The Nature Of The Mind

Venerable Thubten Chodron guides us to explore the clear and aware nature of the mind. She leads us to watch the mind, where thought arises from, where it is, and where it goes. By understanding the nature of the mind we see how it is possible for us to release negative mental states and cultivate positive ones for the benefit of others and ourselves.

Transcript

The mind being the nature of clarity and awareness,

And His Holiness spoke about a meditation focusing on just the conventional,

Clear and aware nature of the mind.

So how did we get to that nature of the mind?

When our minds are crowded with various thoughts concerning the past and the future.

So try a little bit of an experiment here,

And try to just hold your mind steady without thoughts,

But as we know thoughts will arise.

And so when they arise,

Ask yourself where did they come from?

And then watch the mind very closely and see if you can.

See where the thought was before it arose.

Where did it come from before it manifested as a thought?

And when the thought ceases,

Ask yourself where did it go?

So this isn't just an intellectual thinking exercise,

But watch the mind and see if you can catch the thought before it arises,

And see if you can see where it goes when it ceases.

But in the meantime,

Just keep your mind at a steady level without deliberate thinking about anything.

And when that thought has arisen in the mind,

Investigate where is that thought?

So when we generate that thought of body cheetah,

Where did that thought come from?

And where is it?

And does it last without changing?

Or is it changing all the time?

Reviews

Clear guided instructions during this meditation.

🙏

Always wonderful

Always a wonderful experience

I loved it. Thank you so much. We're you ever in Miami Beach? Did you stay with me, the house on Alton Road after Lama Zopa Thubten Rinpoche did a teaching nearbye? I've looked for you for years!

Fascinating really stopping and focusing and being aware watching where the thoughts come from and where do they go … thank you for your wisdom and peaceful meditation 🧚‍♀️💕🧚‍♀️

Merci

Excellent thank you 🙏🏼❤️

Thank you for sending the questions to guide attending to the mind’s antics!

Good practice

Good practice to do with my recurring thoughts, thank you 🙏

She has been to my teacher’s houses and meditation centers and she’s wonderful. Her knowledge, intelligence and humor touch we Westerners deeply!

Thank you so kindly for some of your short meditations as well, and I appreciated the human life importance, for me it's very personal and I have gratitude several times a day for the way our body systems work. 🙏🏼🌺💗thank you🙏🏼🙏🏼

Thank you for observations thoughts, where they come from, where they go…

Great way to rest your mind, contemplate & understand how thoughts ebb & flow within. This meditation was very relaxing😌, thought provoking🤔, and mind tingling😊😯😃🤩. Thank you! 🙏🏻💡🌞

Very calming thank you 🙏🏻

I needed this teaching 🙏 I think it can help me to understad how to observe taughts instead of going into them, I will defitnely do this again. Thank youfor the lecture🙏

I’m doing this one again

Thank you and Many Blessings. 🙏🕊

Thank you 🙏🏻💙🙏🏻

calming the mind.