Mother of intelligence…
Am I smart enough? Am I good enough? These questions used to enter my brain, perhaps from my upbringing. Perhaps just normal self doubt. Maybe it was due to the particular slice of the world that I inhabit, just outside of Boston, where academia is highly regarded. However, after being steeped in the world of yoga and mindfulness for many years now, I am offered another view of intelligence that is a departure from degrees earned, credentials and titles garnered and accolades stock piled. This alternate view of intelligence has to do with attention and is wonderfully captured in the following quote by Nisargadatta Maharaj.
“By being with yourself, by watching yourself in your daily life with alert interest, with the intention to understand rather than to judge, in full acceptance of whatever may emerge, because it is there, you encourage the deep to come to the surface and enrich your life and consciousness with its captive energies. This is the great work of awareness; it removes obstacles and releases energies by understanding the nature of life and mind. Intelligence is the door to freedom and alert attention is the mother of intelligence.”
This great work of awareness is what is cultivated in a meditation practice. In essence the practice of becoming aware shines a light on the truth that while we can’t choose what will happen to us or our circumstances, we can choose where we place our attention and this choice is a true gift of being human. Meditation is a chance to wake up to this reality. “To discover the beauty of your life while it’s still yours to live”, succinctly and beautifully spoken by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
When we meditate we strengthen this alert attention or present moment awareness. Simple, yet not easy. The good news is that attention is malleable and can be directed. Yet, it’s good to understand minds wander. This is just something that minds do so we don’t need to give ourselves a hard time when this happens. In meditation we begin again and again and again. When the mind wanders we redirect back to the present moment perhaps using the breath or bodily sensations as anchors, both of which are always in the present moment. The goal is not to clear the mind, but rather to notice the mind. Think of it like training a puppy: sit, stay….again, again and again. Doing so with patience and kindness toward the puppy and toward oneself. We even direct our attention back to the present moment when difficult or challenging thoughts, feelings or emotions arise. Yes, I hear you…Why would I want to stay with unpleasantness? The short answer is that you wouldn't want to. However, perhaps a more valuable question is what happens when I’m continually pulling back or resisting? And, what is possible when I learn to stay?
Just like yoga is not reserved for those that are already flexible, meditation is not only for those that are looking to be in a remote cave sitting crossed legged seeking enlightenment. There are countless ways to live this life. No matter our path can we choose to live it awake, fully alive and present? The alternative is to be on autopilot with bare awareness of our words, actions, thoughts and feelings arising out of habit rather than with a level of awareness that can be fostered through meditation. A teacher of mine used to say, “Your life is not a drive by.” I understood this to get off autopilot and live like you mean it. In other words, act as if each day is your last. This might sound grim, but in actuality it’s a beautiful reminder. Meditation can be the roadmap to get you there. The venerable Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, known as the “father of mindfulness” had this to say, “People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black curious eyes of a child-our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
While a meditation practice is a great way to become more aware, there are plenty of everyday moments we can choose awareness. What one thing can you do today to pay attention while dropping the need to achieve or attain something? Maybe you feel one full inhale and exhale. Perhaps you listen to your spouse, child or friend fully with eye contact without multitasking. Or when you eat you simply eat, nothing else. Sounds simple, yet not always easy. Keep in mind that the act of being mindful is a practice. Mindfulness itself is not the goal of the practice rather it is the wisdom that develops within ourselves as we pay attention. It’s what we learn from being mindful that has a direct impact on how we live our lives and if learning equates to intelligence in your book then ask yourself if you’re learning with alert attention.