Q: You mentioned that the key to dealing with emotions such as anger is to see our emotions as they are, and that the key to seeing our emotions as they are is awareness. But if this is the case then what is it that we should become more aware of, in order to see our emotions as they are?
Kalu Rinpoche: So, the very quality of the awareness of the mind, right?
Like an example, whether it is a beautiful distraction or whether it is a harmful, unpleasant distraction, both requires a sense of awareness, right?
In order to develop that very existence of that awareness and the clarity of that awareness, and the continuation of that awareness, right? So you can have a little bit of awareness, few seconds here and there, that is same as having no awareness at all, right? So maintaining that awareness is important, isn’t it?
So, number 1 is recognising the meaning of awareness.
Number 2 is maintaining the continuation of awareness and that has to be developed based upon your meditation session. So don’t try to bring that awareness when you are not practicing it, but rather when you are doing a meditation session, breathing exercise. Or when you are doing 15 minutes of morning meditation, the moment you open your eyes, instead of going to wash your face, instantly just get out of the bed and then sit with crossed legs, back straight, hands on your kneecaps and then inhale, exhale 3 times and keep your mind on the breath. Start to train yourself like that. Then, eventually the breathing, inhalation, exhalation, you can go for 21 times, 16 times, the number can continue more and more.
His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche in Riga, Latvia
How to understand and apply the Buddhist wisdom of emptiness in everyday life (Q&A 5)
Ganden Center – September 2024 (1h 03′)
To be continued…
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