- I heard the expression,
mmm--
when I was a child,
from--
probably something my mother read to me, or something,
but it was, "Things that go bump in the night."
"Things that go bump in the night."
Well, night and day.
(audience member laughs)
Night and day.
Inquiry is for "things that go bump in the night."
I mean,
everything else is working for you.
The Work is a way to identify the thoughts that cause
all the suffering in your life,
the thoughts that would move you from your true nature.
From an inner
understanding that--
where the word "understanding" ceases to be necessary.
It's a way to identify
the thoughts "that go bump in the night".
And to identify them, you put them on paper,
to bring them from your mind into the world.
On paper. There they are.
So, from here to here, into this world we're believed with,
into this world we're identified with.
Then, once they're on paper, to question them.
So The Work is a way to identify
the thoughts that cause your suffering,
and a way to question them.
And it is so simple,
that anyone with an open mind can do it.
It's meditation.
It takes stillness.
The mind can go crazy, at first, when, you know,
you identify something that you're thinking,
that is causing you a disconnect,
let's say, to your fellow man,
family member, anyone.
But you identify
what you were thinking and believing,
and watch the mind, when you start to write it down,
it'll go, "Oh, I didn't really mean that."
I mean, even when it's just you with you.
Just you, alone with yourself!
"Oh, I didn't really mean that." "Oh, I don't believe that."
"Oh, I don't-don't-don't"--
I mean, just try to get it down on paper
just the way it's dictated.
How many of you are meditators, would you raise your hands?
How many of you are not meditators, would you raise your hands?
Well, if you filled in the Worksheet, you are now.
(chuckles, laughter from audience)
You are meditating on a moment in time.
And that took stillness.
And meditators often close their eyes, they get still,
and any thoughts that come, they just brush them aside
and just, in the stillness.
Something else comes, you brush it aside, in the stillness.
Well, this is different.
Close your eyes, get still and what enters,
for me, I'm grateful for.
It's identified itself.
And I honor that, and I put it on paper,
and I question it.
And if it's something beautiful that comes in,
I just notice, and--
just wait for s--
It's like, this mind-- It's like, show me a problem.
Show me a problem! This is the time, this is the place.
Every morning, 20, 30 minutes, just show me.
It's like,
"Something terrible's gonna happen!"
It's like a kiss.
It's like, "Oh, sweetheart, is it true?"
"Are you sure--
that something terrible's going to happen?"
And the ego can scream, "Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure!"
"Okay, I got it, got it."
"You're sure. Now, can you absolutely know that it's true
that something terrible's gonna happen?"
"Yeah, yeah! Well..."
Hmm.
So, now I've slowed down.
I really want to know.
So I'm meditating on that question,
"Something terrible's gonna happen,
and I absolutely know that it's true."
And I'm not going to--
(sighs)
I'm not going to manipulate the answer.
That's not meditation. I'm going to wait.
I'm going to get still and--
see what arises
to meet the question.
I don't ever have to guess.
You don't ever have to guess in this Work.
Get still.
Ask.
It's given.
And the "it" is enlightenment.
"It" will enlighten you to--
what is true about what you are believing.