Choiceless Observation — Day 204

This month, we are looking at our human awareness mind. So far we've looked at it from the perspectives of its 1) independence, 2) pace and richness, and 3) ability to observe ourselves deeply, as nature. In the final week at this level of mind, we're going to investigate the 'choiceless observation' quality of awareness.

Awareness itself does not discriminate – it is 100% accepting. It makes no choices about what it observes – simply taking-in what's in front of it, at it comes. Awareness basically says, 'right now, this is happening.' Your human mind is both fully aware and accepting, with no capacity to be otherwise.

These qualities are beautifully expressed in Rumi's The Guest House. If being human is like a guest house, then awareness is the proprietor. You don't choose who shows-up, might be guests you like (chocolate!😋), or maybe guests you don't (anxiety!😬). It makes no difference to your human awareness.

We generally don't approach life like this. In fact, we discriminate so strongly that we have intense emotional reactions about things! But there is an important lesson here. Rumi says that each guest is a guide, even the 'dark thought, the shame, the malice'. Guiding you towards what? To the depths of yourself, to your own nature, and to the innate goodness therein...to finishing your practice.

PRACTICE

Observe your 'guests' as guests. You didn't choose them, and you don't know how long they will stay. Who is it easy to 'welcome and entertain', and where is it more difficult? See if by merely observing your guests, aka keeping a little bit seperate from them, you can move the needle a little bit – if not quite 'welcome and entertain'😀, perhaps a bit more 'greet and tolerate'😐.