Mike and ED Mindfulness is not a mental state but full attention and awareness of everything that is going on within and around. Mayka
--- On Thu, 3/3/11, mike brown <[email protected]> wrote: From: mike brown <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Realization To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, 3 March, 2011, 16:51 ED, I think you're right on the button with number (1) and the all but the last sentence of number (2), because we always have the awareness of 'I am' (unlike mindfulness which comes and goes ie, a mental state). I think shikentaza is mostly about mindfulness on the mat, but it's also about being non-judgemental about anything that comes up while you're sitting. Sartori is much more about the waking up to awareness than awareness itself. Mike From: ED <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, 4 March, 2011 0:24:50 Subject: Re: [Zen] Realization Mike, here's my take: Mindfulness in the present moment is the simultaneous existence of two states: (1) A clear and bright awareness of experiences in the present moment (2) A non-grasping and non-pushing-away of these experiences, without a sense of I/me/mine Mindfulness over a time interval is mindfulness in every instant of that time interval. Being mindful over long time intervals eventually merges into a state of continuous 'pure awareness'. ---- Two questions: Is 'shikantaza' none other than mindfulness on the zafu? Is the state of 'pure awareness' identical with the state of satori? --ED --- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote: > > Mayka, > > Minfulness is a technique. You say it yourself when you write that it "helps > us" > to be in the present moment. But this is a fragile state to be in. You can > calm > the mind for a while thru mindfulness, but how long before it reverts back to > its usual state of restlessness (a toothache, a fight with your boyfriend, a > perceived insult in a post etc.)? A becalmed mind is not a peaceful mind. A > truly peaceful mind cannot be disturbed. The nature of the Self is pure > awareness - it can't be something that comes and goes (mindfulness). > > Mike
