stage specific with you, than you don't want to get stuck there every time just because it feels nice. That would be a good way to effectively halt progress. I never found such moments to de-rail my practice, but I'm throwing this in there in case such a thing might happen to you.
Practice well,
Jackson