Joseph Goldstein On: How Not To Try Too Hard in Meditation, Why You Shouldn't "Waste Your Suffering," and the Value Of Seeing How Ridiculous You Are
Dan Harris hosts Joseph Goldstein, a renowned meditation teacher, to discuss the final three aspects of the Buddhist Eightfold Path: right effort, mindfulness, and concentration. They explore practical strategies for balancing effort, handling doubts, preventing unwholesome states, and cultivating wisdom in daily life and formal meditation.
Deep Dive Analysis
18 Topic Outline
Introduction to Joseph Goldstein and the Eightfold Path
Overview of the Eightfold Path and its daily life application
Right Effort: Balancing energy in meditation
Understanding 'Let It Be' versus 'Let It Go'
The First Great Endeavor: Preventing unwholesome states
Mindfulness of seeing to prevent judgment
The Second Great Endeavor: Abandoning unwholesome states
Using suffering as a wake-up call for investigation
Overcoming the comparing mind (Mana) through mindfulness
Applying antidotes like Metta and Mudita to unwholesome states
Right Mindfulness: Definition and common misconceptions
Distinction between recognition and true mindfulness
Handling doubts about meditating correctly
Right Concentration: Steadiness and relaxation
Developing steadiness without grasping or expectation
The Buddhist concept of wisdom and its components
Simple explanation of Not-Self (Anatta)
Applying the Eightfold Path in daily life for liberation
10 Key Concepts
Eightfold Path
A pivotal Buddhist list that serves as a recipe for living a good life, encompassing both daily activities and formal meditation practice. It is often divided into three buckets, with the final three entries being right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Virya (Right Effort/Energy)
A Pali word often translated as energy, emphasizing the balance between trying too hard (getting tense) and being too loose (spacing out). It involves monitoring the quality of one's inner energy to let go of unskillful states and cultivate skillful ones.
Let It Be
A phrase preferred over 'let it go' in meditation, as 'let it go' implies an action one must perform. 'Let it be' acknowledges the truth of impermanence, suggesting that if one is truly mindful and allows things to be, they will naturally arise and pass away without interference.
Four Great Endeavors
A list within the concept of Right Effort that outlines specific ways to manage wholesome and unwholesome states of mind. These include preventing unwholesome states from arising, abandoning those that have already arisen, cultivating wholesome states, and maintaining wholesome states.
Mindfulness (refined)
More than just being in the present moment or recognizing what's present, true mindfulness involves being aware of experience without greed, aversion, or delusion. It's recognizing what's there without a filter of wanting it to go away or judging it, leading to acceptance and insight into impermanence.
Black Lab Consciousness
A metaphor for being present and joyful, but not truly mindful. Like a black lab bounding along on instinct, it describes a state of being in the moment without the metacognitive quality of knowing one is aware, or without the freedom from greed, aversion, and delusion that defines mindfulness.
Samadhi (Right Concentration/Steadiness)
A Pali term for concentration, which Joseph Goldstein prefers to translate as 'steadiness' to avoid connotations of furrowed-brow effort. It is a key component of meditation that involves relaxation and a soft, intentional focus, leading to one-pointedness of mind on either a fixed object or changing objects.
Aspiration vs. Wanting
A distinction made to navigate the paradox of developing concentration without grasping. 'Wanting' implies clinging, grasping, or expectation, which hinders progress. 'Aspiration' is a more wholesome wanting that sets a direction without attachment, allowing for trust in the process.
Wisdom (Buddhist context)
Within the Buddhist framework, wisdom primarily refers to the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. More specifically, it is the insight into the impermanent, unsatisfying (dukkha), and selfless (anatta) nature of all phenomena, experienced directly through practice.
Not-Self (Anatta)
The understanding that the word 'self' is merely a designation for the flow of the mind-body process, not a substantial reality independent of changing phenomena. Like a rainbow, the 'self' is an appearance arising from conditions, not a permanent entity, and recognizing this can be tremendously liberating from suffering.
10 Questions Answered
The Eightfold Path is a pivotal Buddhist teaching that encompasses both daily life activities and formal meditation, serving as a recipe for living a good life and supporting the cultivation of wisdom.
This balance is achieved through 'right effort' or 'Virya' (energy), which is like tuning the strings of a lute: not too tight to cause tension, and not too loose to cause spacing out. It requires continuous self-monitoring and adjustment of one's inner energy.
Joseph Goldstein suggests 'let it be' is a more accurate phrase than 'let it go.' 'Let it be' acknowledges the truth of impermanence, implying that if one is truly mindful and allows things to exist without interference, they will naturally arise and pass away.
By investigating the circumstances in which unwholesome states arise (e.g., from seeing, hearing, body sensations, thoughts) and then applying mindfulness to that specific sense door or field. For example, being mindful of 'seeing' can prevent judgments from arising.
One should first apply mindfulness to the state. If that's not enough, one can strengthen mindfulness, or use the suffering caused by the state as a 'mindfulness bell' to investigate its causes. Other strategies include cultivating antidotes like loving-kindness (metta) or sympathetic joy (mudita), or practicing renunciation.
Instead of worrying about 'am I doing it right?', one can periodically ask, 'What's the attitude in my mind?' to check how one is relating to the present experience. Another question to ask when caught in thoughts is, 'Is this useful? Is this not useful?' Most thoughts are not useful, allowing the mind to settle.
In a Buddhist context, 'concentration' (Samadhi) is better understood as 'steadiness' of mind, emphasizing relaxation rather than intense effort. It involves developing a soft, intentional focus, either on a single fixed object (like the breath) or on changing objects moment-to-moment (momentary concentration).
