Dear Friends,
The second aspect of the faculty of paññā, wisdom, that Gil reflects on is what he calls distinguishing wisdom.
https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/11182
As we start to see our experience with more clarity, we can begin to tease it apart into its component parts. Gil gives the example of getting more clarity on something like “I feel terrible.” To look at that more closely — in an embodied way — to understand what that really means. There might be places of contraction and tension, or certain kinds of thought patterns, or some emotion. As we better better distinguish the experience from a nebulous “terrible”, we can get a handle on it in different ways.
We can also see how we relate to the experience too. I injured my knee many years ago, and recently, I have noticed some twinges in the knee. The experience is some prickling, warmth, throbbing. How I relate to it can be some fear (what if I need surgery) or self-judgment (I really should have done more of those physio exercises) or other kinds of stories.
As Gil says, “The experience and the relationship to it are two separate things. We might not be able to change the experience, but we may have some choice with how we relate to it and what we think and feel about it. Maybe we could be less judgmental. Maybe we don’t have to be so afraid, glued to it, attacking it, or entangled with it.”
Part of this distinguishing wisdom also tunes into whether the choices we have (in how we are relating to something) are helpful or not helpful. And Gil says we can also look at how we are relating to how we are distinguishing. Is this helpful or skillful or am I getting too agitated and tense? Is there a way to approach this with more peace and ease and patience?
Reflection:
Sometime today, whether on or off the cushion, see if you can apply this distinguishing wisdom to an experience. A colleague sent you an email, the garbage truck is beeping in the neighborhood, whatever. What is the embodied experience right now? What is the relationship to that experience? As you tease this apart, can you see more choices emerging?
Meditation:
Andrea Fella has a guided meditation on “Awareness and Wisdom as Action” (13 minutes, no ending bell):
https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/11479
With good wishes,
Andrea