Stop Turning
A Reflection by Prajna
There is a turning that turns to grasp an idea, concept, preference, experience or story—all of which are already past. We can only try to grasp what is already passing, as the future has not come and “what is” is ungraspable. As soon as we grasp we miss the freshness of this moment, the power of now.
There is another turning, a turning that releases attention to what is. “What is” is complete innocence—unborn, happening yet not happening. We can not really turn toward this. We can only stop turning away from this—from this that is here already, prior to accumulating an idea, concept, preference or story that we hope or are entranced to believe will protect us from what is already passing. As soon as we see that everything is already passing anyway, we stop turning away from what is to grasp what is not. It is the turning away or toward our perceived beliefs that wraps us up in a state of denial about who we are, our true nature, our inborn innocence.
The turning that returns us to our true nature happens very naturally when we let everything that is past be past. That means every idea, experience, story or preference that arises in awareness, we let pass and notice what happens. Stillness, quiet pervades; fixation relaxes. Awareness or attention is rooted at its source. As this happens, a deep innocence becomes available, like a newborn child or a sweet puppy dog. Direct from innocence, a very clear seeing of the nature of illusion comes into view. We see that illusion is just that: illusion, a veil. We see that the very nature of illusion is to come and to go—that in the coming and going, no thing is added or subtracted from the root essence of who you are. This veil of illusion rises and falls in you as awareness. Thus, the ability or tendency to attach, fixate or invest in illusion has no substance. Your attention can’t go to what is not.
When the momentum of conditioning or mind takes over attention, the sensation of grasping is experienced. It is important to see that this is only happening in mind, which also comes and goes. This is not a problem. You are not a problem. The conditioned aspects of being or mind are not problems to be fixed. All that is accomplished is a temporary respite from mind when a pursuit is accomplished. Going to the root and seeing the source of mind brings all grasping to an end. Otherwise, attention can get fixated in a very dense and dark cycle between fear of pain and the hope for pleasure, which can lead to destructive and self-sabotaging behaviors.
Pain or pleasure do not need to be turned away from. When received for what they are, and deeply looked into, the separation between pain and pleasure breaks down; both become experience—painful when resisted, joyful when accepted.
The doorway to truth opens in not turning away, not flinching or shrinking away from any aspect of life. The more we stay put, without grasping one way or another, the more awareness shines, and a deeper essence of innocence, non-resistance is available.
Stopping in the middle of pain is much more effective than stopping in the middle of pleasure. Pain can then be the turning point to truth, a pivotal point to truth.
Pleasure is readily accepted while the powers of the mind reject pain, turn away from it. As the acceptance of pain pulls the plug out on the power of the mind to turn away, the doorway to true nature, innocence, deep peace and bliss is flung open.
The more you allow yourself to rest as stillness, the more sensitive you become. At first, the grosser turnings away becomes obvious. As this stillness penetrates the layers of confusion or mis-identification, then the very subtle turnings away come into view. All of our little closet illusions that we like to hang onto in the event of a… who knows what will happen? … the ones the mind likes to keep tucked away in the back pocket: the little concepts, the tiny preferences, the clingy neediness, the Hershey bars. The good news is you don’t need to worry about that as stillness is your natural state, always bringing you closer and closer to love; so the polar opposites of “this is good,” “this is bad” don’t hold out, and more and more is seen to be God—what is. As this perspective wakes up in you, there really is nothing to hold onto, and the sense of turning away is less and less and less.
Staying, remaining as you are, not turning away, not attaching, begins to reveal the impersonal nature of suffering. This is where the mystery of life gets very interesting.
The key here is to stop and let the deeper layers of suffering unpack, flush out. Be still and do not to turn away from anything that arises. In stillness, the roots of suffering are uncovered; the underground network can untangle itself, remaining with the door wide open. As soon as you flinch and attach to what is seen, innocence seems to recede into the background, the door seems to close and again the mind takes over. The cycle of pursuing imagined needs, wants, pleasures, and avoiding pain restart itself.
Be still; be with yourself as you are; remain diligently attentive with alert interest to understand, rather than to judge or evaluate—with full receptivity to whatever arises.
When your attention is here and you are not turning away, you encourage the depths of you to emerge and to enrich your life and consciousness with fresh, alive energy.
This is the work of awareness; it removes obstacles and releases energies by understanding the nature of illusion—mind. The intelligence of not turning away is the door to freedom, and awakened attention without judgment is the mother of intelligence.
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- Insight Magazine with Suzie Daggett
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- KVMR with Alan Stahler
“Existence is pure love. It is totally in love with itself.”
~ Adyashanti