Trafficking Mitote

Recently I got lost in the traffic of my mind on the way to work. My thoughts wanted me to know....that's all, they just wanted me to know, especially about what I think. Actually, my thoughts wanted me to know what the "I" (Toltec: parasite, belief system) thinks. "They" say the definition of insanity is doing what you have always done while expecting different results. Thoughts always lead to more thoughts. The Toltec call it Mitote, and the "I" is all about it.

It had been awhile since "I" went off like that and for awhile I allowed myself to get caught up in what "I" believes, which is a little ironic since I would like to forget what "I" believes. That's kind of the whole point of what I choose to believe: nothing.

This went on until I drove around downtown on I-75 north after having driven south on 71 to get there due to the Levy being closed at the 75-South exit. My trail of thoughts was twisting and turning in like manner.  Thankfully, just as I found my exit on the highway, I found my way back through the thoughts in my head and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was the difference between perceiving, conceiving and believing.

 

It's not what "I" thinks or knows, but the ability to perceive that's important, that's the ability to be lucid. When I choose to (or automatically) do something with the ability to perceive, then I conceive by adding what "I" knows to perception making it something meaningful for me. This is where we learn to place our attention most of the time, missing the fact that we are perceiving.  The mind hurries up and does something with it so it "knows" what's going on. And then it goes on. If "I" perceives these conceptions as true then "I" believes its own illusion.

Perceiving, not what you think you know but perceiving that you are perceiving, is being lucid. You don't have to drive through the downtown traffic of your mind to get there. Just notice you are noticing and let go of the need to develop a story about it and know what that means to you. Then all roads to suffering will disappear.

In what remembers we practiced seeing that we are not the seen (conceptions believed) .  Here is a practice for seeing that we are also not the seer when you don't add the "I'"s knowledge to the seeing.

Try this: just let your eyes rest lightly on something but don't even think of it as something. For example, if you were to look at a glove, you would try not to name it "glove". Notice then what the mind might offer to define it...thread, soft, warm? Let it go right past your ever grasping attention to the tune of emptiness. See it as if it's the first time ever, having no descriptive words or comparisons. This is a mundane exercise which at first only lasts for a micro-moment when you hit on it. But it can grow into your experience and at some point, you will see a big ticket item in the same way.

Be Lucid!

Photo of Lytle Tunnel courtesy of chapstickaddict at flickr.com