The silence of the Sahara, as described by Paul Bowles, is a mirror to the silence we encounter in deep meditation. In either and both cases, a "baptism of solitude," make possible the dissolution of familiar constructs of self. We are confronted with a choice in each moment: to cling to our known identity or to surrender to the transformative power of emptiness.
Joseph Goldstein, in today’s dharma talk, speaks of the "thirst for existence" that keeps us tethered to our expectations. This thirst, akin to the force of gravity, pulls us away from what is actually there. It is a force that binds us to the illusion of a fixed identity, preventing us from experiencing the liberation that comes with letting go.
And while there is undoubtedly pain in self-analysis, it is less an obstacle so much as it is a gateway to profound insight. “We need to remind ourselves repeatedly that the process of liberation is is about not holding on rather than about getting,” Joseph observes.
Whether we are traveling through foreign landscapes or exploring the contours of our own minds, today’s entry invites us to confront the conflict between who we think we are and the boundless awareness that underlies all experience. This confrontation is not a battle to be won, but a surrender to be embraced. It is in this surrender that we find the paradoxical strength of vulnerability, the power of emptiness. Pay attention to the wisdom of “Try to be less, not more,” when you listen to today’s talk.
Holding the aspiration for this variety of liberation is not for the faint of heart. It demands a willingness to stand naked before the mirror of reality, to confront the illusions we have long cherished. Yet in this confrontation lies the possibility of true freedom - not a freedom from the world, but a freedom to engage with it fully, unburdened by the weight of a false self.
As you explore this path, keep in mind that the path is not for acquiring new knowledge or achieving a particular state. It is designed instead to help you strip away, let go, and return to a primordial awareness that has always been present. It is in this bare attention, this radical openness to the present moment, that we be less, not clinging to anything in the world.
Each man’s destiny is personal only insofar as it may happen to resemble what is already in his memory.
Not Clinging To Anything
A Dharma Talk by Joseph Goldstein
…not clinging to anything in the world. it’s not a half-hearted measure. this is a radical break with how we usually are.
Meditation Practice
Observe the moment of "waking up" from mind-wandering with careful attention. Notice the subtle transition as awareness shifts from being lost in thought back to the present moment. What qualities and sensations arise in this precise instant of recognition? How does the mind feel as it emerges from the dream-like state of distraction into clear knowing? Pay particular attention to the emotional tone and energy of this moment of awakening to presence.
