Sitting with uncertainty
person
Don't believe everything you thinkThe liminal space Veteran
Just a little reflection. The idea of sitting with uncertainty in Buddhism is a pretty central tenet. From the Buddha refusing to answer certain metaphysical questions on the ground that they're unproductive to the practice and can cause one to get stuck in them, to the Kalama sutta. Nagarjuna's emptiness saying all views eventually undermine themselves. Zen's "don't know mind" and emptying the cup. To everyday meditation practice letting go of mental arisings.
The thing that gave rise to the thought was how its a pretty common disposition for people to be uncomfortable with uncertainty, to have a need to collapse down into a definitive position. My thought was that for me at this point in my practice, is that certainty is the uncomfortable position to be in. Its like living with blinders on, refusing to look behind me at what I'm not seeing. Its not that nothing I see or believe is real, its more that the feeling of "I've got this figured out" means I've stopped looking and am missing something.
Comments
My finding was that curiosity is largely about the questions “is there something threatening me” or “am I in danger in some way”. Once you realise that nothing real can be threatened, that threats are just the affairs of the body, then your mind quickly loses the habit of exploring nooks and crannies, and a measure of peace settles over you.
Curiosity as a fear response. I hadn't heard that one before. I suppose it makes some sense, curiosity could be driven by fear. Not sure that means that always the case, I think the aspect I'm talking about is an openness to possibility, an emotional valence of wonder and exploration.
Being closed can also be a fear response. Or maybe someone is afraid of physical harms so as a response they abandon concern for physical safety? Is spiritual seeking a fear response too because the spiritual journey often starts from a place of fear? I think my point is it seems like lots of things can be seen through multiple lenses.
Curiosity is an unending journey into the unknown, a never-ending search… in order to know peace, one would want to find its roots, to see if it is just a young man’s response to the unknown and can be let go of with maturity.