The Practice of Living Awareness
STEP NINE: MIND
What is the mind? One definition refers to the mind as "a set of cognitive faculties including consciousness, perception, thinking, judgement, language and memory. It is usually defined as the faculty of an entity's thoughts and consciousness." Another definition states that the mind is an "element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought." Interestingly, both separate thought from consciousness. One might say consciousness is a field that we enter and our thoughts precipitate from and contribute to this field. It is wise, when discussing the mind, to point out the function of the brain... it is a storehouse for one's thoughts as well as the seat of intelligence. What is the difference between the mind and the brain? The Buddhist scriptures frame it this way: the brain is an aspect of our body (it is an organ); our body is like a guest house and our mind is a guest dwelling within it. When we die, our mind leaves our body and goes to the next life, just like a guest going on to new dwellings.
If the mind is not the brain, then what is it? It is a very important aspect of ourselves. So important that getting to know the mind can mean the difference between experiencing suffering or peace, confusion or clarity, and ignorance or enlightenment. With these meditations, we will dive directly into the concept and experience of the mind in meditation. After all, it is through meditation that we get acquainted with the mind.
We'll cozy up, explore, and get friendly.
DAY 1
What's On Your Mind?
The mind gets put upon; that reveals a lot about its subjective nature. |
DAY 2
Focused Attention
Getting to know the nature of your mind is the path to freedom. |
DAY 3
Aspiration and Inspiration
An open mind allows for insight, inspiration, and intuition. |
