Don't Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater

Everyone wants to feel good.  We naturally develop attachment to people and situations that we desire and aversion to those that we resist.  This natural disposition, if not skilfully investigated, gives rise to afflictions when the feel-good-factor is not sustainable.  Precisely because of the vital role that feelings play in our suffering, it is the means by which we can deepen our spiritual practice.  It is thus through relating to our feelings in an unconditioned manner that we can seek revelation.  Through connecting with our feelings without any trace of resistance, we will realise that feelings, like thoughts, are entirely neutral in nature.  They are accompanied by our thoughts and thus are also passersby.  Thus we can leave them alone as they are; as after all, they are nothing but energy running in us that we have put concrete labels on.  Fundamentally, we need to understand that the protagonist of the tragic story can only be "I" -- our self-centredness.  The real culprit is then not our feelings.  It is the egoistic mind which we identify so strongly with and leads us to produce all the judgements we have on ourselves and others, thus further strengthening the "I" -- my body and mind.   

The Verb "To Be"

Trace back your memory to your elementary English grammar class when we learned the verb “to be”.  Have you ever imagined that it contains the wisdom of ancient teachings waiting to be revealed?  In present tense, the words “I am” implies being.  The profound meaning might lie clandestinely, holding the key to our primordial presence; but this being-ness is never away from all our experiences.  All experiences that are subsequently derived from “I am” also make us believe that we are the experiencers who know and are aware.  In fact, everything (and literally everything) is derived from this awareness before we objectify our world through expression and manifestation.  Awareness is the essence of consciousness and consciousness is all there is in the entire universe and beyond, both form and formless.  It follows to say that when we can stay and abide in the root of our being, we can go into a deeper state of consciousness and return to the Source, the “I AM” --  a promise to peace and happiness.

Choiceless thoughts

Are we at the mercy of our minds?  Our thoughts seem to pop up from nowhere every moment and arise of their own accord.  So is it really the case that we have no control over them?  Although the mind is running its own course with all its contents illusory in nature, we can nevertheless cultivate a different relationship with our thoughts.  With understanding we can see where our thoughts come from and learn not to chase after them when they are desirable and push them away when they are unpleasant.  Thoughts are just products of our minds which are no different from those derived from all other senses we have as a human being.  Just as we will not deny the seeing or hearing function of our eyes and ears, we do not need to subdue our thoughts.  They are neutral by nature, and in fact a gateway to great wisdom.  The wisdom is cultivated when we no longer identify with the thoughts and can observe them from a distance.  With practice, they are simply objects who are also transient with no staying power if we no longer cling onto them.