May 2023 Video Class #2 (captions)
Meditation Course Class #2
Aaron: Welcome back to our meditation course. The last time we were together we talked about the different kinds of meditation, the various intentions for meditation, and some basics for mindfulness, vipassana or Insight Meditation—all very similar practices by different names.
I mentioned that when there is a physical object that arises such as a sharp or a mild pain, throbbing, a headache, an itch, attention is drawn to it and you observe that it changes. It has arisen from conditions just as the clouds in the sky arise from conditions. There can be a clear blue sky; when certain weather conditions arise, clouds will form and then rain will come. You plan a picnic, and you may say, “Oh, it’s not fair! It’s raining on my picnic! Why is this happening to me?”
But of course, it’s not personal. The atmospheric conditions were present for rain, so rain came. When those atmospheric conditions change, the rain will stop, and the sun will come out.
So much of human suffering is based on this idea, “Why is this happening to me? It’s not fair. I didn’t want this.” Or perhaps something that you loved and have lost, why is that happening to me? The sun was out. You were eating your picnic, and suddenly the sun disappeared, and it started to rain. “Why did I get this? Why did I lose that?”
This is really the cause of suffering. I am distinguishing here between pain and suffering. If certain conditions are present, pain may arise. Perhaps you sprained your ankle. It hurts. The pain arose because of certain conditions. It will leave when those conditions resolve, and the swelling goes down, when the ankle heals.
But the suffering comes from, “I don’t want this. How do I fix it? I hate this!” Feeling helpless, feeling angry.
In meditation we have the opportunity to watch the body experiences, usually not the pain of a sprained ankle but more likely a small itch. Right there—it’s itching, it’s itching. Wanting to scratch, scratching. What am I doing? There’s no itch there; it’s gone. But there was an itch, and I’m getting rid of it. And then there’s another itch, another one. You can keep scratching forever, or you can settle down and watch the impulse to scratch, which is separate from the itch.
So, simply put, you may be meditating and there will be some body sensation—an itch, or shoulders that feel stiff, too warm, too cold. Smelling the delicious bread baking in the oven, “Oh! I want some of that.” Grasping.
These objects arise and pass away in the conditioned realm, this realm in which you live. Whatever has the nature to arise has the nature to cease. And it is not based on the self; it’s based on conditions—the baker in the kitchen, the mosquito that bit. If the mosquito bites, there will be itching. Can that not be a problem?
Gradually, you develop the ability to watch the succession of the contact. Mind contacting that itch. A feeling perhaps of unpleasant, with the itch. Or maybe you were sitting outside in cold and suddenly the sun is warming your shoulders. Warmth, touching, pleasant.
So, contact and then consciousness—conscious of its being pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Just that, don’t take it further. Whatever the object, it will be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
The feeling is not of the essence of that object. If you’re a farmer and it has been dry and you feel the rain, it will be very pleasant. If you’re on your picnic and you feel the rain, it will be unpleasant.
Contact, consciousness, feelings—feelings of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. So, the contact happens. The mind becomes aware of the contact—that’s consciousness. And then a feeling of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
Pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral are just that. A pleasant feeling does not have to turn to grasping. An unpleasant feeling does not have to turn to aversion. But usually, it does because you’re not mindful of what’s happening.
So, sitting, meditating, and your friend is in the kitchen baking the bread, or chocolate chip cookies. Smelling, smelling. Contact, the smell to the nostrils. Consciousness of that smell, that scent. Feeling of pleasant. And then suddenly the thought, “Oh, I want some! I’m done meditating!” and off you run to the kitchen.
You’re sitting and meditating and your neighbor begins to mow the lawn. Hearing, hearing, contact. Consciousness of hearing. Feeling of unpleasant—”I wanted it to be quiet. I’m meditating. It’s only 7am; why is he mowing his lawn?” Aversion arises, and then the impulse, wanting to run out and yell at your neighbor—who, it turns out, in great kindness has come across the boundary between your yard and is now mowing your lawn. The anger arose because you wanted it to be a certain way.
This kind of pattern of grasping and aversion is so predominant in the life of one who is not deeply mindful. With meditation, you practice mindfulness.
So, there is contact, hearing; consciousness, hearing a lawnmower; unpleasant feeling because you did not want the noise; and then a strong aversion, and anger arises.
Watching the next object; the anger is predominant now, not the hearing. Can you feel the difference? At first it was hearing; now it’s anger. Anger arising from the base of not wanting to hear the lawnmower.
Breathing in, I am aware of the anger. Breathing out, I offer space for the anger. I don’t condemn myself. I don’t try to fix the anger. I just hold space. Whatever has the nature to arise has the nature to cease. The anger will go.
But it’s very important for your well-being and your neighbor’s that you not run out there with a stick and assault him. It’s important for the cook in the kitchen’s well-being and your own that you not run in there yelling, “Give me bread!”
We learn to be present not only with the physical object, seeing that it arose and is pleasant or unpleasant and that it’s leading to grasping or aversion, but to be present with that experience of grasping or aversion.
Or perhaps the object was neutral. You’re just sitting, and you’ve been meditating and you’re bored. Nothing’s happening. It feels boring. That’s normal, especially for those who are just starting the practice.
So, mind starts to daydream, wants to get away from the boredom, starts inventing fantasies. “Oh, I’m going to be a great meditator someday. Look—I’ve been sitting here ten minutes now.” Or whatever.
So, this next phase of our practice is to begin to watch these different parts. You’re present with your breath and then there’s contact with the itch, the throbbing in the shoulders, the headache, the smell of the bread, the sound of the lawnmower, the sound of the rain on your roof. And if it’s pleasant, without seeing clearly that this is pleasant, you move off into grasping and fantasies about it. If it’s unpleasant, you move off into aversion.
This is where meditation is essential. You begin to see the ancient patterns of your mind, and you don’t get so caught in the stories that do lead to suffering but are much more able to just watch what arises with patience and an open heart. Perhaps to remind yourself that the reason you are meditating is to bring yourself to a place of more kindness to yourself and others, more peacefulness, more joy.
This is how we work with physical objects that arise in meditation. Present with the primary object, then watching some physical object pull away your attention. Contact. Consciousness of the contact. Feelings of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. And then the arising of mental formations, thoughts about “What shall I do?”, or even impulse— running out there with a stick to beat the man who is out mowing your lawn.
Now, I know that probably wouldn’t happen, but angry words could come, and suffering for you both. This is where meditation gives you much more choice.
For our next time together, today we spoke about physical objects; next time we’ll talk about mental objects.
So, please practice this with physical objects, and I look forward to being with you again.