The Projector

We close our eyes when we meditate so that we can see the mind clearly. Because we realize the problem is not with the world outside. The problem is within us. Of course, there are problems outside, lots of them, but if you don’t solve the problem inside, then those problems outside will weigh you down. If you do solve the problem inside, you’re not weighed down. So this is where you have to focus your attention.

They talk about having restraint over the senses as you go through the day. The image is of six doors: The eyes are one door, and the ears are another door, as are the nose, tongue, body, mind. But of those doors, the really important one is the mind, because the mind is what determines what gets filtered as it comes in through the other doors, and then what’s going to go out through the door of the mouth and the door of the body. So you have to watch this carefully as you go through the day.

This is why when you finish sitting meditating here, when you get up, don’t just throw the meditation away. Stay with the breath. As you get up, as you clean up, as you go have your meal, the breath is still there. It’s up to you to stay with it. It’s offering itself all the time for you to see, to watch, to observe. So take advantage of that offer because that helps center the mind. Otherwise, the mind doesn’t know where it’s going to land. If you want to see the mind clearly, you have to give it something to reflect off of.  The breath is the best thing.

Another image from the kruba ajaans is of taking a movie projector, and if you don’t have a screen, then you can project the movie off into the air. You don’t see anything, even though the projection is still going. The light is still going out. The mind without something clear to focus on is like that. So you take the breath as something to reflect the images of the mind so you can see them clearly. Then keep watch over what you see in that reflection. If anything unskillful comes up in the mind, it’s going to have an effect on what comes in and out through the other doors. So be very careful.

If something unskillful comes up, argue with it.  Find something better for the mind to focus on. Try to keep your center right here. In this way, you can maintain your meditation as you go through the day. Even though there are chores to be done, there’s work to be done, still, you can meditate in the midst of all that. In fact, that’s a really good time to do that because if you’re not meditating, all kinds of unskillful things can come up and go on a rampage through your mind. Then, when you sit down the next time, you have to clean up the mess that’s been made.

So make sure that you get the mess prevented to begin with. Then when you come to sit and meditate the next time, you can settle right down. That’s how your meditation develops momentum and gets stronger and stronger.