The Progression of Attention Training

Many people who are just starting the practice of Awakened Attention are astonished and dismayed that they are unable to stay attentive and present to experience for more than a few moments. To the new practitioner this is both disappointing and an unknown blessing.

It is disappointing because they usually believe that i) they don't have much unconscious mental activity occuring, but even practice of short duration shows otherwise, and ii) it should be easy to master the practice with only a few attempts.

It is a blessing because this beginning period of practice can be a wonderfully beneficial experience, the beginning to a new way of Life.

Awakened Attention and THE Mind

The problem with the mind does not usually involve the content of the mind, but rather attention lost in the content of the mind. Attention is often lost in the mind, in stories, dramas, fantasies, and memories. When attention is lost in the mind, we suffer the effects of the body’s reactions to whatever the mind is displaying. If attention is lost in a mental story of catastrophe or regret, it will register in the body as if the story is true and is happening now, rather than conceptually in the mind. If that same story is happening but attention is not lost in it, the story may be seen for what it is, which is a spontaneous display of mental activity. What this means is this (are you ready?): You are not doing it. The mind is not yours. The mind has a life of it’s own. This is an absolutely essential understanding, and can only be seen and deeply known through repeated observation of the mind. When the mind is observed for any length of time, it become obvious that 'it', the mind, is not ‘mine.’

Properly seen, this leads to the important understanding than can be summarized as, "THE activity of THE mind causes THE suffering". This is in complete contrast to "MY mental activity of MY mind causes MY suffering." (Sorry about the caps)

Watching the Sleepy Ways of Others

To be awake means to be aware, alert and attentive, not lost in mental activity or drifting in a hazy cloud of nothingness.

One excellent way to solidify and deepen our efforts in waking up is to observe others.

On your next trip to a mall or park or other place suitable for ‘people-watching’, find a good spot to sit to observe the passer-byers.

First, allow your mind to become still by focusing on your breath’s for a few moments. Then, as your thinking settles down, start to observe the passer-byers with an open curiosity. See if you can get a sense of if they are awake or not.

This is not about being malicious or judgmental, but about simply being awake and curious enough to see if you can ‘detect’ if others are awake or asleep. Do they appear full in their eyes and body, or is their attention lost in the head? Are they aware of their physical location in relation to others? Can you spot people that are either completely oblivious or over-involved with their present tasks.

Watch your own thoughts about those you are observing. See of you can catch your mind making subtle judgements or commenting on the appearance of others. Notice how the mind does it all on its own. Notice how when you catch the mind judging or commenting, it stops.

Awakened Attention is the key to silencing the mind.

It Was the Best Candy EVERRR!

At my last public seminar, I was guiding my attendees through an exercise in Awakened Attention.

We all sat with an unwrapped Werthers Original candy on the table in front of us.

I asked everyone to simply look at and experience the candy without thought for a moment, then to slowly unwrap the candy, like it was a delicate and precious gift.

Then, after experiencing its texture and shape, I asked everyone to place it in their mouth and with all of their attention on the candy, experience it without thought.

We all sat in silence for a minute or two, then I asked for feed-back regarding experiences.

After a moment, one young lady looked like she had something to say so I directed my attention to her.

Her face lit up as she said in a beautifully child-like way: "It was the best candy EVERR!"

The whole room erupted with laughter as it was recognized that she so perfectly gave voice to everyones experience, demonstrating the power and pleasure of Awakened Attention.

www.wakinguptolife.com

Finished!

Wow!

I can't believe it is finally finished!

I handed in the manuscript for my book:

Waking Up to Life!
The Art and Skill of Awakened Attention

A Guide for Awakening to the Power,
Presence and Passion of the Living Moment

It is roughly 300 pages and full of practical suggestions, personal insights, stories, examples and fun.

Here is the Table of Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Important Definitions

Part 1
1. We Are Asleep
2. Dream Worlds
3. Dream Characters
4. Sleep Suffering
5. The Sleeping World
6. Wake Up Calls
7. The Struggle To Awaken
8. Awakened Attention
9. Waking Up
10. Waking Up to Life!

