Memory, Existence, and Anticipation

 

Notes from April 22

In any given moment, I'm dividing my attention between memory, existence, and anticipation. These are the ways in which the past, present, and the future arise in my awareness.

Perhaps I don’t see that it isn’t just the thinking part of myself that has a memory, that exists, and that anticipates. The body is like this as well; and so are the feelings. 

These three centers in these three states can support one another. So, for example, the body can play the role of memory, the mind that of existence, and the feelings that of anticipation. They change places according to need. There are times when the mind remembers, the body exists, the feeling anticipates; there are times when the body anticipates, the feelings remember, and the mind exists. I think you catch my drift.

If the parts aren’t arranged appropriately within the context of the given situation, they don’t play the correct rules and things become quite a mess. If my parts are working well together, the understanding of which one should do which thing is instinctive and organic: it arises naturally. If the harmony of my inward state is disrupted, this doesn't take place.

It’s interesting to know these things; but they aren’t of much practical use in day-to-day living.I can’t think my way into a state where I can exploit this knowledge in some technical way. I have to allow the flowing-in-of-life to inform me, with the action of its own integrated intelligence, as to the way things ought to be arranged. 

I let things arrange themselves: I'm simply here to participate. 

This doesn’t mean I'm passive; participation is an incredibly active state. The difference between participation and passivity is that participation is intelligent, it's aware; it comes from attention.

Open your heart to what is today. Be well.

Warmly,

Lee

Lee van Laer is a Senior Editor at Parabola Magazine.