Meditation is like Pixels
This quote is from a recent podcast discussion with Ariya, a Swiss meditation teacher and nun who has studied and practiced meditation for many years in Burma. In this passage, Ariya reflects on her experiences with mindfulness meditation, particularly with regards to the physical sensations of the body. Vipassana meditation is a practice that involves focusing on the present moment and observing one's thoughts and physical sensations without judgmental, while cultivating an open and accepting attitude. In this practice, the goal is to develop a clear and deep understanding of the true nature of reality, including the impermanence of all things. Ariya describes how, through the practice of Vipassana, she has gained a new understanding of the body as a constantly changing and impermanent collection of sensations, rather than a solid and unchanging entity. She also notes the fluid nature of the mind and the interconnectedness of all things, as well as the role of sensory impressions in the arising of thoughts and emotions. Overall, Ariya's quote offers insight into the transformative power of mindfulness meditation and the potential for deeper understanding and insight that can come from a consistent practice… as well as the special place that Burma has long held to practitioners in offering such a priceless gem.
“To realize that this seemingly so solid body is not solid at all! It’s just this flux of tiny little sensations arising and passing away in quick succession.”
“A basic approach in Vipassana meditation is to be mindful of whatever arises in this body, in this mind, and to be present with physical bodily sensations, or be present with an itch or with a pain or with some tension, or with heat, and so on.
Already on this physical level to be present with these sensations was quite amazing because, especially with the painful sensations, this is painful! It's unpleasant. And usually, we want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. We change posture. We put on warm clothes when it's too cold. We take off clothes when it's getting hot. Or when it's itchy, then we scratch to get relief from the itch. But in meditation, you're trying to be with that unpleasant, uncomfortable sensation.
And to watch it. First it's maybe the arm is itching; you known, it’s the concept of the arm. But then, as I was just being with that itchy sensation, it was not this solid block of itchiness, but it fell into little kind of pieces of itchy tiny little sensations. And then with deeper concentration, it was like each of these little tiny itchy sensations was actually arising and passing away, replaced by the next one arising and passing away. And going further into this, all of a sudden there was just these tiny little sensations which felt itchy, but there was no more arm. The concept of arm had gone, but these sensations were there. This is what was happening.
Having grown up with this body and having used it for moving around and also for dancing, this gave a completely new view on the body, on this physicality. Or else, with the itchy sensation, as I said, usually one would scratch to get relief. But one can stay with the itchy sensation, observe it, see become more intense and then get less intense, and then actually observe how it goes away, how it dissolves. How it is not there anymore, completely gone. And this is happening without scratching at all. So, to see how these sensations come and go, arise and pass away. On this physical level, to realize that this seemingly so solid body is not solid at all! It's just this flux of tiny little sensations arising and passing away in quick succession.
Maybe people would understand it's like pixels, tiny little things that are in constant process. And because this is happening so fast, it seems so solid, so firm. But this is only on the surface! And so with meditation, mindfulness and concentration, in looking carefully, like a microscope or like an electronic microscope, to see more and more deeply into the true nature of this body and of physical processes. On the level of the mind also, so many interesting discoveries, experiences. To see thoughts coming and going, emotions arising, getting intense, changing into something else, and by simply being present and observing them, also seeing how they dissolve , then are completely gone. Also to see that this thing called Mind is something very fluid, in constant process. To see there is no solid core, there is not this thing called Mind. It's not a substantial entity that is located somewhere. But it's this process, which we know happens because of sensory impressions. What I see what I hear, this causes thoughts and mental images and emotions to arise.”