Part 2
12 Faces of Life
Life is Miraculous
Life is Awareness
Life is Becoming
Life is Embodiment
Life is Love
Life is Yes
Life is Creativity
Life is Mystery
Life is Now
Life is Soul
Life is Dying
Life Is

Appendices
A Note To Event Planners and Conference Coordinators
Products, Services and Contact Information
An Excerpt From the Book- Ruthless Words

www.wakinguptolife.com

Losing 'My' Mind to 'The' Mind

From the Forthcoming:

Waking Up to Life!

The Art and Skill of Awakened Attention

One of the most dramatically transformative understandings you might receive is also one of the most difficult to swallow if you have never considered it before. That understanding is this: the mind is not ‘yours’, and many or most thoughts that appear in what you call ‘your’ mind, actually appear in ‘the’ mind, unbidden and unsolicited. Most thoughts simply arise spontaneously, in accordance with your history, conditioning, education, predispositions and tendencies. Simply put, thoughts happen, thinking happens, you don't do the thinking.

Yes, you read right. Thinking happens but you are not the thinker.

The beginning of freedom is the realization that
you are not the thinker.
~ Eckhart Tolle

So rather than replacing negative mental activity or self talk with positive mental activity or self talk, what happens when we recognize or simply notice the mental activity is happening? What happens when we become the noticer or the watcher of the mental activity? Is it possible to see the mental activity, and in that seeing to become a passive bystander, while not buying into the minds chatter?

The jig is up!

I understand that I have become accustomed to listening to that little voice in my head. The mind is what the mind does: it moves. The mind likes to stay busy, it doesn't like to wait, it wants what it wants now, it knows it all, it is a liar, confused and scared.

The mind is especially uncomfortable with uncertainty.

William Keats coined the phrase 'Negative Capability', defined as: when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. There are not many minds that like the sound of that.

The mind says "uncertainties need decisiveness, mysteries should be solved, doubt will fall to proof" all the while irritably reaching after fact and reason. The mind does not like not knowing, period. The mind will even create stories to replace uncertainty.

THE mind.
THE mind is busy, THE mind is overactive, THE mind is distorted, THE mind is not 'mine'.

Whew! That feels a lot better.

One should say, it thinks, just as one says, it rains.
~ Litchenberg

www.wakinguptolife.com

The Stick of Compassion

An excerpt from the forthcoming
Ruthless Words:
Unsentimental Quotations From
the World's Wisdom Traditions

If you were to walk into a Zen Buddhist meditation hall or 'Zendo' you may be shocked to see them engaged in an very old tradition called 'keisaku' (Japanese: kyosaku). Keisaku is a form of a 'compassionate wake up call' always administered at the request of the meditator. Either while sitting in meditation or 'zazen', the teacher will at their own discretion, strike the student on the shoulders with a long pole or stick. Swwack!

This loud and dramatic form of 'wake up call', while on the surface may appear harsh or cruel, the intention of the teacher is one of encouragement, alerting students to their mindlessness in zazen. This "reality check" represents the teachers sword of wisdom and the means to cut through delusion, or the world of thought, concept and interpretation. The moment you are struck you are left with the bare actuality of that moment, the stark, naked, direct, non-conceptual experience of aliveness. No future and therefore no hope. No past and therefore, no 'self'. All that is left is the immediacy of awareness of aliveness as such.

May the quotations in this book serve as a 'keisaku' wake up stick, compassionately smacking you awake and alive, reminding you that your Life is now, the past and future but memories and dreams appearing in the sleeping mind. Swwack!

We do not know it because we are fooling away our time
with outward and perishing things,
and are asleep in regard to that which is real within ourself.
~ Paracelsus

Swwack!
Swwack!
Swwack!

A Day in The Life: Family Matters

Our mental and emotional reactive patterns are incredibly deep and persistent. We each carry around with us a vast array of habitual ways of seeing things, which determines how we act in various situations.

For instance, one of the most telling situations that will expose our degree of autonomy and individuation is that of the family gathering. Here are some questions to ponder when anticipating a family get together. When I am with my family:
- How does my behavior change?
- What roles do I shift into/avoid?
- Is there anyone I protect/criticize?
- What am I watching for/cautious of?

To answer these questions, see if you can maintain Awakened Attention to catch your impulses, prior to action. Notice how you are feeling in relation to each member of your family. If you are awake you may want to go counter to your impulses. If you are really up for discomfort, try on a completely foreign role.