Distinguish between unhelpful 'wanting' (clinging, grasping, expectation) and wholesome 'aspiration.' Have the aspiration to develop steadiness, which sets a direction, but then let go of the aspiration itself. Trust that by engaging in the practice moment by moment, steadiness will naturally develop without hyper-vigilance or expectations.
Buddhist wisdom is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths and, more specifically, the direct insight into the impermanent, unsatisfying (dukkha), and selfless (anatta) nature of all phenomena. This wisdom is crucial for liberation and is developed through strong concentration.
'Not-self' means understanding that the 'self' is a designation for the flow of mind-body processes, not a substantial, independent entity. This insight is liberating because when unpleasant experiences like anger arise, one doesn't identify them as 'my anger,' thus reducing suffering and the feeling of being owned by emotions.
22 Actionable Insights
1. Understand Not-Self
Understand that ‘self’ is a designation for the flow of mind-body processes, not a substantial reality. This insight helps you avoid identifying with phenomena, thereby reducing suffering and leading to liberation.
2. Don’t Waste Your Suffering
When experiencing suffering, use it as a wake-up call to investigate what unwholesome mind state is causing it. This direct investigation helps you understand the causes of suffering and unhook from it.
3. Have Humor About Mind
Cultivate a sense of humor about your own mind and its ‘ridiculous’ thoughts and reactivity. Seeing the impersonality of these patterns with humor is an effective way to avoid being caught by them.
4. Mindfulness Without Aversion
Practice mindfulness by recognizing what’s present in the moment without greed, aversion, or delusion. Accepting difficult emotions without wanting them to go away changes your relationship to them and reveals their impermanence.
5. Balance Your Effort
Continuously monitor the quality of your effort or energy in practice and daily life, like tuning a lute. Adjust if you’re too tense (relax) or too loose (be more mindful) to find balance.
6. Let Things Be
Instead of trying to ’let go,’ practice ’letting it be,’ which acknowledges the truth of impermanence. If you let things be without interference, they will naturally arise and pass away.
7. Investigate Unwholesome Causes
To prevent unwholesome states, investigate the circumstances and sense doors (seeing, hearing, etc.) from which they predominantly arise. Understanding their causes allows you to take appropriate action.
8. Practice Mindful Seeing
Actively practice being mindful of the act of seeing throughout your day. This can prevent unwholesome states like judgment and reactivity that often arise from unmindful visual input.
9. Strengthen Mindfulness
When unwholesome states arise, strengthen your mindfulness by focusing very precisely and carefully on sensations. Fully occupying your mind with precise mindfulness can dissolve the unwholesome state.
10. Cultivate Antidote States
Use wholesome states as antidotes to unwholesome ones; for example, cultivate loving-kindness (metta) for anger, sympathetic joy (mudita) for envy, or renunciation for greed. This shifts the mind into a more wholesome state.
11. Practice Small Renunciation
Engage in small acts of renunciation, such as saying ’no’ to minor desires that are not important or necessary. This simple practice strengthens your mind and conserves energy.
12. Use ‘Steadiness’ Not ‘Concentration’
Use the word ‘steadiness’ instead of ‘concentration’ to describe the quality of mind you’re cultivating. This avoids the connotation of over-effort and helps foster relaxation.
13. Set Aspiration, Then Let Go
Have an aspiration to develop qualities like steadiness, as it sets a direction, but then let go of clinging, grasping, or expectation. Trust that consistent practice will lead to the desired outcome.
14. Release ‘Am I Doing It Right?’
Don’t worry excessively about whether you’re meditating ‘correctly,’ as this can lead to judgment and self-judgment. Recognize this thought pattern and release it.
15. Ask ‘What’s My Attitude?’
Periodically ask yourself, ‘What’s the attitude in my mind?’ to check how you are relating to your experience. This question often helps the mind settle back into true mindfulness.
16. Ask ‘Is This Useful?’
When caught up in a lot of thoughts, ask yourself, ‘Is this useful?’ or ‘Is this not useful?’ Most thoughts are not useful, and this question helps the mind settle back into a more mindful state.
17. Label ‘Practice Assessment Tapes’
When thoughts like ‘Am I doing it right?’ arise, label them as ‘practice assessment tapes’ (PATs). Seeing and naming this thought pattern helps the mind release from it.
18. Intend Steadiness on Breath
Cultivate steadiness by having the soft intention to be steady for the duration of each in-breath and out-breath. This gentle intentionality builds one-pointedness.
19. Focus on Primary Object
In the beginning of practice, emphasize using a primary object like the breath to develop fixed object concentration and strengthen steadiness.
20. Combine Concentration Types
In Vipassana practice, combine focus on a primary object with becoming mindful and one-pointed on other predominant changing objects that arise. This intermingling develops stronger samadhi.
21. Practice the Eightfold Path
Don’t just know the eight steps of the path; actively put them into practice in both formal meditation and daily life. This is the path to liberation.
22. Study Each Path Step
Undertake a project to investigate and study each step of the Eightfold Path in depth, perhaps dedicating a month to each step. This deep exploration makes the teachings come alive.
6 Key Quotes
Don't waste your suffering.
Joseph Goldstein
The mind has no pride.
Joseph Goldstein
Avoid what is unskillful, do what is good, purify the mind. This is the teaching of all the Buddhas.
Joseph Goldstein
The suffering is really a wake-up call to investigate.
Joseph Goldstein
There can be no wisdom without concentration, without this steadiness of mind.
Joseph Goldstein
As long as people are practicing the eightfold path, there will be enlightened beings in the world.
Joseph Goldstein