A rather simple solution has arisen out of many many discussions offline.
“Stillness” is an aspect of sati. Stillness is an aspect of mindfulness. So stillness is required for the practice of Right Mindfulness.
What emerged from the offline discussions was the insight that we tend to dismiss mindfulness as “oh just pay attention and you’re there”
But mindfulness is not so simple in practice.
Here is SN45.8 Analysis on the practice of Right Mindfulness (Sammasati):
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
Being terrified hanging on a cliff is not “rid of desire and aversion for the world.” It took about ten years of practice for me to begin practicing right mindfulness when climbing. I still practice it and keep learning about new kinds of mindfulness.
Right Mindfulness is not simple. And it is one of the prerequisites for Right Immersion.
Thank you to Ajahn Akaliko and the Late Winter EBT group for all your kindness, compassion and support.
