Keep it simple, silly

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

A fly screen from peace

Katie said that peace is underrated, that people think it would be boring, when in fact it is perpetually exciting. I can find that. What takes me away from peace are my thoughts, and it is only them that know what boring is. To my thoughts, boring is not having them. And peace is a place where I no longer believe them, where they can have no impact, so my thoughts will do everything in their power to avoid that place.

How does mindfulness lead me to no mind? I guess it is because mindfulness takes me beyond my thoughts to the place of awareness. Awareness is the clarity of seeing exactly what is happening around me, and every thought interferes with that awareness; is a fly screen to that clarity. Put a bunch of fly screens together and you won’t be able to see anything but the screens. And this is exactly what happens every time I become preoccupied by my thoughts, every time the present fades from view. So presence is clarity is awareness is mindfulness. And in this space, no mind takes over and is allowed its role to run the show. No mind is emptiness is peace, and how could that be boring? What could possibly be boring about never knowing what’s coming next? For in this space I am just a vessel that is acted on: everything is brand new, nothing is known, and the excitement is perpetual.

3 Comments:

Blogger Suze said...

Katie's comment reminds me of my favourite poem by Leonard Cohen. I think she would like it.

You tell me that silence
is nearer to peace than poems
but if for my gift
I brought you silence
(for I know silence)
you would say
"This is not silence
this is another poem"
and you would hand it back to me.

3:51 am, April 15, 2006

 
Blogger Jamie Reygle said...

Ohmigod! I read that very same poem (and loved it) the day after the intensive.

I have heard Katie call Leonard Cohen her 'guru'. I so love 'Anthem': "There's a crack in every surface, that's where the light gets in."

10:18 am, April 15, 2006

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! i have a new mantra .. presence is clarity is awareness is mindfulness. Thanks Jamie for another mind-boggling eye-opener!
Cheers! ~Linda in Virginia

1:55 am, April 18, 2006

 

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