..in response to a comment about J Krishnamurti and Schopenhauer:
Interestingly, the sense of ‘no lack’ does not cause inertia or phlematism. It’s more a truly ‘self’-less situation in which the already present ‘no-lackness’ expresses itself joyfully. Children play in a sand castle without a felt need to entertain any meaning.
JK would agree with St Francis of Assisi who said: “What we are looking for is what is looking.’
We can verify this by sensing that the ‘looking itself’ has no lack. It is the mental identification with a ‘me’ that
1. believes that it causes the seeing (how ridiculous to think this) and
2. interprets/defines/relates to the apparent objects (what is ‘seen’)
Those two mental activities result in a sense of lack and cause the striving toward no lack. Hence the yearning for meaning – in the hope that meaning will fill the sense of lack. It won’t. To realise the ever-fresh, timeless ‘looking’ (fundamental awareness) is what Krishnamurti is pointing to – and many others. Schopenhauer’s interpretations can lure the mind into dwelling on theory. Once done with it, the actual realisation of what JK is pointing to is more rewarding.
“Once done with it, the actual realisation of what JK is pointing to is more rewarding.”
This is my experience, it’s a sweet indescribable feeling, an okayness with what is, a profound relaxation. I am okay with not knowing what it is, I just want to rest here now 🙂
Many thanks for your interesting blog. I listen a lot to Paul Hedderman and enjoyed reading your comments.
It appears to be somewhat inappropriate to compare acquiring a skill with waking up. However, in both cases, habit plays a big role. As musicians, we can say that repetitive practice increases the skill until it becomes ‘our second nature.’ It then feels easy. In a similar way, our ‘negative habit’ of believing ‘what we are not’ (Paul Hedderman) could be replaced with a new habit of seeing (exposing) this negative habit. Even Paul recommends repetition, repeated pointing. Once that new habit is consolidated, it’s the easiest thing/nothing. When Paul states that there is ‘no requirement necessary’ I’d comment that this natural ease is the result of following repeated pointing with interest. Perhaps we could concede that this new habit is more related to the undoing of an old habit, rather than to acquire a new skill.