Aandacht op het pad,
Mindful on the path,
Walking the 8-fold path.
Stappen op het achtvoudig pad.
Meditatie en uitwisseling in "de Schatkamer"
Maandag 23 Februari, 2026 (English below)
Dierbare Sangha,
Als je stil wordt wat hoor je dan?
Als je stil staat wat zie je dan?
Als je aandacht geeft wat voel je dan?
Het ontbeert ons vaak aan contact met de realiteit van het moment. In onszelf en om ons heen.
Onze perceptie van de wereld is van nature beperkt, omdat onze zintuigen beperkt zijn, maar ook omdat onze aandacht beperkt is. We nemen gedurende de hele dag veel beslissingen zonder echt te kijken. Vaak is dat voldoende. Maar soms is het te kort door de bocht en zetten we onszelf klem.
De Boeddhistische psychologie heeft dit diepgaand onderzocht en in detail beschreven (~5e eeuw)
Ons overlevingsmechanisme (Manas) heeft de sterke eigenschap om ontbrekende informatie aan te vullen (te raden) zodat we snel gevaar kunnen ontwijken. Ook kunnen we snel op een aanbod of mogelijkheid ingaan. Die aanvulling van beperkte informatie is gebaseerd op onze ervaring, onze angst of ons verlangen. Deze zaadjes (Bija) van herkenning liggen in ons opslag bewustzijn (Alaya). De snelle reactie is daarmee niet gebaseerd op de realiteit maar op een herhaling (Samsara) van iets dat we al eerder hebben ervaren. We trappen er vaak weer in.
Met mindfulness (Smrti. Open oordeel-loze aandacht) kun je het proces van "waarnemen, evalueren en besluiten" nader bekijken of overnieuw doen. Meer tijd, of meer aandacht geven aan wat er gebeurt en wat je doet, in je en om je.
Naast het snelle proces is er dus ook een nauwkeuriger (langzamer) proces.
In de westerse literatuur is daar recent ook een beschrijving van gemaakt.
De bestseller: "Thinking fast and Slow" ("Ons feilbare denken")
Open oordeel-loze aandacht brengt je in contact met wat er is. Je directe waarneming, maar ook je misvattingen, je haast, je pijn, je verbinding en ook je geluk.
We zijn zo gewend om geleefd te worden door onze omgeving dat het al een hele opgave is voor mensen om uit die mallemolen te stappen. Er is vaak moed en vertrouwen nodig om daar uit te stappen, te stoppen (Samatha) en tot jezelf te komen.
De stilte is een verademing, de aandacht voor de thee is een kado, het waarnemen van verbinding is een kado.
Het vervolg daarop is een natuurlijke:
Als je stil wordt wat hoor je dan?
Als je stil staat wat zie je dan?
Als je aandacht geeft wat voel je dan?
Stil worden en luisteren geeft je de mogelijkheid om te genieten, maar ook om te verzorgen wat je voorbij liep, wat je over het hoofd zag, wat je verwaarloosde of weg drukte.
Bij een wandeling is verstandig om even te gaan zitten en het steentje uit je schoen te halen. Als je het verwaarloosd kan dat tot meer schade leiden.
En, bijkomend, als je gaat zitten merk je vaak pas hoe moe je bent.
Deze periode onderzoeken we de vier edele waarheden
Er is lijden,
er is ontstaan van lijden,
er is uitdoven van lijden en
er is een pad naar het uitdoven van lijden
De Boeddha heeft ons op pad geholpen door zijn inzicht te delen:
Het verleden en toekomst zijn alleen in onze mind aanwezig. De realiteit van het moment bevatten we maar ten dele.
De ander is geen 'ander', de ander is een onlosmakelijk deel van jezelf.
Als je de ander schaadt, schaadt je jezelf. Als je de ander helpt, help je jezelf.
Deze zinnen zijn een conclusie uit het inzicht, geen dogma.
Het inzicht brengt je bij compassie en solidariteit.
Lijden heeft geen eigenaar en geluk heeft geen grens.
De uitnodiging is met aandacht, zonder oordeel, open aanwezig zijn vanuit je thuis. Verbinding te maken met de realiteit, te onderzoeken, je leven te leiden met mindfulness, compassie en helder inzicht.
Maandagavond zullen we mediteren en delen .
Ik wens ons een mooi weekend:
Vandaag wordt mijn vreedzame dag
Warme groeten
Hans
Mindful on the path,
Walking the noble eight-fold path.
Meditation and sharing in "de Schatkamer" this Monday evening.
Walking the noble eight-fold path.
Meditation and sharing in "de Schatkamer" this Monday evening.
Dear Sangha,
When you become still what do you hear?
When stop and stand still, what do you see?
When you give (pay) attention, what do you feel?
Often we lack contact with the reality of the moment. In ourselves and around ourselves
Our perception of the world is by nature limited and flawed, because our senses are limited and flawed. But also because our attention is limited.
We take decisions all day without really looking. Often that is enough. But sometimes it is cutting corners and we bring ourselves and others in difficulty.
