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Ignorance is the curse of God,
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 7. |
Introduction to Clarity
Clarity practices are primarily concerned with exploring the nature of our experience.
Inquiry uses questioning to explore the big questions of life - and to challenge our assumptions about who and what we really are.
To practise inquiry: choose a question, such as 'Who am I?' Silently ask yourself this question, then see what comes up in response. Don't try to 'figure out' the answer, and don't think about the question. Simply ask, see what comes up, let it go, and repeat. Ask, and release. Ask, and release.
Investigation explores our subjective experience at the sensate level, examining the coming and going of each sight, sound, scent, flavour, texture and thought in minute detail. In so doing, we discover that our experience is not the objective view of external reality that it appears to be, but a complex patchwork woven together by our own minds.
To practise investigation: place your attention on your breathing. Notice the in-breath, notice the out-breath. Notice, too, the gaps between them. Then, notice that the in-breath has parts: beginning, middle, end. Notice that the out-breath is like this too. Notice that each of these parts of the breath - beginning, middle, end, gap - itself is comprised of smaller parts, coming and going with ever-greater rapidity. Keep going.
Awareness turns the direction of exploration back on itself, looking at that which knows experience. It turns out that discovering, recognising and connecting with our own awareness offers an immensely powerful perspective on our subjective experience that both transcends and includes everything we usually think of as ourselves, thereby offering tremendous relief from our usual preoccupations.
To practise awareness: place an object in front of you, and gaze at it. Notice that you are aware of this object; your experience includes your knowing of the object. Now, broaden your gaze: notice more of what's around the object. Include this in your experience, and notice your knowing of it. Continue to broaden your gaze until you are aware of your whole visual field, and aware of your awareness of the visual field. Repeat with all your other senses. Come to a place where you are aware of the totality of your experience, leaving nothing out, and become aware of this total, global awareness. Now, simply rest here.
For much more detail on these methods, including options and alternatives, see my free book Going with the Flow.
Clarity practices are primarily concerned with exploring the nature of our experience.
Inquiry uses questioning to explore the big questions of life - and to challenge our assumptions about who and what we really are.
To practise inquiry: choose a question, such as 'Who am I?' Silently ask yourself this question, then see what comes up in response. Don't try to 'figure out' the answer, and don't think about the question. Simply ask, see what comes up, let it go, and repeat. Ask, and release. Ask, and release.
Investigation explores our subjective experience at the sensate level, examining the coming and going of each sight, sound, scent, flavour, texture and thought in minute detail. In so doing, we discover that our experience is not the objective view of external reality that it appears to be, but a complex patchwork woven together by our own minds.
To practise investigation: place your attention on your breathing. Notice the in-breath, notice the out-breath. Notice, too, the gaps between them. Then, notice that the in-breath has parts: beginning, middle, end. Notice that the out-breath is like this too. Notice that each of these parts of the breath - beginning, middle, end, gap - itself is comprised of smaller parts, coming and going with ever-greater rapidity. Keep going.
Awareness turns the direction of exploration back on itself, looking at that which knows experience. It turns out that discovering, recognising and connecting with our own awareness offers an immensely powerful perspective on our subjective experience that both transcends and includes everything we usually think of as ourselves, thereby offering tremendous relief from our usual preoccupations.
To practise awareness: place an object in front of you, and gaze at it. Notice that you are aware of this object; your experience includes your knowing of the object. Now, broaden your gaze: notice more of what's around the object. Include this in your experience, and notice your knowing of it. Continue to broaden your gaze until you are aware of your whole visual field, and aware of your awareness of the visual field. Repeat with all your other senses. Come to a place where you are aware of the totality of your experience, leaving nothing out, and become aware of this total, global awareness. Now, simply rest here.
For much more detail on these methods, including options and alternatives, see my free book Going with the Flow.