from solid to gas

quick intro:

For this read, I’d like to introduce the Three Fundamental States of Experience for the purpose of spiritual healing. Buddhist teacher, Shinzen Young, refers to that as Solid, Liquid, and Gas.

why should I be mindful of this concept?

Being mindful of the Three Fundamental States of Experience can help your physical and inner experiences in life become more fluid. When it is fluid and gas-like, the attachment will be non-existent because according to the teachings of Buddhism, attachment creates suffering.

why is solidity harmful to our spirit?

Conceptually speaking, no matter how tough a human being is (through the creation of hardness), nature has its way of making it brittle. When our spirits marinate in lower emotional vibrations such as worry, insecurity, fear, etc, it results in creating solidity in our mind and spirit. The solidity has the ability to prevent higher emotional vibrations such as hopefulness, passion, and empowerment, from flowing in.

going from solid to gas

First, we must be open to inviting the Three Attentional Skills; Concentration, clarity, and equanimity.

Second, we will use each of the three below to increase mindful awareness.

Concentration: When concentration is high, you are in the zone and can respond with great effectiveness. When it is low, you might feel out of your mojo. To practice this, shift over to developing Clarity and Equanimity.

Clarity: When clarity is high, your sense becomes unusually clearer. Your surroundings will seem vivid and rich. When it’s low, everything will seem overwhelming. To keep it high, keep track of what you’re experiencing at the moment using Concentration and Equanimity.

Equanimity: When equanimity is high, your physical, emotional, or mental discomfort is easily flowing through you to the point where it has decreased your suffering. When it’s low, pleasure and satisfaction decrease, and frustration increases. To practice this, use Concentration and Clarity to focus on your emotion and nurture it until it feels fluid. Resisting emotions/discomforts hardens our spirit which increases the feeling of suffering.