Synopsis of February 27, 2011 Living Chan Retreat:
Memory affects how we perceive things. But actually there is no self (subject) in the memory. We feel pains/emotions (object) through our senses and through the working of the Five Skandhas (or Five Aggregates of Form, Sensation, Perception, Violation and Consciousness). I (the subject) can sense and think (because I have the ability to do so), but the sensation or thought (the object) does not contain "I" (it has no ability).
However, most people are fooled by our emotions/senses and are adversely affected by them. Mistakenly, we perceive our sensation and thought to contain "I" (the subject). With this incorrect view, our mind is distorted and leads us into wrongful actions or behaviours.
If we can understand that when "I" feel the pain, there is no subject in the pain, we can more readily understand the situation/pain and take the proper actions/reactions, instead of being carried away by the situation/pain.
When the mind is not settled, we will be easily carried away by our emotions.
With relaxation, it is easier to settle the mind and stay focused, so we can be in control of instead of being controlled by our emotions.
The method: firstly, understand the correct view about "I", secondly, stay calm and focused through relaxation. Then our mind will be more settled.
How to apply the method into daily life?
* Try to be aware of our thoughts and sensation at all times, know what we are doing or thinking, stay alert.
* Stay calm and relaxed using the 90% body 10% external awareness.
* Self reflection - try to change our perception (what we can control) instead of changing the external attributes (what we may not be able to control).
* Do not be tangled up by the past memories or the future anxiety, stay in the present.
* Stabilize the mind with practice of meditation or direct contemplation.
When we are good at stabilizing the mind then we can handle both the daily grind and unexpected situations with ease.
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