Notions such as "effortless attention," "not trying to meditate," etc. gets thrown around a lot, particularly by Western Zen evangelists.
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These notions aren't wrong, but it's important to understand that they describe something closer to the pinnacle of accomplishment...
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... which, to your layman's ears, is exactly what Zen says isn't there.. This is a linguistic trick that means smth else, however.
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And while the usage in Zen is actually correct, it's easily misunderstood. So too for many other traditions, esp. Buddhist traditions.
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Let's return to the idea of meditation-as-a-skill. You may know the idea that skill acquisition works in stages. In basic terms...
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... we start out thinking a lot about how to do something (kick a ball, sing a verse...) and doing it in a very clumsy, mechanical manner.
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This gradually moves into a phase where practice is effortful, but more fluid and less error-prone.
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Eventually, you arrive at a stage where the skill can be applied autonomously. You can think, in some cases even talk, while doing it.
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This theory may have holes or flaws, but you can see how it relates to Zen and disciplines stressing effortless practice.
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Effortless practice is a level you get to after lots of effortful, often harrowing practice. But when you get there, it's the only way to go
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Because when you reach this level of refinement in any skill, *thinking* about it actually represses your abilities.
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Your advancement is contingent precisely on learning so many fruitful habits of action that it takes no thought to execute your skill.
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When you start thinking about it, you find your skill lowers to the level of the cognitive or associative stage. Deliberate and very clumsy.
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