The Sacred Path of the Warrior
"This original state of being can be likened to a primordial, or cosmic, mirror. By primordial we mean unconditioned, not caused by any circumstances. Something primordial is not a reaction for or against any situation. All conditionality comes from unconditionality. Anything that is made has to come from what was unmade, to begin with. If something is conditioned, it has been created or formed. In the English language, we speak of formulating ideas or plans, or we may say, "How should we form our organization?" or we may talk about the formation of a cloud. In contrast to that, the unconditioned is free from being formed, free from creation. This unconditioned state is likened to a primordial mirror because, like a mirror, it is willing to reflect anything, from the gross level up to the refined level, and it still remains as it is. The basic frame of reference of the cosmic mirror is quite vast, and it is free from any bias: kill or cure, hope or fear.
The way to look back and experience the state of being of the cosmic mirror is simply to relax. In this case relaxation is quite different from the setting-sun idea of flopping or taking time off, entertaining yourself with a good vacation. Relaxation here refers to relaxing the mind, letting go of the anxiety and concepts and depression that normally bind you. The way to relax, or rest the mind in nowness, is through the practice of meditation. In Part One, we discussed how the practice of meditation is connected to renouncing small-mindedness and personal territory. In meditation you are neither "for" nor "against" your experience. That is, you don't praise some thoughts and condemn others, but you take an unbiased approach. You let things be as they are, without judgment, and in that way you yourself learn to be, to express your existence directly, nonconceptually. That is the ideal state of relaxation, which allows you to experience the nowness of the cosmic mirror. In fact, it is already the experience of the cosmic mirror.
If you are able to relax - relax to a cloud by looking at it, relax to a drop of rain and experience its genuineness - you can see the unconditionality of reality, which remains very simply in things as they are, very simply. When you are able to look at things without saying, "This is for me or against me," "I can go along with this," or "I cannot go along with this," then you are experiencing the state of being of the cosmic mirror, the wisdom of the cosmic mirror. You may see a fly buzzing; you may see a snowflake; you may see ripples of water; you may see a black widow spider. You may see anything, but you can actually look at all of those things with simple and ordinary, but appreciative, perception."
- Chogyam Trungpa, "Shamhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior"
The way to look back and experience the state of being of the cosmic mirror is simply to relax. In this case relaxation is quite different from the setting-sun idea of flopping or taking time off, entertaining yourself with a good vacation. Relaxation here refers to relaxing the mind, letting go of the anxiety and concepts and depression that normally bind you. The way to relax, or rest the mind in nowness, is through the practice of meditation. In Part One, we discussed how the practice of meditation is connected to renouncing small-mindedness and personal territory. In meditation you are neither "for" nor "against" your experience. That is, you don't praise some thoughts and condemn others, but you take an unbiased approach. You let things be as they are, without judgment, and in that way you yourself learn to be, to express your existence directly, nonconceptually. That is the ideal state of relaxation, which allows you to experience the nowness of the cosmic mirror. In fact, it is already the experience of the cosmic mirror.
If you are able to relax - relax to a cloud by looking at it, relax to a drop of rain and experience its genuineness - you can see the unconditionality of reality, which remains very simply in things as they are, very simply. When you are able to look at things without saying, "This is for me or against me," "I can go along with this," or "I cannot go along with this," then you are experiencing the state of being of the cosmic mirror, the wisdom of the cosmic mirror. You may see a fly buzzing; you may see a snowflake; you may see ripples of water; you may see a black widow spider. You may see anything, but you can actually look at all of those things with simple and ordinary, but appreciative, perception."
- Chogyam Trungpa, "Shamhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior"
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