“Mindfulness is a pause — the space between stimulus and response: that’s where choice lies.” ~ Tara Brach

My buddy Britton: “If we don’t bite the hook (shenpa) at the 7th nidhana then we don’t perpetuate the karmic cycle. In between craving (6th nidhana) and grasping (7 nidhana) is where this freedom is. It’s where the chains of addiction or karmic cycle is broken. This is the space we cultivate while we sit and notice that the itch just passes on its own accord.”

“One Situation: Going to a Party”

…via Maggie, a Shambhala Buddhist community member.

“For me, who is at the dharma-for-dummies stage, it’s an excellent Plain English description of the 12 nidanas; 12 links.”

…which describe the moment-by-moment formation and death of ego—our habitual struggle to maintain a sense of self. ~ ed. Waylon Lewis.

Ignorance
enter the door, don’t know anyone, no reference point, freeze, go numb, heightened self consciousness

Formations
can’t stay at the door all night, must do something, impulse to find a landing spot, vision narrows to find a reference point, head for the bar

Consciousness
have now made it into the party, but need to nourish yourself, oral compulsion, have a drink

Name/Form
feel warmth pervading body, feel fortified, empowered, embodied, feel more expansive

Six Senses
survey the situation, look for someone to talk to

Contact
See someone interesting who catches your eye.

Feeling
person looks good, attractive, worthy of our attention, we feel good

Craving
desire to talk to them, engage them, irresistible  impulse, so lonely

Grasping
mind is fixated on how to approach them, Can’t ignore them, already

Becoming
go over to talk to the person, yak, yak, yak

Birth
Get to know the person, give birth to a relationship

Aging & Death
conversation, focus starts to flag, diffuse, interrupted, reference point dies, gap no one to talk to

Ignorance
panic, go numb again, heightened self consciousness, aloneness

Formation
head back to the bar for another drink ...etc!

 

Bonus: