Remembering, Mindfulness and Thinking

ThailandTom

I assume that this probably becomes clearer with patience and practice and can be per-longed with practice but still, :wtf:
'If you are remembering your second-grade teacher, that is memory. When you then become aware that you are remembering your second-grade teacher, that is mindfulness. If you then conceptualize the process and say to yourself, "Oh I am remembering", then that is thinking'

I understand this as a concept and what it refers to, but bare attention or mindfulness seems really quite tricky to obtain. In fact you obtain nothing, as soon as you start to think about a brief moment of mindfulness you may experience, you create an image or concept and then it is gone, clung to and thinking comes into play. I cannot imagine being able to hold such a state of consciousness for too long, but then again I need to do lot of practice. Do highly trained monks and nuns actually live everyday lives in such states of consciousness, even when they are not formally sitting down meditating?

David

I honestly think it depends on what is happening. I believe there are those that remain completely aware at all times but the state of mind you are describing (if I may be so bold) is one where there is no mental labelling or distinguishing...

In order for the awakened to communicate in any meaningful way to us, they would have to be mindful of the middle way or they are really not that helpful.

I hope that makes sense but maybe I could try another angle... I think that when walking the middle way, one could be immersed in the absolute, or they could be immersed in the subjective but remain anchored in the middle of all extremes.

Always mindful and focused on what is happening right now whether it be washing the dishes, having a conversation or the dropping away of distinction between aspects of being.

So yeah... Your guess is as good as mine, sorry.

federica

I Think it's "Remembering, Thinking THEN Mindfulness....."

ThailandTom

lol that was taken from a book in that order madam!

BhanteLucky

ThailandTom said:

Do highly trained monks and nuns actually live everyday lives in such states of consciousness, even when they are not formally sitting down meditating?

Yes, some really do. Cool eh.
I lived for 6 months at a monastery led by Ajahn Tiradhammo, (Thai Forest Tradition) and he was constantly telling us "Sitting meditation is just exercising your mind for the proper job of being mindful at every moment."
When we did our daily work around the monastery he would remind us again and again "Meditate as you work. Mindfulness and awareness is the priority, and actually getting the job done is only your second priority."

Once during a retreat around that period I remained mindful for almost a whole day, only losing the mindfulness about 3 or 4 times, each time for less than a minute. It was really really interesting. Best day ever. Nowadays however my mindfulness is substantially crappier!

Ajahn Tiradhammo has been a monk for 27 years, so I reckon he's got it cold.

ThailandTom

JamestheGiant said:

ThailandTom said:

Do highly trained monks and nuns actually live everyday lives in such states of consciousness, even when they are not formally sitting down meditating?

Yes, some really do. Cool eh.
I lived for 6 months at a monastery led by Ajahn Tiradhammo, (Thai Forest Tradition) and he was constantly telling us "Sitting meditation is just exercising your mind for the proper job of being mindful at every moment."
When we did our daily work around the monastery he would remind us again and again "Meditate as you work. Mindfulness and awareness is the priority, and actually getting the job done is only your second priority."

Once during a retreat around that period I remained mindful for almost a whole day, only losing the mindfulness about 3 or 4 times, each time for less than a minute. It was really really interesting. Best day ever. Nowadays however my mindfulness is substantially crappier!

Ajahn Tiradhammo has been a monk for 27 years, so I reckon he's got it cold.

Wow, thanks for the cool story. I myself have nothing close to this kind of experience with mindfulness, but I would think you should not put yourself down or cling to an experience. It is a moment to moment thing, that is mindfulness is it not? You have before held such a state of mindfulness and when you lost it you realised and brought it back, that is being mindful. I am sure if you tried you could repeat something similar if you do not put any bad or good, yes or no into what arises from moment to moment, or in your words, crappier :P

I did read that the trickiest trap to see and to not get caught up in is the trap of being attached to such states of consciousness where you are experiencing mindfulness, you have compassion and awareness and are focused. This initself can be a trap and is a very subtle one at that.

DairyLama

ThailandTom said:

If you then conceptualize the process and say to yourself, "Oh I am remembering", then that is thinking'

I wouldn't worry too much if there is some thinking involved in maintaining mindfulness.

lobster

Talking of the Thai Forest tradition . . . those of you who have practiced with them will be aware of mindful meal times, mindful strolling and mindful washing up etc. Great fun.
It is very easy to notice when someone is being mindful. There is a graceful certainty in their being. It is one of the reasons to go on retreat or be amongst those able to 'display' this exemplary behaviour. After a while it rubs off on us . . .