This article is a continuation of an article written in January (a four-part series) on breaking habits of perception.  While looking for an image for a recent article (Breaking Habits) I had written I came across a website which was attached to the image I chose.  I thought it was an interesting article for a lot of reasons, the main of which is we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to creating drama in our lives.  Perception is everything.  It’s not so much what you think, as to how you think.  The article had to do with developing the skillful [italics added] perceptions that lead to freedom.

So this is a continuation with intermittent commentaries on the original article.  If you would like, please add whatever your views are on the subject or maybe on what I have said.

The main idea of the article from Thanissaro Bhikkhu is all you have to do is work on how you’re perceiving things in the present moment.  When things finally click, you don’t have to worry about what other people tell you, worry about the world, worry about the self, you don’t have to worry about what you’ve done in the past, for you’ve learned a new habit, you’ve developed a new skill—and development of that new skill changes everything.

(From this point on Thanissaro Bhikkhu will be referred to as ‘TB’ and his text will be in bold print/ commentary follows bold printed paragraph)

Habits of Perception (continued)

TB: So the Buddha teaches us to learn how to question those perceptions. There’s a passage where he talks about how people are a slave to a duality or a polarity between existence and non-existence: Does the world out there really exist? Does it not really exist? He advises learning how to avoid that polarity by simply watching things arising and passing away in the present moment. Stay just at that level and don’t get involved in the question of whether there’s anything lying behind the mere experience of arising and passing away.

Why do I suddenly get the image in my mind of the movie Easy Rider, where Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson are sitting around the fire smoking a joint?  It’s like, “Dude, Does the world out there really exist? Does it not really exist?” Kidding aside, I get it.  However, it seems that we lose out anxieties, our “imperatives” of the world mainly when we are self-medicating (i.e. booze to pot to drugs).

So in essence BT is maybe saying it is possible to attain this euphoric state without the mind-altering substances—addictions?  There is something oddly familiar about the state he’s describing—“by simply watching things arising and passing away in the present moment.” I don’t know.  A friend of mine is somewhat an eccentric musician (is that redundant?).  Anyway, he said he goes through “withdrawal” when he doesn’t get to play or listen to music.  Where am I going with this?  Once you attain this state BT is speaking of, is it another addiction or the end of addictions for a carefree, ethereal life?  Just asking.

TB: And the best way to do that is to give yourself a framework. This is what the four establishings of mindfulness or four frames of reference are all about: giving yourself a framework so that you’re not blown away by the events of the world. See things within the frame of body, feelings, mind states, or mental qualities, in and of themselves.

Watching, observing?  Okay so this kind of, it would seem anyway make us at first accountable for where everything starts?  Well it’s understandable that not everyone is rushing out to be a Buddha.  Some people don’t want to hold themselves accountable for all the “stuff” in their lives.  Let’s face, this would mean that a given person may suddenly come face to face with the fact that they have been their own (and maybe only) worst enemy for a very looooong time—that the crap in their head is just that—crap in their head.

That doesn’t always work well with people that have self-worth issues.  It can be very scary for some to even remotely approach the idea of going past their well-justified purposeful ignorance.  As a therapist/ friend (no really, just a friend) said to me once, “Sometimes there is not only a lock on the door to your unconscious, but there is also a guard in front of the door, and he doesn’t have the key (the part about the key might be mine).”  In all fairness, let’s give BT’s approach a shot.  Can’t hurt.  What’s the worst thing that could happen?  Right?

TB: Make those your frames of reference — as when you’re dealing with the breath right now: just the breath coming in, going out.  In this context, thoughts have meaning only to the extent that they pull you away from the breath or don’t pull you away from the breath. While you’re sitting here, ideally that’s the only question: how the thoughts impinge on the breath. Thoughts that are useful in keeping you with the breath are the ones you want to encourage. Thoughts that pull you away, you want to let go.

Wow, talk about mind-blowing.  I just tried it around people I interact with on a daily basis.  It was weird, I suddenly felt better focusing on my breath versus even acknowledging those around me.  What does this mean?  Could it mean I suddenly realized even what I consider a normal perception of existence is an existence of banal necessity?  Let that one sink in (“Banal necessity”—heard it in a movie), or in more understandable terms, “boring obligations”?  It did feel good.  I’d have to give the exercise a plus for that anyway.

