If we are to get the most from our practice in our daily life, which is actually being fleshed out everyday, we need to try to extend our attention to the tasks, experiences and encounters of ordinary living in our daily life, in addition to our formal practice on the cushion /chair.

This does not mean spending long hours in formal practice ! This is to be done, instead, by attempting to extend moment-to-moment attention to the tasks, experiences and encounters of ordinary daily living such as: washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, working in the garden, cleaning out the garage, brushing your teeth, taking a shower or bath, or just sitting on the front steps or in the backyard etc. - daily activities that we do routinely, without any thought.

We don’t need to do it formally like in a formal practice, either. For example, if we are washing the dishes- just try to be aware as you take each pot, each cup and each plate etc.as it comes, be aware of the movements of your body in holding, scrubbing and rinsing. (Even in these days of dishwashers, one has to at least rinse each dish or pot before putting in the machine!) In doing the dishes mindfully, you may come to see with great vividness the reality of impermanence. The dirty dishes becoming clean and shiny etc. This is just one example of doing with greater awareness. One can gradually extend to as much of other activities as possible and observe the nature of their impermanence /change.

One can also bring mindfulness into looking into one’s own mind, such as tuning in to your thoughts, mood states and emotions such as, restlessness, anxiety, fear, frustration , anger etc., as they arise. Just watch them come up. Don’t get involved. Much to your surprise, you’ll find that each simply just arises and passes away. The mind states and emotions - all just hollow impulses, arising and passing away. We don’t need to do anything about it or act on it. We just need to be aware of their arising. We have given in to them previously out of habit and also because we have never really bothered to look beyond that until now.

Paying attention does not , however, mean “thinking about”it. It means directly perceiving into the nature of what you are attending to. This is the Path of Insight, the path of wisdom which leads one ultimately to the path of “Acceptance and Peace”. By walking this path of awareness, one is bringing a systematic consciousness to the experience of living, that only makes living more full, more real; to live in accordance with the way things are, to come into harmony with all things and all moments.

Thus, it is not enough to just do the formal practice. Mindfulness / awareness has to be carried over to our daily life to be really able to benefit from it. The formal practice is just laying the infrastructure or basic foundation for mindfulness. On this strong foundation, we need to cultivate and develop the framework of mindfulness into our daily life.

The Buddha reiterated this Universal Truth as his last words, before he passed away. He reminded all with this phrase: Vaya Dhamma Sankhara meaning all natural phenomena (phenomena that are made up by pre-existing causes and thus dependent upon and influenced or conditioned by other things), are of a nature to decay or passing away ”

This was followed by the advice Appamadena Sampadetha which means :“strive on with

diligence” - To practice with diligence to be able to experience this Truth directly.

It means, this Truth has to be and can be lived and experienced through practice in this very life; a direct and personal experience. Not as just another intellectual or academic exercise or pursuit, that would have no direct impact on our lives.

In fact, we have heard and seen things passing away - changing or impermanent; trees falling, buildings collapsing and even our dear friends passing away. But they seemed so far fetched and have no direct impact on us. Have we ever thought of our own selves passing away anytime, even while attending to that of the deceased ?

We need to observe how readily we cling to our constructs and delusions, which are all conditions of our mind and body, which arise and pass away or keep changing. Knowing this true nature of things is the key to solving many of our life’s problems.

As we become convinced by opening up our minds and observing how these conditions arise and pass away or keep changing , through our personal and direct experience and understand them as they are, we free ourselves from identifying with these sensory conditions. We come to realize that all things in nature and all that we perceive and conceive of, is change. They are all Impermanent. We don’t become overwhelmed when we face life’s inevitable disappointments or adversities. They are bound to change anyway! It enables us to have resilience in confronting challenging internal mental functions - thoughts, feelings, specially negative emotions such as anger, frustration, hatred, fear, confusion etc., or external situations, as they arise, knowing they are bound to pass away . We no longer become blinded and deluded to the appearance of things or the sensory experiences and react blindly.

As we train and cultivate mindfulness in this way, there generate in our minds profound insights and clarity . A direct and personal realization that they are all conditions; that nothing ever lasts long but are bound to pass away. The dispelling of such ignorance, helps us learn to relax and shift our habitual perceptions. We come to have less attachment and clinging ,which are the main causes of our life’s problems , according to the Buddha and able to face and handle better, in times of adversities or our negative emotions.

The realization that they are all conditions of the mind and are bound to pass away , also helps foster greater capacity for compassionate understanding, empathy and accommodation, especially in our relationships and dealing with people. We come to learn to listen more to people, their side of the story etc. This is especially helpful when dealing with people like one’s colleagues and bosses at work, family and the community etc. We come to learn to adopt a more peaceful and conflict-resolving life style. Living becomes easier and problems becomes lighter and a potential for our happiness too.

May you all be fulfilled with peace and happiness in your life !

Sister Khema Nandi.

July 20, 2011.