A little trick (Why did I do that?)

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Robin Arnott, modified 8 Years ago at 10/28/15 6:49 PM
Created 8 Years ago at 10/28/15 6:49 PM

A little trick (Why did I do that?)

Post: 1 Join Date: 9/17/15 Recent Posts
My sense of self is generally anchored in this body, thus I am prone to all sorts of suffering in reaction to the world "around" me. When my sense of self is less boundaried, relieving myself of suffering "caused by" the world is much easier! But when my sense of self is "in here," I cannot quite so simply relieve myself of suffering that seems to come from "out there". But I've figured out this little trick. I say to myself:
I know that I am creating the universe - even if I am not directly seeing how right now. So this "bad thing" out there that doesn't seem to have anything to do with me. I did that. Why did I do that?
And from there, I just let it dissolve. The answer doesn't come verbally in the mind, the same way the question did, but the mess and suffering releases on its own.

I'd be curious if this works for other people, or to hear if other folks here have similar "tricks" to relieve their suffering.
Derek, modified 8 Years ago at 10/30/15 10:55 AM
Created 8 Years ago at 10/30/15 10:55 AM

RE: A little trick (Why did I do that?)

Posts: 326 Join Date: 7/21/10 Recent Posts
Hi, Robin,

Your practice sounds similar to some things I've been reading in the Jed McKenna books. Maybe he can help you if you post your question on his forum: http://jedmckenna.createaforum.com/
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CJMacie, modified 8 Years ago at 10/31/15 5:29 PM
Created 8 Years ago at 10/31/15 5:20 PM

RE: A little trick (Why did I do that?)

Posts: 856 Join Date: 8/17/14 Recent Posts
re: Robin Arnott (10/28/15 6:49 PM)

My sense of self is generally anchored in this body, …

For a well-informed overview / hypothesis of "body", "mind", "self" inter-relationships, see Antonio Damasio's Self Comes To Mind (2010). "Well-informed" meaning he's a prominent neuroscientist as well as more broadly educated, and a very good writer.

…thus I am prone to all sorts of suffering in reaction to the world "around" me. When my sense of self is less boundaried, relieving myself of suffering "caused by" the world is much easier! But when my sense of self is "in here," I cannot quite so simply relieve myself of suffering that seems to come from "out there"…

"I", "my", etc may accurately reflect the experiential viewpoint, but also viewing the situation as "the (or this) mind" doing this or that can beuseful, help lessen (as you note) the tension, the trouble, as"my-self" does tend to enforce a sense of boundary.

Imagine a scenario you/your mind (A) is observing some situation ( B ), e.g. "the world". Then imagine that/your mind (C) observing the previous activity (A : B ) in an essentially similar functional relationship ( C : ( A : B ) ).That can express the viewpoint you describe, a degree of "insight" into the situation. So the mind (C) is, so to speak "outside" the situation. Even though C is also somewhat the same as A, it's demonstrated a flexibility that's less bound-up ("in here"), e.g. in reaction. One could say "boundary", like skin, is the locus of "reaction", especially if there's a feeling ofbeing caught "in here".

And from there, I just let it dissolve. The answer doesn't come verbally in the mind, the same way the question did, but the mess and suffering releases on its own.

Then the / your mind, as a D, observing ( C : ( C : ( A : B : ) ) ) notices, directly and non-verbally, the arising and super-ceding of each of these momentary scenarios -- dissolving, releasing. And that happens "on its own"; neither A, nor C, nor D "owns" what it's observing, but rather recognizing the motion through these transitory functional relationships.

Viola -- you've expressed what could be called a core quality of the insight meditation process. Follow that...