Remember to Recognize
I’m loving this Abhidamma course! For example, I had a little “ah-ha” moment when I was listening to Steve Armstrong give the meditation instructions…after hearing him define “mindfulness” as “remembering to recognize.”
At the beginning of every sit, his instructions are to:
Remember to recognize the present moment experience.
I heard that and I thought: Ah-ha! “Remember” is sati (be mindful) and “Recognize” is sampajanna (clearly know)! As in the traditional instructions where the Buddha describes his followers as “contemplating the body [or breath, or whatever] ardent, clearing knowing, and mindful….”
For me, the instruction to “remember to recognize” suggests a much more specific quality of attention than “bring your awareness to…,” “notice..,” or even “pay attention to….”
It’s one thing to be more-or-less “mindful” of the breath, or body, or whatever’s going on in the mind. And quite another to remember that what I want to do is to actually recognize what’s happening.
Try it!