Each Day…

“What is important is to understand the operation of your own mind.” 
-Krishnamurti

Before you arise each morning, lay still for a few minutes, and do this: When you breath in, know that you are breathing in; when you breath out, know you are breathing out. Know that everything is okay.

After arising, from time to time, pause, and be aware of the feeling of being present. Know you are aware. The feeling of simply being present—without mentally responding in any way—is quite pleasant.

The mind functions in two realms: helpful or harmful.

The helpful mind follows directions to a destination, plans a grocery list, decides what to pack for a trip, or fuels up your car before you are stranded beside the road somewhere.

The harmful mind deceives. The deceptive mind likes or dislikes, accepts or rejects, resists or desires, and compares or judges. The harmful mind resists what is.

It doesn’t matter so much what we think about… Not knowing that we are thinking is the source of all difficulty. 

When perfection is the goal, what matters most is that you are aware—totally aware. Awareness is your perfection guarantee.

When you know you are aware, there is nothing else you need to do.

Put the harmful mind to sleep. Redirect attention from useless thoughts to attention itself. Keep that up until deception has fled the state.

Thinking obscures spontaneous presence. 

For a moment, stop debating and analyzing and see how you feel, how you are. In the spontaneity of immediate presence is freedom from deception.

Whatever you can do, at any time or place, to know you are aware—is the best thing you can do for yourself.

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I’ll post a new topic each Friday afternoon, in one of two categories. One will be on shooting, and the other will be on living. Or: how I learned to live from what I learned by competing.

Thanks for coming in.