Right Attitude I

It has come to mind that, every now and then, we need to check the foundations of our spiritual practice. If we have been practicing for any length of time, we can get into a pattern of expectation that, each time we sit and close our eyes, certain experiences of body and mind will be present. Or on the other hand, we may expect, maybe more often, to be visited by difficult feelings that make our sitting session unpleasant. Both of these modes of expectation and aversion can become habitual patterns that prevent us from relaxing into our true nature of peaceful open awareness.

So, it is important to have the “Right Attitude” when entering into each session of formal meditation, and then that attitude will carry through to our experiences during the day, outside of formal practice. Here are some suggestions from Sayadaw U Tejaniya, a Burmese monk and meditation teacher.

Right Attitude allows you to observe, accept, and acknowledge whatever is arriving at the six sense doors [seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking] in any given moment in a relaxed and attentive way. Whether what is happening is judged good or bad is irrelevant. If it is viewed with this right attitude, then it turns into a learning experience where you can notice whether the mind is judging… and the reactions that go along with these judgments.

In practice, any desire for things to be other than they are will lead to creation of tension in the mind. We will have a wish for some experience that is different from our current experience. In one case, this can draw us into clinging to a desired experience in the future. Or, we will wish that the current unpleasant sensations would go away, creating anxiety and aversion in the mind. Either way, the result is tension, preventing us from releasing into peace and relaxation.

The best attitude for practice, both on and off the cushion, is open, non-judgmental awareness. Open to whatever arises without seeking or resisting anything. When we notice that we are uncomfortable with our current thoughts and feelings, we first notice how that feels in the body and mind, then release our grip on whatever is pulling the mind in one direction or another, then invite relaxation into the body and mind, and finally, gently return our awareness to the open acceptance of what is arising.