Reflections on Unit 2 Exercises

I was practicing LOK 5 again this morning and at one point it turned naturally into the supplemental exercise suggested on LOK p. xxvii. I was attending loosely to my experience, attempting to note the presence of “me” as positioned observer in and as part of the overall “situation.” After doing this in an undirected fashion for a time, I tried to focus it by asking an open-ended question: “What’s here?” I found that the question could include itself in the asking, as well as the sense of my being “behind” the question, attending to what presented itself objectively. When my perspective was “open enough,” such that it included the question and the positioned observer as well as the sensations, perceptions, and feelings that surrounded it, I found that my muscular tension seemed to loosen naturally or spontaneously and I felt more open and balanced.

Noting the effect of the question on clarifying awareness and opening my perspective, I decided it was useful and that I would use it again. I repeated it several times, whenever attention would wane or my mind would begin to wander into its storylines. One of the storylines included what I would write on this forum about the practice.

As soon as I noticed this, I realized I was engaged in the process described on LOK pg. xxvii: I perceived the effect of the question, judged that the question was good, used it several times to “test it out” and observe its patterns, then decided that this was something that I could “present” to the class (e.g., I formed a position about it).

Looking at this process, I don’t see anything inherently “wrong” with it. It seems a legitimate (conventional, empirical) way to proceed. And yet I can also see that the “conclusion” that I had found a helpful way to approach the exercise also invited certain limitations, including turning the more lively spirit of inquiry with which I had started into a habit or formula.

This is something I find happens in a number of ways: I tend to move towards habit and a kind of “deadness,” especially when I think I’ve found an answer or solved a puzzle. Rather than finding enlivened knowing in my discovery, the knowledge I’ve come to possess (as conclusion) becomes something of a lifeless trophy for me.

Best wishes,

Bruce

P.S. Is anyone else seeing “extra big fonts” and jumbled words on this forum? After the first several posts, all of the letters are much bigger and somewhat overlapping, making it hard to read.

P.P.S. I hope others join in soon. TSK discussions, in my experience, are often hard to get going online, but I’m hoping this “judgment” and “position” of mine can be proven wrong!