Perception Foundation

Here I offer a quote from the book, Mindfulness in Plain English, by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Bhante G says:

The purpose of meditation is personal transformation. The “you” that goes in one side of the meditation experience is not the same “you” that comes out the other side. Meditation changes your character by a process of sensitization, by making you deeply aware of your own thoughts, words, and deeds.

So, how does this happen with our practice? You may notice, since your perception has become finer over time with practice, that we begin each of our meditation sessions with some practices that settle the body, the breath, and the mind. In fact, these are not just preliminary or preparatory practices. They are the foundational practices that, in the words of our teacher, John Makransky:

…strengthen the power and stability of attention; to sense more of what is here and now; to penetrate deeply into the nature of our experience.

As referenced in the quote from Bhante G, this mindful awareness of our moment-to-moment experience is what changes us during the process of meditation. We begin to see the true nature of our experience and notice the habitual patterns that arise in reaction to our perceptions. Just this noticing, this holding of our experience in a larger awareness, begins to release our rigid patterns of reaction. This gives us space to respond to others and to the world in general in new and more skillful ways, that support increasing freedom and reduce suffering for ourselves and others.

So, with that in mind, I encourage you to work more fully with some of the Foundational Practices as part of your regular practice over the next few weeks.