Q1-20160302-Larry_Rosenberg-CIMC-learning_how_to_live_in_real_time_reflections_on_the_buddhas_bhadde

Talk: 2016-03_02 Learning How to Live in Real Time_ Reflections on the Buddha's Bhaddekaratta Sutta 1.json Start_time: 01:04:49 Display_question: Where does the effort come from to not get so caught up in distractions? Keyword_search: impulse, present, ancestors, survival, mind, grasping, intimate living experience, Whole Foods, Narayan, vision meetings, anxiety, survival, ego, clarity, determination, effort, clear seeing, dusting off the mirror, daily life, awakening, falling asleep, discernment, sutta, conviction, inner slavery, getting free Question_content: Questioner: So, I remember you mentioning like the impulse, to not be present. And I always think about how like our ancestors probably had to be constantly thinking about the future, to find food, and shelter, and stuff like that. Now, many of us fortunate to have those things provided to us, don't have to, but our mind continues to grasp. Larry: Well, you see there is…yes, exactly. But it's not to not use a careful sense of what the future might be, to make estimates. It's when the mind replaces the intimate living experience, of the present moment, with constantly trying to get a good future. It's not so even now, we have to survive, maybe not to forage, to go to Whole Foods, but we have to get money, we have to do this, we have to do that. So there's still a place for making intelligent… Break_line: For example, Narayan and I, from time to time, we meet, and we make…we have… we call them vision meetings. Narayan, is the other guiding teacher at the center, if you're new. And we try to make guesses, how's the center doing? Where is it heading? Is there some new direction that's called for, et cetera? These are just guesses. They're educated guesses. But so much in life is, you do the best you can, and it's not to rule that out. But if you start seeing, that so much of your life, is about anxiety being replaced by, trying to find futuristic solutions, and in the meantime, your life is passing you by, then it would be. But I think our ancestors, they needed that as survival, for sure. Yes. Questioner: So I guess I was wondering, since this impulse is so strong, and even to not be present, we could be absorbed in technology, or romance, or alcohol, or whatever… Larry: But instead of being theoretical. How does it apply to you? Questioner: Well, it applies to me. The thing that I'm wondering is, if these impulses are so strong, and we want relief from being constantly distracted by them. But the way that I inevitably approach it is, through this ego gaining mind, that I want that clarity. I want to be in the present. And so if that's just another part of that escape mechanism, then where does… because it takes so much determination and effort to really do that, where does that effort come from? If it doesn't come from… Larry: Yeah. When…I don't know you. So I hope this is not... I don't know where your practice is, or quote, or anything like that, but for all of us, when we begin, it's very difficult to really understand the power of, clear seeing. Because we're so used to doing something, to get something. We don't realize that, seeing is a form of action. In other words, when the mind, by seeing here, I'm talking about a different kind of seeing, that is not encumbered by our past conditioning at all, and that we're developing the ability to look without being… it's called dusting off the mirror. The ancients talk that way. Break_line: Okay, so when the seeing starts to see what you're talking about, that starts to clarify itself. It's not that you have to do… so that when you're working… let's say if you bring it into work, you bring it into your love life, you bring it into family, whatever you want. In other words, it's meant to be….it’s not…you don't sever it from your ordinary life. Daily life, is the practice. Do you see what I mean? But we have to learn how to bring our ability to stay awake, in the midst of action, and changing field, because it's always… so it's the practice of awakening, and falling asleep. Awakening and falling asleep. Until as you start to see the power of the beauty. For me, it's more beauty, than power of clear seeing. You'll want to do it, just like anything else that you've discovered in life, that has proven itself to you. Questioner: I do sometimes experience that beauty, and clear discernment. But then my ego comes around and goes, oh, we're doing it. And then I cling to it. And then when it goes away, I. get… Larry: What do you got against that? Questioner: Because then I… Larry: No, no…you see…in other words, if you're practicing being aware, be aware of the ego doing that. Don't get into war with the ego, because that's one part of the ego saying, oh, he doesn't want to be egotistical. All right, I'll pretend that I'm not egotistical. And then they go at it, and then you get caught. It's still the old mind. Do you see what I mean? In other words, nothing's exempt. Questioner: Definitely Larry: No exemptions here. Whatever turns up. So you see the ego doing that? That's what I meant. It can be hilarious. Questioner: It is funny. Larry: Yeah. Okay so you've already begun to see it? Yeah. Good. But do you see what I'm getting at? Questioner: I do. Larry: Please, now, here's one of the uses of suttas. Sometimes people, we do get discouraged. We do…we haven't tasted some of the fruit, that we hear, read about, and these books, and hear people like me, blabbing about. And so sometimes a particular teaching can inspire us, or a particular phrase, even a quote, to give us energy. But sometimes it does take some provisional conviction to keep going, until you actually taste the beauty of clear seeing, and then the learning that comes out of the seeing. And finally, it's the clear seeing that frees us, that liberates us, and it's about getting free, inner slavery, freeing ourselves from that. Does that make some sense? Questioner: It does. Larry: Okay Questioner: Thank you. End_time: 01:10:53