Mindfulness of Mind

In the Asheyana path, Calm Abiding practice is supported by one's work with the Eight Renunciations, having developed some space of mind in stepping back from bivalent perceptions.

Here is an extension of the Calm Abiding practice to deepen one's work with the step : "5. Open the Mind." This extension can be used during Calm Abiding practice or outside of defined practices sessions.

Called here "Mindfulness of Mind," this extension is inspired by the third of the Nikaya Buddhist Four Establishments of Mindfulness, also called "Mindfulness of Mind."

During a session of Calm Abiding, while working with the 'Five Points of Practice,' Location, Physical, Sensory, Attention, and Mind, one begins to focus more on the fifth Point of Practice, that of the Mind. One allows one's mind to naturally open or to naturally focus, or to move steadily between openness and focus, for as long as openness or focus naturally occurs.

• • Drawing back from evaluations or judgements of what may arise in one's mind, one simply connects with the basic texture of mind.
    
    

  • If what arises in one's mind is accompanied by strong emotion such as anger, hatred, aversion, or disgust, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of mind, gently returning to openness.
          

  • If what arises in one's mind is accompanied by strong emotion such as attraction, lust, greed, or desire, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of mind, gently returning to openness.
          

  • If nothing seems to arise in one's mind, and yet this is accompanied by indifference, boredom, distractability, or impatience, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of mind, gently returning to openness.
     

  • If imagined or recalled images, sounds, or sensations arise in one's mind, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of mind, gently returning to openness.
    
    

  • If ideas, plans, logics, or other reasoning arises in one's mind, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply connects with the basic texture of mind, gently returning to openness.
    
    

  • If one becomes absorbed into or detached during this Mindfulness of Mind practice extension, one briefly returns to the general Calm Abiding instruction until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Mind practice extension. 
    
    

• • Notice the texture rather than the content of the arisen state.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind is still.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind is in motion.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind is tight and agitated.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind is loose and scattered.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind feels full and satisfied.
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind is open and tranquil.
    
    

Following a session of Calm Abiding, one can extend Mindfulness of Mind into daily life by:

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Mind developed during practice to the periods of one's day--waking, preparing for the day, morning, noontime, afternoon, evening, nighttime, releasing from the day, sleeping.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the mind throughout the day. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted states related to the period of day--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Mind developed during practice to one's own activities during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the mind when relating with oneself. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted states related to one's actions--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Mind developed during practice to activities involving others during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice the texture of the mind when relating with others. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted states related to one's interactions with others--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

• If one becomes absorbed or detached during this Mindfulness of Mind practice extension, one can return to the mindfulness and awareness of daily life until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Mind practice extension.
  
  

  • Notice if one's habits of mind in daily life reflect one's Mindfulness of Mind in meditation practice--Be curious what might explain the difference between the two.

Note: Two distinctions between Mindfulness of Mind extension practice and the practice of Reflection:

• In the former, one practices looking mindfully at what the state of mind is. In the latter, a state of mind arises that demands one's attention to reflection.

• In the former, one may have to apply conceptual labels to better discern what the state of mind is. In the latter, the state generally arises with a conceptual message to work with.
  
  

By practicing "Mindfulness of Mind," one can begin to see through direct experience how one's mind holds itself and what the texture of mind is like, in stillness and motion, across various emotional and mental states. One can also begin to see for oneself the seeming permanence of a current state of mind, and its actual impermanence once the mind inevitably shifts into another state.

The fruition of Mindfulness of Mind is called Poise of Mind--a good posture to the mind, neither too tight nor too loose, with attention to the mind as mind, spaciously allowing arising and subsiding of emotional and mental states such that the mind appears steady, balanced, and free of grasping, with a sensitivity that appears as elegance.

May these words help the good Asheyana practitioner to spaciously hold the Poise of Mind, with full mindfulness. May it be of benefit.