Q4-19880323-Larry_Rosenberg-UNK-samadhi_in_action-1548 Leandra Tejedor (1)

Talk: 19880323-Larry_Rosenberg-UNK-samadhi_in_action-1548 Leandra Tejedor (1) Start_time: 54:16 Display_question: I notice that I lose my attentiveness in transitions, and I wonder if you have any suggestions for this? Keyword_search: spacing out, inattentiveness, relationship, anxiety, habit, pause, intention, awake, remember, possibilities, Theravada monks, India, walking meditation, automatic pilot, unconsciously, consciously, shower, mind, breath, character Question_content: Questioner: Like I was mentioning to you, what I've been watching, and finding is…I mean I'm always spacing out, but I'm more with stuff, when I'm doing something. I've been noticing today, a lot, after I mentioned it, is in the transportation, is when I lose it. You know, I'm all right getting dressed, but then I'm all right once I get to the bathroom. But in between the two, is when I lose it. Larry: Okay so then you… One of the things is very helpful, is beginning to see systematic ways, in which inattentiveness exists, for each one of us, has our own pattern. Sometimes it's where anxiety is. There's a strong relationship between anxiety, and inattentiveness. But it could be just you know habitual. Let's say you've isolated that, and you see that getting from A to B, is always where you, go to sleep. So then when you finish something, pause. Take it on, make it into a special practice for yourself. Pause, and form the intention to get… just do that. Just to get from, where you just got dressed, to the bathroom, fully awake. See if you can do that. It may seem like it's such a small thing, but if you can remember, and then do it one time, then it's the beginning of stretching your mind, and it's the beginning, of all new kinds of new possibilities. Break_line: One of the practices the old Theravada monks used to do in India, at the time of his teaching… they'd be walking into town, and trying to pay attention, fully attentive, while walking into town. If they realized at a certain point, oh, I lost it back at that oak tree, they would just go back to there, and start all over. Or there was one monk whoever, anytime people thought he was very weird, for a long time, until they found out what it was about. If he was talking, and if any of his gestures were done unconsciously, he would just do it over again, and do it consciously. Break_line: Or if a person, and I would say, I've done that walking one, by the way, don't overdo it. If you get undressed, or dressed, and you realize that you've blown it, you've done the whole thing, on automatic pilot. Just do it again. Only this time, do it slowly, and carefully, and see what it feels like. In fact, we can all try tomorrow morning. Let's see if we can just take a shower. See if you can just take a shower. That means just take a shower. Not take a shower, and figure, let's see when the choices come, will I take the roasted…roasted…what are those at breakfast? Sunflower seeds, and the tahini, or just the tahini? I don't know if that combines to I think…just take a shower. In other words, when you see the mind, it's very much like the breath, you're taking a shower, and the mind is clearly doing all kinds of other things. As soon as you notice it, come back to just feeling the water on you, or just the soap, or just the rag, whatever it is. And then your mind will leave again. And then you come back gently, again. Do you see how it's not any different? Well, it's through doing it. Doing it, doing it. And eventually we become it. It becomes part of our character. End_time: 57:31