(Read with your tongue in your cheek)
As for me, I just stay away from my family. They bring out the worst in me and I am way to busy to deal with all of the ways they make me crazy. If they are all willing to change and see things as I do, maybe then we can get along. Until then, I just stay in my own private world. Family shmamily.

Why Won't She Answer The Phone?

I just spoke to her on the phone, so why am I now getting a taped french recording when I call? I know she teaches french, but why am I hearing this?" After trying to call my sweetheart seven times over the course of a couple hours, I gave up.

When she called me later I asked her "What's up with French recording?"

She had no idea what I was talking about and started to throw out a load of questions.

"How many times did you call?"

"How long has this been happening?"

"How many rings before the recording comes on?"

The last question was "What does the recording say?"

Anyone that knows me as well as she does, knows that my french is limited to frerajoka, and I don't even know what that means.

"I have less than no idea." was all I could muster in response.

Irritated after dialing an 11 digit number seven times, listening to french seven times, then a flurry of questions about her phone problem I said "call me when you have it figured out."

Two minutes later she called back to tell me her daughter had no problem calling, so of course I tried again.

Turns out it was MY problem. My long distance line was out. I called her back from my cell to apologize and explain.

I love the moments when I am stopped dead in my tracks and given a good slap from Life. I simply pick myself up, laugh and hopefully move on a little more humble and alot more awake.

Attending to Attention To Write About Attention

The only way you can write about Awakened Attention is to relax and BE attention.

That means there is only the process of attention,
attending to whatever is happening within it.

The field of attention contains whatever is happening within it.

The idea that 'I am paying attention'
is just another thing happening
in the field of attention.

I am the field of attention,
without the 'I'.

To put it simply,
the field of attention IS,
and things happening in it IS.

Then the idea 'I am paying attention' happens.

The 'doer' of attending is claimed in hindsight.

Hindsight is usually 20/20
In this case it is a delusion.

What does all this mean?
Only that we are not at all what we imagine.

We are so much more.

'THE' Meaning of Life?

An excerpt from: Waking Up To Life! The Art and Skill of Awakened Attention by Aaron McNaught (Available soon!!!!!!)

"We can discover that there is greater meaning to be found in sheer presence than in the naive affirmations of existence that pose as hope." ~ Ngakpa Chogyam

The idea of the meaning of Life is a very interesting one. Human beings are not born with an innate knowing, and there is no guide provided.

When I am asked my opinion on the deceptive question "What is the meaning of Life?" I generally stumble and pause.

Do I bother sharing my true view based on my Life experiences, or do I shrug my shoulders? Do they really want to hear my view, or are they looking for someone to agree with them about it?

I will often opt for the sneaky way and turn it around with "I dunno, whatta you think?"

If I am genuinely being queried, I might suggest that the question is actually a veiled assumption that unfairly presupposes there necessarily is 'A' meaning to Life, which I do not accept.

We must back-up to get to my understanding, and the question "what is the meaning of Life?" will not get us there.

I stop short of even asking the question by declaring I find no inherent meaning in Life. If I look at my Life I find it intensely meaningful, dripping and saturated with meaning.

If I were to posit 'THE' meaning of Life, I would have to put forth my beliefs, but I have none.

It is my experience that when I gave up the idea that 'Life was inherently meaningful', three things happened.

First, a burden of responsibility was removed from Life, allowing Life to simply be what it is. What is the meaning of a sunset? Autumn? Sorrow? What is the meaning of this moment now?

The second thing that happened was a fruitless search was abandoned in favor of relaxing into Life as it is being expressed moment to moment, with out some hope for a future that THE meaning of Life would reveal itself to me. I have no hope to discover THE meaning of Life, which frees Life to be intensely meaning-full as it unfolds and appears.

Third and finally, when the search was allowed to end and Life was allowed to be, the one that was searching also relaxes and uncoils. It is seen that the activity of searching only serves to chase something that I believed is other than here and now. The activity of looking for meaning is discovered to serve only to move me away from Life as it is appearing.

When I relax sufficiently I experience an aliveness that is present, and that aliveness in nothing other than Life, alive AS the body/mind I call 'me'.

