Although we’re not aware of it, the Sense of Self is not continuously active but briefly pauses thousands of times every day.
For instance, just before we throw or catch there’s a brief moment when hand-eye and mind-body coordination is prioritised: the Sense of Self briefly pauses to prevent thoughts getting in the way of instinctive actions or reactions.
These momentary pauses are difficult to notice, but there are situations in which the Sense of Self is absent for much longer periods, a few seconds. The spiritual enquiry exercise helps us recognise and take control of this natural ability.
In the zone…
Imagining that you’re a tennis player waiting to receive a serve at Wimbledon: Your mind is totally focussed, adrenalin flows, your body is tensed. You have lost awareness of the spectators, the umpire, the TV cameras, etc.
The Sense of Self has automatically paused to allow total concentration and keep thoughts from getting in the way of instant instinctive response. This is called being “in the zone”.
By using a simple visualisation we can easily pause the Sense of Self. But to turn this into a spiritual exercise and “still the mind” requires an extra step…
Spiritual enquiry
Stumbling into it
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