Silent Mind Meditation Program: Sensitivity: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Silent Mind Meditation Program: Sensitivity

If the entire Silent Mind program had to be described in one word, the word that would apply would be sensitivity. Sensitivity of the senses, sensitivity to the movement of the mind and emotions, and sensitivity to others. Sensitivity to the present. Devoid of sensitivity life is nothing more that a series of mechanical reactions to input that is barely encountered. There is no meeting of any depth between life and the being. Life is superficially touched and a superficial reaction is generated. Sensitivity demands that life be beheld. It be met fully and allowed to penetrate such that the response arises not just from the mechanical mind but instead from the totality of one’s being. This requires not meeting the present with the baggage of the past, but being alive to every moment and giving it its due respect and attention.

Being excessively cerebral has made us a prisoner of our mental realities exclusively and we have lost our heart. We no longer feel the world around us and no longer feel the wonder and beauty of life. We are out of touch with nature. We are unaffected by the changing seasons, the endless skies and the starlit nights. We are pre-occupied with the moronic chattering of our internal dialogue and have become dull and robotic. The antidote to this is to become aware that this indeed is your present state. That awareness is in itself intelligence and will bring about the needed transformation. That awareness is sensitivity.

The inspection of the mind and its processes inevitably brings one to the realization that one’s mind is actually the mind shared by all us humans. Fundamentally, the inspection of your mind is the same as inspecting anyone else’s mind. The minds are functioning basically in the same way, both are only capable of moving within the known and perpetuating desire. What does that mean?  It means that we are all dealing with the same challenges. All our problems are human problems and the distinctions that are drawn between man and man are in fact superficial. The problems are that of suffering, fear, hope, desire, loneliness, frustration, greed, jealousy, etc. The impact of this realization is compassion. The impact of this realization is thoughtfulness and sensitivity. For the next four weeks try to watch and be aware of your behavior and the behavior or others. Try to develop moment to moment sensitivity of your physical, emotional and mental dimensions. No one can do this for you, its up to you to awaken yourself from your deep sleep and sensitivity is the key.