Life is alive as 'me'.
I am alive as an expression of Life.
I am alive AS Life

Being alive AS Life is meaningful enough in itself. There is no need to know THE meaning, as if there is one. Alive as Life, all thought or ideas of finding THE meaning of Life do not appear.

A search for THE meaning is caused by mental inquiry, while being alive AS Life is far beyond the mind in which such inquiries appear.

On The Media and Marketing Floods

Due to the fact that I have recently began an intensive study of marketing techniques, I have become painfully aware of a few things.

1. We are bombarded with subtle forms of media and marketing almost continuously. Much of it uses psychological tactics to infiltate our defenses.

For instance, how well do you handle telephone soliciting? I know you may not like it, but how well do you handle it? Marketers are trained to keep you on the phone to wear you down. They can be persistent, tenacious and downright sneaky. Especially if there are rewards for them to get info from you or send info to you.

2. There is a war on right now. The battlefield is right in front of you, in the space of your awareness. The prize is your attention.

Due to the massive volume of media, extreme tactics are being uses to win your attention. Some of the messages are subtle, designed to prey on any feelings of inadequacy or disatisfaction. They offer you solutions that are temporary at best. For example:

"Do you ever feel like everyone is watching you? If so, we can help. Simply wear our patented blindfold and you will never be bothered with these feelings again.

I know it's an extreme example, but it makes the point. Rather than go to the root of a problem, it's all cosmetic. Cover it up, gloss it over and hope it goes away.

3. Finally, there is alotta garbage out there. A LOT of garbage.

(Here's my marketing pitch, after I've hopefully given you the bad news and used a few scare tactics)

Awakened Attention is the first line of defense against GIGO ie Garbage In Garbage out.

Only if you are awake are you protected from all the garbage floating around out there on the audio/video/multimedia waves.

Awakened Attention is all.

Sign up for my seminar here www.wakinguptolife.com

Garden In Decline

Garden in decline - repose
the rose's rosing slows
(not so rosey I suppose)
tho -
A lonely leaf is falling
while the winter winds are calling
the sleep of autumn stalling,
beckoning us all
while-
The summer days recede
and the grasses go to seed
bleeding hearts will plead
with the night to slow it's speed,
but-
Melancholy creeping
for the sleepy sleeper, sleeping
neath` the tree of willow, weeping
so-
With approaching death
and the crisping of the breath
lies the beauty and the mirth and
the hope of springing birth.

What Happens When We Understand?

Tell me what you pay attention to
and I will tell you who you are.
~ Jose Ortega y Gasset

I wanted to ponder with you for a moment...

What if... right beneath our noses was a different kind of Life. I am not talking about fixing our circumstances or 'Life situation'. I'm not talking about self improvement.

I am talking about the way we see things. I am talking about where our attention is and how that determines the world we live in, who we 'are' and the Life we live.

The quality of one's life depends on the quality of attention.
~ Deepak Chopra

I am talking about what it really means to be happy. Insightful. Wise. Relaxed. Creative. Energetic.

All of these qualities stem from understanding.

"Understanding what?" you ask?

Understanding that when we lose interest in mental chatter and allow attention to relax into it's source, then everything changes, without changing anything at all.

For lack of attention a thousand forms of
loveliness elude us every day.
~ Evelyn Underhill

What happens when we develop an unconditional openness toward every moment of Life as it appears?

What happens when we get out of the way and allow Life to unfold and we fall in love with the process of Life's bloom and we watch and realize that we ARE Life in the deepest and truest way?

Attention is the most basic form of Love
~ John Tarrant

What happens when we realize that Life is what we ARE and to BE Life, we need do nothing at all?

Beginners Mind Is 'Surprise!' Mind

Beginners Mind Is 'Surprise'! Mind

An excerpt from: Waking Up To Life!
The Art and Skill of Awakened Attention
by Aaron McNaught
(Available soon!!!!!!)

Practice: Beginners Mind

The first words from Suzuki Roshi in his wonderful little book 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' were: "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."

Beginner's Mind is the original mind, the mind before it is the mind. It is what it is before we catagorize, lable, name, or interpret.

Beginner's Mind is the innocent mind before it pretends to be smart or worldly or wise. It is open to receiving doubt and understanding just the same, because it is not full of anything. Rather, it is empty and therefor, receptive. Beginner's Mind sees things as they are, not as they could be or should be or were. It approaches each moment as an unknown, unfamiliar, with full attention, curiousity and care, as if it will never appear again. It will not appear again. But Beginner's Mind cannot be certain of that.

