Adam’s Notes

Spiritual Practice Constantly Changes

“Whatever you do, whether it's a daily shamatha meditation or long retreats, your practice will be constantly changing. Every day will bring a different experience. You may find, for example, that your mind is quite clear in the mornings but that you keep nodding off in the afternoons —a torment all human beings suffer as a result of being trapped in the three shells of body, speech and mind, and therefore at the mercy of our aggregates and elements. Or you might experience huge shifts of mood as you yo-yo from one emotional extreme to another, happy and stable on Tuesday evening, but by Wednesday morning so bad-tempered that even the sound of rustling leaves depresses you. It happens to all of us some of the time. What inspires us today will cast us down tomorrow; what makes us sad and eager to renounce the world one day will make us long to dive into the thick of samsaric existence the next. The culprits for these mood swings are our aggregates (form, feeling, perception, formation, consciousness), which are entirely dependent on the elements (earth, water, fire, air, and so on), making our practice anything but consistent.
This lack of consistency is why all practitioners, and beginners in particular, must do whatever it takes to encourage themselves to practise. In the same way babies are generally given more than one toy to play with, it's a good idea for practitioners not to limit themselves to just one method. One day, if you feel the shravakayana teachings might help clarify the benefits of renunciation, by all means apply them. If tomorrow, contemplating the illusory nature of phenomena is more inspiring because it helps you appreciate that you have almost nothing to renounce, don't hesitate to apply that view. Be skilful and practise whichever method works for you at this very moment. And don't restrict yourself, because as a beginner it is so important for you to develop a taste for practice. Once you find the one or two practices that work best, concentrate on them. It's a bit like moving to the city. At first you wander all over the place, trying the different routes between your home and your job, until eventually you find the most convenient way, and then stick to it.”

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