
The Central Paradox of Meditation: Being and Doing
The central paradox of meditation is that of being and doing. Doing something in order to realize we don’t need to do anything, or in fact that the doing is taking us away from being.
Q: What about programming, conditioning? Don’t we need to undo that?
A: Where is it, when is it? It has to be now. So if you are going to do anything about so-called conditioning, or karma, or anything else, it has to be now. And the only thing you can be now is Be. Be free. So why worry about conditioning and karma. Leave everything alone. Let it take care of itself. The totality just is, right now, and there is nothing some separate entity you imagine yourself to be, can do about it to change the universe. This is not passivity, this is simple recognition of what Is.
But this is just a bunch of words. Do it. Be it.
Q: And they go to teachers who they think are enlightened, or who claim to be …
A: But who cares about teachers and teachings?
“Why are you concerned with the point of view of others? Why are you concerned with what teachers think or what teachers do. Turn to yourself. What do you think? What do you believe? What do you do? That is all that counts.
There are many teachers who teach all kinds of things in this world. Forget about all the teachers. You are the one. Turn to yourself. The truth is within you, you are the truth. You are the whole truth but nothing but the truth. Leave the teachers alone. Let them teach what they will, let them say what they will. Turn to yourself. And you will be free. Because you’re already free.” – Robert Adams, “Just Be”, October 15th, 1992