12 Apr 2010 @ 14:05
AWARENESS
Outer eyes
Cannot see themselves.
The inner eye
Is its own reflection
When we look we can see many things, but the eyes cannot see
themselves without the help of a mirror. We are not used to
introspection. Although the followers of Tao say to look within to gain
self-awareness, we will be confused if we use the attitudes formed by
looking with our eyes.
That is why it is important to make a clear distinction early on. Do
not try to understand yourself with the attitudes of physical seeing.
Look within using inner vision.
For centuries, people of many different cultures have referred to
the "mind's eye," or the "inner eye," or the "third eye." These are all
indications that there is a separate way of looking within. In
meditation, it is important to discover and utilize this mode of
introspection. We must go beyond thought, go beyond visualization, go
beyond imagination and actually open a part of the mind that most people
leave dormant. This inner eye has a location, buried deep in the brain.
When it is opened, it is our way of receiving more subtle experiences
than we receive in our physical states. Perhaps looking and seeing are
misleading terms, after all. We don't necessarily "see" images through
this inner eye: We gain direct awareness that is beyond the image.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao
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