16 Oct
2015
Posted in: Study
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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!

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