Unexpected Freedom

Unexpected Freedomknowing that eventually this person that we’re so pleased tosee will leave. We appreciate the reality that the pleasure ofthis meeting is an impermanent condition.It’s difficult to talk about this subject without it seemingthat mindfulness somehow detracts from the experience. Asif, when we meet that dear friend again, being mindful of thetransitory nature of experience means that somehow wecan’t fully enjoy the meeting.Often, when teaching about mindfulness, the Buddhawould use another word, sampajañña in Pali, in conjunctionwith sati. Sampajañña means ‘clear comprehension’. Each ofour experiences – pleasant or unpleasant – we understandwith wisdom, knowing, ‘This experience will not last forever.’ It is important to get a feeling for the subtleties of thequality of mind being encouraged. Mindfulness is a quietknowing, a quiet presence, and clear comprehension is theaspect that sees things in perspective. The gentleness andbalance of mind fostered in this practice actually enhancesthe beauty of pleasant experience. And in the face of thatwhich is unpleasant, it equips us with the right kind ofstrength to endure.Free to See ClearlyAn image that’s often given to help us develop the rightunderstanding of practice is that of a vast empty room withan open window, through which a shaft of light is passing. Inthe shaft of light we can see specks of dust which, althoughfloating everywhere in the empty space, are highlighted inthe light. The shaft of light is the light of attention. The vastempty space is the nature of the mind. The specks of dust arethe sensory experiences of sights, sounds, smells, tastes,touches and mental impressions. The dust floats through36