Re: [BardonPraxis] Controlling the time

["Rawn Clark" <rawnclark@...>]

Dear Maximiliano,

>> You say that thinking about the time counts as an "interruption". I
saw it just as a thought...sometimes I get sucked by it and sometimes I
just observe it. I have countless of these thoughts and sometimes I can
observe them and sometimes not. So... when I get clinged to a thought,
this counts as an interruption? <<

When you get sucked into it, it's an official interruption since you're
then no longer passively observing. But when you just observe it as one
among many thoughts, it's not an interruption since you are still
maintaining your passive observation.

>> Should I open my eyes and check the time at that moment? And then,
should I continue the exercise until the next interruption? <<

In the beginning, when you're only managing a few seconds of the
exercise at a stretch, then it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to keep
opening your eyes and checking your clock. This tends to completely
disrupt your focus. A better alternative during the initial work with
an exercise is to use your string of beads or knots and use it to count
the number of interruptions. Do this until you get tired of trying or
until you think you've done around 10 minutes. At that point, open you
eyes, check the time and make a note of how many interruptions you
counted on your string of beads/knots within that span of time. As you
progress with the exercise and your seconds of un-interrupted meditation
begin to turn into minutes, then shift to checking the clock after each
interruption. This will then reveal accurately how long at a stretch
you are succeeding with the exercise and you can readily track your
improvement.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
17 Jan 2003
rawnclark@...
rawn@...
http://www.ABardonCompanion.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BardonPraxis