When you start to wander about in some delusion which is something apart from you yourself, then your surroundings are not real anymore, and your mind is not real anymore. http://amzn.to/2iZOLK7
Book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
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What happens when we wander in delusion
Shunryu Suzuki describes a common experience in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. When you start to wander about in some delusion which is something apart from you yourself, then your surroundings are not real anymore, and your mind is not real anymore. In other words, getting lost in imagined stories disconnects us from reality.
Everyone wanders this way. We imagine conversations that never happen, fear disasters that never arrive or replay events that are long gone. While we do this, the actual room, people and sensations fade. Life continues, but we are not fully there.
Returning when we wander in delusion
The first step is noticing. Delusion often feels convincing while it lasts. Therefore, simple cues help us wake up: a breath, a sound or a physical sensation. For example, feeling your feet on the floor can bring you back from a spiral of worry.
The second step is gentle return. Suzuki never suggests harsh self-criticism. Instead, we simply come back to what is here. Moreover, each return strengthens the habit of presence.
Imagination itself is not the problem. Creativity, planning and empathy all use imagination. Consequently, the issue is losing awareness that we are imagining, and mistaking stories for reality.
Mindfulness research shows that regular practice reduces rumination and improves emotional balance.
In short, reality is where life happens. Therefore, practise returning several times a day. For instance, pause at each doorway to notice your breath. As a result, delusion loses its grip, and surroundings feel vivid again.
Moreover, being present improves relationships. People notice when we are really with them, and they respond with more openness and trust. Therefore, presence is a gift to others as well as to ourselves.
