Wasting Life in Being Different

There are two aspects to meditation: focused attention and panoramic attention. In meditation terms, these are Shamata (watching the breath) and Vipassana (insight of awareness). During the early stages, we are still trying to change, to be different to the way we are and, though necessary, this creates a separation from the activity as we are ‘doing something’. These are the steps leading to the non-meditation of non-duality – not being different or separate from the activity – when partial turns to impartial; emptiness in action.

In this ‘not being different from the activity’, there is a detachment of ‘self’ doing the ‘activity’ ; there is merely the activity taking place. We all get a sense of this sometimes.

A misunderstanding can occur when we speak of the unity of the two truths of the conventional and the absolute. At first, we do have to separate them to see them individually in order to identify the effect of each, and then we can realise their unity and that one is created by virtue of the other. This is why spiritual guidance is vital; without it, we are banging our head against a brick wall.

The opposites to focused and panoramic attention are vacancy and occupancy, which are our usual states.

In the practice of focused meditation – Shamata – we are ‘one’ with the breath. When this basic practice is introduced into daily life, this focus can make us more efficient but there may be a claiming involved as the quality of emptiness is lacking. We can see this in spiritual gatherings where unfortunately the teacher hasn’t taken the students to the next level, and that is when we see the behaviour of ‘being different’ with wide eyes and an exaggerated manner; this is merely a stage of wooden-ness that we all go through.

In the practice of panoramic meditation – Vipassana – we are ‘one’ with awareness. However, if the clarity of emptiness is not present, this awareness can be spaced-out, scattered and dull, and may become sentimental.

Both focused and panoramic attention are upgraded when emptiness is present; that is clean, pure activity without any residue.

In daily life, alternating between focused and panoramic attention helps us to be efficient, while finding inner peace at the same time. We are focused on the action and then release into panoramic awareness of emptiness, coming to rest and therefore not fixated. This means we can be more creative!

In totally ‘not being different’ (this is the opposite of indifference) there are no judgements; we just get on with what needs to be done. That, of course, is after observing what needs to be done, which entails judgement, discernment and balance in order to adjust; “Not too tight and not too loose”!

We waste our precious life trying to be different/better while at the same time causing ourselves suffering by claiming an activity, so giving rise to emotions. In not trying to be different, we are different. Rather than living a set of ideas from a collective consciousness, we are in fact returning to our origin – now, that is being original!!! Oneness is being one with our relative and absolute nature…the same potential of every creature in the universe.

If we were all one, then when one was enlightened, we would all be enlightened. It doesn’t happen like that, does it? Of course, there can be a oneness with another in total silence, but that is short lived, if it happens at all. We can’t expect too much from friends and associates!

Two zeros make a zero.
Then one zero says something like, “This is nice”
and a separation occurs.

We are funny creatures. 🙂 🙂 🙂