Buddhist psychology has investigated this deeply and described it in great detail (Ca 5th century CE). Our survival mechanism (Manas) has the strong skill to fill-in the missing information (to guess), so that we can respond quickly on danger. Also we can respond quickly to opportunities. That complementing of limited information is besed on our experience, our fears, or our desires. These seeds (Bija) of recognition lie dormant in our store-consciousness (Alaya). The quick respons is therefor not based on reality but on repetition (Samsara) of something we have experienced before. We get caught again.
With Mindfulness (Smrti. Open non-judgemental attention) you can re-examine the proces of "Perceiving, evaluating and deciding" or even redo this proces. Take more time, give more attention to what is happening and what you are doing, in you and around you.
Next to the fast proces, there is an more accurate (slower) proces too.
In western literature this is recently described in a book.
The bestseller: "Thinking fast and Slow"
Open non-judgemental attention brings you into contact with what is there. Your direct perception, buts also your misconceptions, your hurry, your pain and your happiness.
We are so used to be driven by our environment that for most people it is a challenge to step out of this whirlwind. It takes courage and trust to step out, to stop (Samatha) en come home to yourself.
The silence is a blessing, the attention for your tea is a gift, perceiving connectedness is a present.
What happens next comes natural:
When you become still what do you hear?
When stop and stand still, what do you see?
When you give (pay) attention, what do you feel?
Becoming still and listen gives you the opportunity to enjoy, but also to take care of what you didn't notice, what you disregarded or pushed away.
When you go on a walk, it is wise to sit down for a moment and take the rock out of your shoe and take care of your foot. When you ignore it it can lead to damage.
And as a bonus, when you sit down you notice how tired you are.
This period we are studying the 4four Noble truths:
There is suffering,
there is the rising of suffering
there is extinction of suffering
there is a path to the extinction of suffering.
The Buddha has helped us to get on our way by sharing his insight:
The past and the future are only present in our mind. And the present moment we can only comprehend in part.
The other is no 'other', the other is an inseparable part of you.
When you hurt the other, you hurt yourself. When you help the other, you help yourself.
These sentences are the consequence of the insight, not dogma.
Insight brings you to compassion and solidarity.
Suffering has no owner and happiness has no boundary.
The invitation is to be present, open, with mindfulness, without judgement, from your true home, from your source. Allow the connectedness to be. You are invited to connect to reality, to investigate, to lead your life with mindfulness, compassion, with clear insight.
This Monday evening we will meditate and share together.
I wish us a wonderful weekend,
Today is going to be my peaceful day
Warm regards
Hans
When you become still what do you hear?
When stop and stand still, what do you see?
When you give (pay) attention, what do you feel?
Often we lack contact with the reality of the moment. In ourselves and around ourselves
Our perception of the world is by nature limited and flawed, because our senses are limited and flawed. But also because our attention is limited.
We take decisions all day without really looking. Often that is enough. But sometimes it is cutting corners and we bring ourselves and others in difficulty.
Buddhist psychology has investigated this deeply and described it in great detail (Ca 5th century CE). Our survival mechanism (Manas) has the strong skill to fill-in the missing information (to guess), so that we can respond quickly on danger. Also we can respond quickly to opportunities. That complementing of limited information is besed on our experience, our fears, or our desires. These seeds (Bija) of recognition lie dormant in our store-consciousness (Alaya). The quick respons is therefor not based on reality but on repetition (Samsara) of something we have experienced before. We get caught again.
With Mindfulness (Smrti. Open non-judgemental attention) you can re-examine the proces of "Perceiving, evaluating and deciding" or even redo this proces. Take more time, give more attention to what is happening and what you are doing, in you and around you.
Next to the fast proces, there is an more accurate (slower) proces too.
In western literature this is recently described in a book.
The bestseller: "Thinking fast and Slow"
Open non-judgemental attention brings you into contact with what is there. Your direct perception, buts also your misconceptions, your hurry, your pain and your happiness.
We are so used to be driven by our environment that for most people it is a challenge to step out of this whirlwind. It takes courage and trust to step out, to stop (Samatha) en come home to yourself.
The silence is a blessing, the attention for your tea is a gift, perceiving connectedness is a present.
What happens next comes natural:
When you become still what do you hear?
When stop and stand still, what do you see?
When you give (pay) attention, what do you feel?
Becoming still and listen gives you the opportunity to enjoy, but also to take care of what you didn't notice, what you disregarded or pushed away.
When you go on a walk, it is wise to sit down for a moment and take the rock out of your shoe and take care of your foot. When you ignore it it can lead to damage.
And as a bonus, when you sit down you notice how tired you are.
This period we are studying the 4four Noble truths:
There is suffering,
there is the rising of suffering
there is extinction of suffering
there is a path to the extinction of suffering.
The Buddha has helped us to get on our way by sharing his insight:
The past and the future are only present in our mind. And the present moment we can only comprehend in part.
The other is no 'other', the other is an inseparable part of you.
When you hurt the other, you hurt yourself. When you help the other, you help yourself.
These sentences are the consequence of the insight, not dogma.
Insight brings you to compassion and solidarity.
Suffering has no owner and happiness has no boundary.
The invitation is to be present, open, with mindfulness, without judgement, from your true home, from your source. Allow the connectedness to be. You are invited to connect to reality, to investigate, to lead your life with mindfulness, compassion, with clear insight.
This Monday evening we will meditate and share together.
I wish us a wonderful weekend,
Today is going to be my peaceful day
Warm regards
Hans
