How to climb your Mt. Everest (video)

Ajahn Chah via Ven. Sujato, Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly; John Oliver

Steadily rather than forcing

To reach the moon, aim for the stars.

Don’t be in a hurry and try to push or rush your meditation practice. Do it gently and gradually, step by step, free of greed/over-efforting.

In regard to peacefulness, if we want to become peaceful, then accept it. If we don’t become peaceful, then accept that also. That’s the nature of the heart/mind.

We must find our own practice and persistently keep at it rather than pushing, forcing, or rushing.

Perhaps wisdom does not arise. I used to think about my practice that when there is no wisdom, I could force myself to have it. But it doesn’t work. Things remain the same.

Then, after careful consideration, I saw that to contemplate things we don’t have can't be done. So what’s the best thing to do? It’s better to practice meditation with equanimity.

If there is nothing to cause us concern, then there’s nothing to remedy. If there’s no problem, then we don’t have to try to solve it. When there is a problem, that’s when we must solve it, right where it is.

There’s no need to go searching for anything special. Just live normally. But know what the heart/mind is. Live mindfully, clearly comprehending. Let wisdom be the guide.

Don’t live indulging moods. Be heedful and alert. If there is nothing, that’s fine. When something arises, then investigate and contemplate it.

Action vs. inaction

Let go of pre-judgement and try.

(Ajahn Lee) A person who makes a mistake is better than a person who doesn't act at all. Mistakes can be corrected. If we don't act, how will we know how to correct ourselves? We don't know whether we're mistaken or not. The fact that we don't act is a mistake in and of itself. [But to act hastily, without guidance, is more foolish.]