Pull the weeds out at the root
Tony_A_Simien
Veteran
To kill weeds one must dig out the roots. If one leaves any of the root in the ground they may sprout up again. Life is the same. Go to the root of the perceived problem and deal with it directly from there.
The root is deep within consciousness. The problem is never outside of ourselves. Any event is perceived as a problem because we are unable to accept it. We are unable to accept so we suffer It effects.
Acceptance is always mental. It does not mean do not respond to the situation appropriately or compassionately. We respond as needed but internally; mentally there is only even mindedness.
If a building is a blazing inferno we do not stand around watching people die. We respond appropriately. Our response in such a case is one of urgency but internally there is only equanimity.
It is our own attitude which defines certain events as problems. Although events May be in opposition to current laws, rules, policies or beliefs; that does not make them a problem for us internally. We obey the laws of society of course, but Our attitude is one of acceptance. Whatever has occurred is just an occurrence which we have defined as good, bad, right, wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. Which is all based on society, individual cultures, beliefs, knowledge and experience.
The contents of our minds and the ways it concocts is the cause of our judgment that what has occurred is a problem.
The situation may oppose accepted standards but the idea it is a problem always comes from within. Then we suffer from our mind's concoctions.
Comments
True!
Helping another person is also like planting a seed.
Pulling weeds and planting seeds is a great way to be. "Life's a garden" .. maybe a Buddhist would say "Your mind's a garden"
Don't forget the happiness-watering!
Reflection on wholesome deeds, helping someone, even spending some quality time with someone and listening deserves some happy-filled reflecting.
"A wise man's happiness is the good deeds of his life"
Trimming the branches doesn't kill the tree and new branches form, you kill the roots and the tree dies!
Trying to make our lives happy is like trimming the branches. Trying to wrangle life to conform to our will never work.
we need to find the root of our problems.
Metta
When it comes to the improvements that are seemingly suggested in spiritual literature and lecture, I have a hard time not remembering with thanks the poem by Zen student Seido Ray Ronci entitled "Homage to My Father" [with apologies for the length and none for the content]"
HOMAGE TO MY FATHER
My father said:
Fuck Father Farrell,
what does he know, that old bastard!
Study all the religions. Learn Italian.
See Venizia, Firenze, talk
to all kinds of people
and never, never think you know more
than someone else! Unless,
unless they're full of shit.
And if they are, tell them;
and if they still don't get it, fuck it,
there's nothing you can do about it.
Learn how to bake bread.
If you can make pasta and bake bread
you can always feed your family,
you can always get a job.
Keep your house clean
and don't worry what anyone else does.
Cut your grass,
prune your fruit trees
or they'll die on you.
Don't drink too much
but don't always be sober --
it makes you nervous.
A couple glasses of wine,
some anisette now and then,
a cigar never hurt nobody.
Nervous people always got an ache here,
an ache there, they get sick,
they die --
Look at Father Farrell:
he'll be dead in a year.
Fuck him!
@Earthninja
The roots refer to the source
of defilements. And the weeds are the defilements themselves. So simply trimming will not work. As you yourself have said:
So simply trimming will not eliminate these defilements. They will continue to reimerge like pesky weeds. This is the function of meditative practice. To eliminate them from one's consciousness.
We must continuously cut them off until they are no more. However one wishes to do this is completely up to you. It all depends on one's nature, character, personality and such. And as far as one's success at subduing or eliminating them; we each have different conditions within us. What I say to you aren't just words, it is my direct knowing from living it. Which may also be the case with many of you. So you understand where I'm coming from.
You and I may simply be at different points of unconditioning. That is all.
@Tony_A_Simien I'm under no illusion we are both searching for the same thing.
you have found a practice that bares fruit and I've found a practice that does the same.
Everybody is unique and has different conditions on them, what works for some is not the same for others like you said.
I do understand where you are coming from, I really like your posts. I've found the root of my problems but ironically the problem is "me" Hahaha.
You are on a path of refining consciousness to a subtle level it seems, me I'm on a path of scrutinising the one with the "problems"
Great posts mate, let's de root this tree of delusion!
@Tony_A_Simien said:
So what practise do you do? Could you explain how you go about it. Hands on like?
/Victor
Brilliant!
Where's that giant magic paintbrush...
I concur, if on a blurry conceptual level at this point.
The sources of my suffering have always been traceable to traumatic events. I have found that all of my suffering exists in thought patterns, these patterns are cyclical, and they can be 'let go' (or lawn mowed) through inquiry.
When I get angry my mind is prompting me to do something about my pain. Anger is just a message, and sadness is my pathway to the "root" of my pattern (weed).
Through reflection I can discover the original event that created my suffering, or at least communicate with my emotions to discover my pain in its rawest form. From there I can challenge my beliefs affiliated with the pattern, and offer new perspective on the subject.
I can bring enlightenment to the parts of me that are suffering - help them realise that the perception they are holding onto no longer serves a purpose, and that it is time to let it go.
All this mind-chatter of the monkey mind may not be random. If it's residual of experience, - patterns of the victim/controller/judge (etc.), I wonder if I can 'reprogram' my brain through continued reflection and mindfulness. My teacher says I can live in a state of perpetual bliss if I choose to get there. I wonder if this is a way.
@Victorious said:
Sure, here's a repost from another thread.
This was one of my very first continuous practices. When mind was active I did mantra recitation. When mind was calm and quiet I did anapanasati. But whichever one I did it was always continuous until I shut my eyes for bed. Through all daily activities. I am of the type that cannot sit with eyes closed as part of my practice. In my years as a practitioner I have done no more than 48 hours seated with eyes closed over that period. All of my methods involve Practicing while actively engaged in the world. That's What I call 'Baptism under fire! We learn to overcome the effects of mind from within the world.
How can one learn to overcome anger If there is no anger there? Or any other strong perceivably negative emotion.
So for example when We continuously recite our mantra there is only the mantra there. Whenever something comes up in mind we see it instantly. If anger comes up we see it and practice subduing it.
If there's a fire in the kitchen and we catch it early when it's still small, there is relatively no damage done. We saw It and extinguished it before it got too big and too much damage was done. Now suppose we didn't realize there was a fire and the kitchen turned in an inferno, even if we managed to extinguish it, now it's too late the damage is already done. Anger is like this. When our attention is actively engaged in a method our focus is on mind. So whenever mind concocts we know about it. If we know immediately we can subdue those negative reactions before they grow into an inferno. Isn't it always easier to put out a tiny fire as opposed to a huge one?
With continuous practice we become more skilled at doing this. If one is persistent there may come a point where It is habitual. We no longer need the mantra. Mind's activity is now naturally low. So whenever thoughts or emotions do arise we know clearly and vividly. Then we let them go because our continued practice of the method has trained us how to do so from actually doing it during daily life.
The point being to choose a method that keeps our attention on Mind at all times. Mind is the source of perceived disturbance so mind is always the target of our focus. Mantra allows us to watch mind indirectly. Our attention is mainly on recitation but When mind concocts we know.
roots: In addition to mindfulness, cognitive therapy may be good for the post-traumatic stress. I have no personal experience of it though it has been recommended for me... I simply haven't known any such therapist here. SSRI's and other medicines like them only mess my brain.
Thank you Tony. That is very inspiring. Mindfulness through an entire day is still my struggling goal.
I have not thought about mantra recitation to calm the excited mind!
I will try it when needed.
Thanks for the tip.
/Victor
EDIT: Actually I have never understood how mantra can be used in meditation b4. Thanks.
I've got a similar book and it's very soothing and calming _ /\ _