Clearly I have a large number (thousands, millions...) of these, but they are elusive because I have conditioned myself to not see them. (“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”)
So I am listening, reflecting, and meditating to discover these defects. My working definition of defect is: "a tendency to enter a defective mental state." I.e. a tendency for a certain type of "aklista vritti" to arise in the Chitta.
How best to distinguish defective from non-defective, though? Do I rely on intuition alone, i.e. what appears to be non-virtuous in the light of listening, reflection, and meditation, is a defect? Do I keep watching it until it makes its true nature known?
How specific should I get? For example, "procrastination" is widely regarded as defective. I procrastinate. But at what level of specificity should I work when trying to overcome this tendency to procrastinate? For example, every evening at some point I have to shut the computer and sit down to meditate. I have observed a tendency to keep sitting at the computer when I no longer have anything useful to do there. I put off shutting the computer - clearly this is a defective tendency to reduce the amount of time spent in meditation.
My intuition is telling me to focus on the specific tendency, at least for now, and that "procrastination" in general is more of an intellectual category. Do you agree?
So I am listening, reflecting, and meditating to discover these defects. My working definition of defect is: "a tendency to enter a defective mental state." I.e. a tendency for a certain type of "aklista vritti" to arise in the Chitta.
How best to distinguish defective from non-defective, though? Do I rely on intuition alone, i.e. what appears to be non-virtuous in the light of listening, reflection, and meditation, is a defect? Do I keep watching it until it makes its true nature known?
How specific should I get? For example, "procrastination" is widely regarded as defective. I procrastinate. But at what level of specificity should I work when trying to overcome this tendency to procrastinate? For example, every evening at some point I have to shut the computer and sit down to meditate. I have observed a tendency to keep sitting at the computer when I no longer have anything useful to do there. I put off shutting the computer - clearly this is a defective tendency to reduce the amount of time spent in meditation.
My intuition is telling me to focus on the specific tendency, at least for now, and that "procrastination" in general is more of an intellectual category. Do you agree?
Accepted Answer
At times what we think is virtuous can cause harm, and what we think is a defect can be helpful. Thus, the intellect can never recognize what is good and bad in us, neither can any kind of system of definitions.
To discover the reality, one has to first observe without judgment, preconditions, beliefs, interpretations, etc.
Observe things as they are. Then later, in meditation, without the intellect comparing A and B, let the consciousness observe the facts. With patience, you will discover that your consciousness will "know" without reasoning. It will just KNOW.
To discover the reality, one has to first observe without judgment, preconditions, beliefs, interpretations, etc.
Observe things as they are. Then later, in meditation, without the intellect comparing A and B, let the consciousness observe the facts. With patience, you will discover that your consciousness will "know" without reasoning. It will just KNOW.
"Do not worry; cultivate the habit of being happy." - Samael Aun Weor
Accepted Answer
At times what we think is virtuous can cause harm, and what we think is a defect can be helpful. Thus, the intellect can never recognize what is good and bad in us, neither can any kind of system of definitions.
To discover the reality, one has to first observe without judgment, preconditions, beliefs, interpretations, etc.
Observe things as they are. Then later, in meditation, without the intellect comparing A and B, let the consciousness observe the facts. With patience, you will discover that your consciousness will "know" without reasoning. It will just KNOW.
To discover the reality, one has to first observe without judgment, preconditions, beliefs, interpretations, etc.
Observe things as they are. Then later, in meditation, without the intellect comparing A and B, let the consciousness observe the facts. With patience, you will discover that your consciousness will "know" without reasoning. It will just KNOW.
"Do not worry; cultivate the habit of being happy." - Samael Aun Weor
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