Dear Friends,
To support our exploration of the third wise effort—cultivating wholesome states—here is a guided meditation by Jill Shepherd titled “Investigating skillful behaviour skilfully.” (13:24).
https://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/39015/
This meditation focuses on investigating and recollecting skillful, wholesome, or virtuous behavior. Jill’s approach, which she calls “post-mortem mindfulness,” invites us to reflect on past actions of body, speech, or mind that were positive and skillful. As we do this, we are invited to notice the sensations, emotions, and mind states associated with these actions–such as warmth, compassion, generosity, or courage. Through this practice, we deepen our awareness of the qualities that supported these wholesome actions and strengthen our intention to act skillfully in the future.
In my own practice, I have noticed a couple of things that might resonate with you. One is that I often undervalue the small, regular acts of kindness or virtue I engage in. It is helpful to remember that these “little things” matter–they don’t have to be big or flashy to count. The other is a hesitation that arises, as if reflecting on virtuous actions might feel boastful. But the Buddha emphasized the importance of recollecting virtuous behavior to inspire joy and tranquility, incline the mind toward the wholesome, and nurture inner peace.* This practice is an opportunity to honor the positive seeds we have planted and to water them so they continue to grow.
I hope this meditation inspires a sense of possibility in your practice. Let me know how it resonates with you.
With good wishes,
Andrea
* As an example, Jill references the Buddha’s instructions to Mahanama in AN 6:10.
As a young Catholic girl, I was used to “examining my conscience.” It was always done to identify the sins (harmful behaviour) that you’d committed. It’s important to do that, but I like the further invitation that Buddhism offers, to note the virtuous and skillful thoughts, words and actions. Buddhism adds yet another layer–that of noting the mind state associated with these actions. This is “value added.” Noting the mind states of both virtuous and unskillful thoughts, words and actions helps us solidify what we want to experience, how we want to feel and how we want to be in the world. I appreciate this depth.
Dear Carol. Thank you for taking the time to share your insights. I appreciate the way you articulated the evolution from “examining your conscience” to the Buddhist practice of recognizing and celebrating skillful actions, along with the associated mind states. This is such a rich and supportive layer of practice that helps us align with how we truly want to be in the world. I am glad this resonated with you and brought a sense of depth and appreciation to your reflections.