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Talk: 19920226-Larry_Rosenberg-UNK-anapanasati_full_awareness_of_breath_series_tape_3-33806 Leandra Tejedor.json Start_time: 01:09:50 Display_question: I've noticed, that when I sit a lot, I do slow down, and I feel the tension between feeling as though I want to be slower, and the respect of being fast. Keyword_search: intelligence, slow, fast, Buddhist, wisdom, attention, IMS, CIMC, Thai Forest Tradition, balance, walking meditation Question_content: Questioner: One thing I've noticed is that when I sit a lot, I do slow down, and I read something once, and I found it…I think that it's true, that people tend, at least in the west, tend to associate intelligence with speed, how fast you talk to me. And I do find that I feel pressure of people around me, especially in this area, to speed up again, because it feels too slow, constantly in this kind of tension between feeling as though I want to be slower, wanting, I guess, the respect of being fast, and the things that go along with that. Although I guess it’s possible to be mindful and fast. Larry: Right. Yeah, I think… I certainly understand what you're saying because my nature is more fast. And in coming into this Buddhist stuff, at first it was very difficult for me to walk so slowly. I love it now, but it's not special. I know sometimes you feel like walking slowly, just the way all the conditions are coming…and fine. I think what might be helpful is for you to, if you could do it, be able to discern the difference between what is the appropriate way of walking for you, and what is you worrying about what other people think about you. They're two very different things. Now, you may, for all kinds of reasons, decide that you're going to fit in. That's all right, it's your choice, but do it consciously the. That you know that… look, it's better to I would be happier walking slow, but it's going to create everyone in my office will start making fun, and they won't trust me, and they'll think I'm weird. So, I think it's better just your wisdom tells you that it's better to do that, fine, but then you at least know what you're doing. But if you're doing it out of a semi examined fear, that doesn't bode well. At some point because you're harming yourself in the process of doing that. So, you can with attention… Break_line: For example, you can really know what's appropriate. And sometimes fast is appropriate. For example, if this building would start to burn down, some of you super-duper yogis from IMS, I hope that you can run fast, because we got to get out of here, because it's appropriate. Correct action would be fast would be appropriate. But if you're in the midst of a retreat, and you're setting the world's record for slowness here, that's fine, because in that context, there's some value in walking slowly, the kinds of things you can accomplish. So, none of them are absolute ends. And finally, it will lead you back to yourself, your relationship to what other people think of you, and feelings of insecurity, and so forth. Maybe my rebellious nature might as well heck with them. If they want to walk fast, I'm going to be slow. But that's the same game. So how to really, finally, slip out from under any of the games, and what is the right choice? I don't know, but you could tell by paying attention. Break_line: In the Thai forest tradition, which in my experience is the most balanced approach to this of any of the places that I've been. They actually encourage you to walk naturally, during the walking meditation. And if we had more space, we'd be doing much more of that here. We don't have the space. So you have a path, and you walk back and forth at a natural pace. What's natural for you? And sometimes, of course, you get very, very slow. The mind gets very concentrated. You become like a turtle. Fine. At other times you're sleepy, and restless, and sometimes rapid walking is good. So they don't really make anything a virtue, particularly, in terms of speed. Don't get caught there. That's not what it's about. It's really, what's the quality of mind in back of it? What are all those people running? What is that all about? What is that accomplishing, really? All that running, and I don't know, I don't want to start preaching. End_time: 01:13:55