Beginner's Mind is ignorant in the very best way.

As I type these words I have become very uncertain what Beginner's Mind is, but I will proceed ... none-the-less.

Beginner's Mind always proceeds, even when it is uncertain. Especially when it is uncertain. Except when it doesn't, then that is also Beginner's Mind.

Beginner's Mind might be reading these words right this instant, and suddenly, Surprise! It found you.

Beginner' Mind is Surprise! mind. You need not look for it because it is already looking for you, but if you find yourself looking for it, no worries because that is Beginner's Mind too. Surprise!

Beginners Mind is the essence of mind, like the wetness of water.

Now, having told you what Beginners Mind is, let me tell you what Beginners Mind is not. Beginners Mind is not nothing. If that cramps your mind for a moment, good. Mind cramps are like food for Beginners Mind.

It is now that you might want to forget everything I have just shared with you and simply find out for yourself what it is. Obviously, I do not know.

If you find out I would be grateful if you would me let me know. Surprise!

Sleep Driving In Lala Land

Having recently returned from Scotland I have concluded
that the drivers there are far superior to the drivers in Canada.

Why?

One reason.
If you don't pay attention to your driving in Scotland,
you will either go over a cliff or be run off the road.
Either way you may be dead.

The roads are so narrow, and the cliffs are so steep,
that a moment of inattention might be your last.

I didn't see anyone driving with a cell phone to their ear.
I don't think I saw anyone driving with a smoke in their hand.
I don't think I saw anyone driving with a Tim Horton's in their hand.

In Canada everyone has a cell to their ear while driving.
Many also have a smoke, a coffee, or both in their hands.

The roads are so wide open and straight that
there is little demand for attention.

Our desire for convenience and safety
has disconnected us from our environment.

We don't pay attention because we don't have to.

Rather than pay attention to safety, wear a helmet.
Rather than pay attention to accuracy, throw it away and start over.
Rather than pay attention to what you are doing, do it on autopilot.
Rather than pay attention to reality, create your own reality.
Rather than pay attention to Life, live in Lala land .

Plugged into every orfice, we are wired into a world
that is far far removed from the reality of Life.

Multitasking.
Undue Care and Attention.
Attention Deficit.
Divided Attention.
Continuous Partial Attention.
Dreamworld.
Robot Life.
Zobified.
Lala land.
Asleep.

Am I Sisyphus or Masochist?

I have recently, strangely, fallen in love with hill jogging/running/crawling. I arrive to Kin Canyon in Red Deer, walking and stretching as I approach the hill. I stand at the bottom and look up with affection. I know this hill. I love this hill. I know what is to come.

This is like foreplay.

I am full in the body, with attention flooding the breath and the belly I relax and prepare.

I start to jog up it's immediately steep slope, the path winding gently before coming to the halfway point where it becomes steeper yet. Here I dig in and push, with another 30 strides to the top. Thighs start to burn and the breath is short.

The last 10 strides are really tough, but because I can see the top, nothing can stop me. When I reach the flattened top I need to catch my breath, and that's all. When I can stand up straight I look around at the beautiful view, then immediately turn around and start the descent.

Even the descent is tough, but I am already preparing for what is to come. When I am at the bottom, I turn and look at the top, take a deep breath, and start again. This time I am stronger, more determined, more focused. Somehow this time is easier, even though it's harder.

It is here that it becomes obvious that the body knows what it is doing without any need of the thinking mind. In fact, thought is only an impediment.

The body has another kind of knowing, adjusting itself as needed. When attention is full in the body, functioning is effortless, efficient and accurate.

I jog up and down this hill at least 4 times, the last two are excruciating. When the mind is quite because it is no longer needed, the body does what it knows.

Like Sisyphus, I am destined to struggle to the top, only to decend and prepare to struggle to the top again. I am going nowhere, and it is easy to find joy in a journey that has no destination.

Like many of the tasks of Life, if we cannot find joy in the doing of them, we will eventually find out that they never really lead anywhere.

With Awakened Attention, every moment, every act is complete in itself, not going anywhere but always worthy of attention.

It's all we have.