Don't Chase, She Is Yours (What Is It that Slips Away?) || AP Neem Candies
Acharya Prashant: Observing the daily ordinary actions of the mind, that is the only way. Observing it as an impartial observer. There is no other method that is going to work because all other methods are ‘isolations.’ The method does something to life . The method excludes life; the method works only upon a part and time of life . The method does not encompass ‘total life.’ The method says, “block two hours of life for the method, or create a particular situation in life in which the method can be applied. The only method that is all-encompassing is ‘life itself.’
Observe life ‘totally’ as it is happening. Do not do anything to life because if you do something to life then you have changed life . Observation alone does not change life, does not interfere with life . All other methods interfere with that which you are going to observe and hence, will change that you are going to observe and hence your observation will be?
Questioner: Changed.
Acharya Prashant: Are you getting it? If you want, for example, to observe your Heart and you tear open the body to reach the Heart in the process you kill the body. What will you observe? You will observe, but what will you observe? You would have changed the very thing that you wanted to observe, that is the problem with methods.
Every method is an interference.
Are you getting it? Every method says, “ok for so much time to do this.” Now, if for so much, I’m doing this, then I have secluded that time from the daily run of my life . And in that way, I have already changed my life . So, what am I observing? Are you getting it? So, The only real method is a method that touches life very-very gently. Has no intention of changing and that intentless observation is. Hence the only method. Your ordinary life, that is the only way. All the other ways are extraordinary. All other ways are trying to do something. Observation alone does not try to do something.
Questioner: Motivated observation usually.
Acharya Prashant: Yes. Joshu said, “Can it be grasped for study?” It indicates the ordinary mind. Nansen replied, “The more you pursue, the more it slips away.” The more you pursue it, the more it slips away. Not because it cannot be pursued or grasped? Please note this, not because it cannot be pursued or grasped but because that which you will grasp, will no more be ordinary. The grasping itself has changed it. You want to chase ordinariness. Now, is that ordinary? The changing itself has robbed its ordinariness.
Questioner: Corrupts it.
Acharya Prashant: Corrupts it. When the observer is a motivated observer, please note, then observation changes the observed. When an observer is a motivated observer then the observation changes the observed.
You are looking at someone and you are looking at that person with the eyes of expectation, demand. Lust that person might be standing naked. But your lustful observation will change her. She will go, rush for clothes, cover herself up. Your motivated observation has changed the observed one. But if you look at her just like a lover . Offering no threat, demanding nothing, content in just observing. The observed one will feel no need to go and change. She may continue to be naked. Such is life, you demand something from it, it hides away. It starts showing you a concocted face. You just look at it, admiring it, rejoicing in it and you come to see her real face.
“The more you pursue, the more it slips away,” never know this line, such is life. Don’t pursue, she comes to you.
Don’t chase, she is yours.
Full article link: https://acharyaprashant.org/en/articles/observe-your-daily-life---that-is-the-only-way-on-zen-1_ff91de5