One question: If you have to go to the bathroom, does that pull you away from the breath?  Or do you just breathe while you are going to the bathroom?

TB: In the Buddha’s words, you abandon greed and distress with reference to the world — the world here being the world of the senses. Only when you abandon greed and distress with reference to these things can you look at how they’re directly experienced. See how sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations are experienced right here in the present moment, in and of themselves.

Okay, so let’s take it from the previous ‘Rocky’ analogy.  I will be Rocky in this experiment (from my dog’s perspective—of course this is only a guess):

1.      Sights – Things around me are moving, people moving—they seem like friendly beings, which is kind of odd considering these are people I work with—and have developed an attitude toward their “uncalled for” behavior in the past. When I sincerely pay attention, I can feel my energy level go up while at the same time I feel very calm.

2.      Sounds – Multiple different sounds at the same time.  Not too harsh, a little distracting I guess.  Funny when I focus on just sounds from the center of my breathing, the sounds that use to get on my nerves don’t seem to matter all that much.  Abrupt sounds still grab my attention, but don’t seem to bother me for as long.  I guess that’s because I am not holding on to why somebody shouldn’t be making a certain sound.  I’m not sure what this means.  I thought people were supposed to have manners.

3.      Smells – Food, all kinds of food smells.  This work area has a plethora of food smells—lots of different cultures together make for one big indescribable tangy bouquet.  I think if I was actually Rocky, it would probably make me hungry.  You might guess why it doesn’t.

4.      Tastes – This is definitely odd.  It suddenly becomes a different experience even just drinking water—there is definitely more appreciation in what I put in my mouth.  It’s like I want to keep whatever is in there longer, to absorb every moment.

5.      Tactile Sensations – I didn’t realize how different everything really feels.  Really!  You need to try this sometime—what a kick.  Do it when you’re bored.  It is so weird.  Feeling my facial hair—the tips of my fingers feeling every follicle, the edge of the table—some parts smooth, some broken off, my water bottle—cool with rippled texture, leftover glued paper on the side.  They’re all more interesting than I had taken for granted in the past.

TB: If you can watch these things arising and passing away simply in and of themselves, the whole issue of what exists out there or what doesn’t exist out there gets put aside. As you watch things arise, the idea that there’s nothing out there doesn’t occur to you. As you watch them pass away, the idea that there’s something out there permanent, lasting, existing independently of you, doesn’t occur to you either. You see that the issues of existence and non-existence matter only if you make them an issue.

In all honesty my overall above experience was very cool.  It was like a mini vacation.  It’s almost hard to admit, but it felt so good to ‘be away’ from issues that I will definitely revisit this experience.  I meditate often, but never in an everyday life type situation.  It was very freeing.  The scary part is, now I know that way of being exists.  The experience was undeniably nice.  It was a sense of lightness.  I have been in similar situations in the past where I have experienced strong anxiety as a result of thinking things should be different.  I am glad I trusted to follow what was suggested in the exercise.  It allowed me to open a new door and reminded me that I am free to choose how I feel—in any circumstance.  Wow.

TB: The Buddha’s not saying that things do or don’t exist out there, it’s just that in this mental state the issue doesn’t occur to you. This is the mental state you want to develop, because all that’s left is simply the issue of the arising and passing away of stress and suffering. That gets you right in line with the four noble truths and their imperatives: the imperative to comprehend suffering, abandon its cause, realize its cessation, and develop the path leading to its cessation. These imperatives, unlike those of the world, are liberating, which is why you want to take them on.

Makes sense, right?  Yeah well I’m not one to “comprehend” this kind of information on the first read.  I think it’s a combination of things that keeps me from ‘getting it’.  One, I think it’s just basic wording and the other is resistance.  Basic wording is pretty easy to decipher.  So let’s break it down (‘resistance’ is another story).  For instance when he states, “…in this mental state the issue doesn’t occur to you.”  “In this mental state” really does say a lot.

Our whole life is about “mental states”.  We are in a mental state when we are happy, sad, angry, and scared.  We move in and through our mental states, guided by a variety of needs (imperatives).  I think the key thing to understand (comprehend) here is what do our mental states do for us and as a result for others?  How do we affect our lives and the lives of others?  What exactly are we producing or not as a result of the way we think—our mental states?  And if “the issue doesn’t occur to you”, can this be a good thing? The issue, the subject, the matter, the question, the concern, dare I say it, the problem doesn’t occur to you.  Maybe the person who said, “Ignorance is bliss” had something there.

