#435 Right Effort does not Take, but Generates Energy

     Intelligent effort in mindfulness practice is not at all like trying to lift a very heavy object. It is effortless & instant - as when we redirect attention from this to how my right foot feels right now. How much effort & time was involved?
     By gently, intelligently, persistently stabilizing our natural capacity to fill awareness with real-time sensory information, we practice displacing & hence progressively reduce the noise of self-talk and reduce the internal friction of clinging to ghosts of the past & future. This liberates a great deal of energy which becomes available to creatively embrace all that the present holds now.
     So 'right effort' does indeed instantly liberate energy, that is otherwise squandered on creating noise & friction = suffering. Paradoxically, we practice right effort by 1) repeatedly becoming aware of going off track into unskillful thoughts, words / speech / self-talk, & action - ie catching ourselves not being mindful, 2) accepting innumerable 'errors of judgment', and 3) gently, seamlessly, persistently coming back to embrace the present, we inevitably, unstoppably, progressively stabilize our natural inherent capacity to be mindful, with all it's benefits.

Luca C   www.dpreview.com