Kitchen Sink Dharma Walter Young

One of the reasons we practise meditation is to train ourselves to handle all of the ups and downs, from the smallest irritations to the greatest sorrows in our lives.
The teachings on the seven factors of awakening, which can be seen as a map of the territory, describe a series of steps that lead us to a place of steadiness and resilience.

The unconscious mind is incredibly powerful. It has the capacity to process information more quickly and more efficiently than our conscious mind. But it can be prone to errors and biases.
Emotional resistance clouds our intuitive wisdom. We’re more likely to be misled by feelings if we’re putting a lot of energy into our sense of self.
Knowing a little about how the mind works helps us to see more clearly.
This is a recording of a talk given to Insight North East in June 24.

When we meditate, we find out things about ourselves, like how easily we’re distracted. Sometimes when we have difficulty concentrating, we’re simply unwilling to accept what’s happening right now. What’s really going on is avoidance.
By sensing into the energy in the body, we’re tuning in to the present moment. We’re saying ‘this is what’s happening, right now, and it’s fine’.

As humans we have a natural negativity bias. We’re acutely sensitive to things that upset or trouble us.
Our capacity for gratitude and appreciation counteracts this. Acknowledging the good in our lives supports our sense of wellbeing and makes us less prone to depression.
 

Expecting pleasant feelings to remain stable means fighting against reality. Everything that arises passes; feelings change, often within a few seconds.
And yet still we react and cling as though our lives depend on it.

We’re not meditating so that we can rise above all that’s wrong in the world. Sometimes we have to engage with it. Sometimes we have to speak out against what’s unjust, and not from a place of hate and anger, but with openness and compassion.
This is the challenge of our lives.