Why wouldn’t you or I want to, need to develop this mental state?  If we can get to a state of pure understanding of how our “needs” dictate certain outcomes, maybe we would stop creating needs which produce unhealthy outcomes.  I don’t know about you but I am all for the “…passing away of stress and suffering”.  So we need to get “…right in line with the four noble truths and their imperatives”.  Since ‘noble’ means fine, gracious, decent and good, wouldn’t they be healthy for our daily mental diet?  And let’s face it, ‘truth’ is ‘truth’.  So what we are talking about here is a really good truth and what is needed to fulfill that fine, fine truth.  But there is a bonus!  When you develop the mental state for the need to understand suffering (the imperative to comprehend suffering), end or leave its reason or source behind (abandon its cause), grasp, fully recognize and take in its termination, its ending, its stopping (realize its cessation), and really building on and expanding the path leading to the ending of stress and suffering (develop the path leading to its cessation), these needs which are unlike that of how we interpret the world will set you free (These imperatives, unlike those of the world, are liberating).  And this last part needs no break down for understanding—“… which is why you want to take them on.” Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

TB: The first one is to comprehend suffering so that you can begin to see what you’re doing to give rise to the suffering. This is what focuses you on the real job at hand. You start seeing the fabrication of worlds in the mind, realizing that the world as you perceive it out there is really your own mental construct.

Okay…so we are trying to understand suffering.  Why?  Maybe if we look hard enough we can see what takes place or happens to cause suffering to surface.  Maybe if we are aware of the path we are taking, we may take a different path—by choice.  Hmmmm.  Many people are shocked when you mention that life is one big improv.  I mean we have “facts” to go on to exist and function on a day to day basis, but we really do invent or dream up (for some it’s more of a nightmare) how we handle our experiences.  So this “mental construct” is in actuality your own reality. I guess the first thing we have to do is admit it is our own world that may need adjustment first if we want to change things about what we feel in regards to what’s “out there”.

TB: You have lots of different mental constructs about the world out there. Sometimes you think about the world in geological terms, sometimes in cosmic, astronomical terms, sometimes simply in terms of your own personal narrative, day to day. There are many different levels that are useful for different purposes. You want to put yourself in the state of mind where you can choose which view of the world is useful right here, right now, so you’re not a slave to the imperatives that these different views put on you.

I think if you can gain insight to the mere fact that there are as many realities as there are people, you can see that there can be a whole host of possibilities to use in different situations.  The question is, do you want to?  Or maybe it’s why should I?  In reality we already are.  People shift their perspectives all the time.  As BT says above, “Sometimes you think about the world in geological terms, sometimes in cosmic, astronomical terms, sometimes simply in terms of your own personal narrative, day to day.”  It kind of goes without saying we are already capable of making adjustments in our perception, in our point of view.  But how often do we do it?   And to what degree do we allow ourselves to make real the truth that accepting different views can help us?  It seems to come down to making better adjustments, fine tuning what we are already doing.

“Different levels that are useful for different purposes”.  I think part of the problem of actually using any of this is many people are afraid of the different levels or even exploring other possibilities to suit each situation or purpose in a more resourceful and healthy way.  As a mechanic in the military I learned there are specific tools for certain jobs.  As a business etiquette trainer I remind participants in the classes that different situations influence different types of ‘appropriate’ behavior.  I know the analogy is simple, but true.  One size does not fit all.  Also, business etiquette is really about making others around you comfortable—respecting the situation, the environment and then acting fittingly.

Think about it on a smaller scale.  There are different levels we adjust to every day—driving a car, in a library, a conversation on the phone with a lover versus your mother.  So it seems we have the capacity and ability to act in ways which are useful for different purposes.  Maybe we aren’t going further with this skill because we don’t see the value in it or that it’s worth it.

If we allow ourselves to become a “slave to the imperatives that these different views put on you”, isn’t it possible that being a slave to the needs of specific views might limit our ability to deal with life’s variety of challenging situations.  It doesn’t seem that one size fits all situations.  It seems it may take a creative approach.  The creation of life is much more complex than a one-way approach to see it.  As an ex-mechanic I know you can’t use a hammer to fix everything.  How well are you doing this now?