Regularly reflect on the phrases “not perfect, not permanent, and not personal” throughout the day to cultivate realistic expectations, understand the impermanence of all things, and recognize the non-personal nature of experience, which can free one from suffering.
Approach mindfulness as a data collection instrument, simply watching thoughts, urges, and emotions without striving for progress, as wisdom and transformative insights will arise naturally when the time is right.
Extend your mindfulness practice beyond a dedicated morning session, aiming for a 24/7 engagement with what you are cultivating and nurturing, as this can create more lightness in your life.
Practice mental cultivation by noticing whether your intentions for acting in the world are wholesome (e.g., generosity, kindness, compassion) or driven by egoic clinging, as this awareness is key to progress.
Strive to have your intentions in the world rooted in wholesome mental factors (from the 52 identified in Buddhist psychology) to achieve the “bliss of blamelessness,” ensuring your actions are supported by positive objectives.
Consciously set an intention to create sacred space during meditation, recognizing it as a ceremony to redevelop and refocus neural pathways towards positive and true realities.
Understand that the meditation path is a long process, so drop the expectation of “racking up wins” or making rapid progress, and instead focus on the journey itself.
Do not strive too much for enlightenment, as it is an experience of non-self, and excessive striving can actually prevent it from happening.
During meditation or daily life, when thoughts arise (even embarrassing or trivial ones), take stock of the fact that they are simply “nature” unfolding, a natural process not separate from the universe, which can be liberating and reduce identification with them.
Use mindfulness to observe egoic desires, such as wanting to be noticed or put on a pedestal, and reflect on their impermanent and non-satisfying nature, which helps to release the pressure of seeking fulfillment from external achievements.
In daily life, practice mindfulness by holding your experience between obsession and denial, neither fully believing nor denying what arises, but simply watching it unfold in the middle way.
Engage in a body scan meditation focusing on the four elements (earth, air, water, fire/temperature) as taught by Venerable Analayo, scanning the body for sensations related to each element to foster insights into non-self.
During the element body scan, do not actively search for specific elements; instead, accept whatever sensations the body offers, such as density (earth), movement (air), liquids (water), or temperature (fire), without striving too heavily.
Practice scanning the body for its constituent parts (e.g., skin, flesh, bones, as part of the 32 parts of the body meditation) to deconstruct the sense of a solid self and foster depersonalization.
Transform important cultural values (like the Lakota/Dakota’s 10 values) into daily meditations, making them an everyday ceremony to reinforce traditions and cultivate wholesome mental factors that guide interactions and prevent harm.
Ensure that social justice efforts include the cultivation of clarity and love, as without these qualities, such efforts are doomed to failure and may not lead to true collective liberation.
Regularly observe the arising of biases like racism, sexism, or ageism within your own mind, aiming to see them before acting on them, as this awareness is crucial for preventing negative karma and fostering personal growth.
When dating, prioritize finding someone with strong ethics (sila), as ethical conduct is a fundamental condition for personal progress and intuitive awareness.