..续本文上一页g out, breathing in, breathing out -- with full awareness. Then I say: "Now just do that for not three breaths but three hundred breaths. Do it for a whole hour." Of course they can”t do it. Why can we do three breaths but can”t do three hundred breaths

　　 The reason is we can start out without any problems and with full awareness but we cannot sustain that awareness. These "snakes", these problems, they creep in usually after we”ve begun meditation. When you begin meditation it can be very clear. Yet when the bell goes you may ask, "Wow, where did that hour go

　　". You were snoozing, or you were just thinking about so many different things. You can start out watching the breath and you can finish up thinking about your holidays overseas. Somehow, somewhere the "snakes" come in. Or if you”d rather, the "radar trap" has got you. So you need to tell yourself what your main problem is and to "psyche yourself up" to do something about it.

　　If you”ve been meditating long enough, you know your problems, the things that you”ve really got to look out for. Psyche yourself up, by saying, "Look out for this one". For example, if giving orders is your big problem, say, "Watch out for that one". Really watch out for it. Then when you”re meditating, you”ll find that when an order is about to be given you will spot it coming. You sidestep the "snake" before it gets its coils around you. You slam on the brakes before the "speed camera" flashes. You”ve avoided it because you”ve seen it coming. This is where mindfulness starts to really kick in and become very sharp and very powerful. One learns to sidestep the dangers. You”ve given clear instructions, sidestepped the dangers, and the meditation really starts to become deep. Mindfulness then does become the controlling faculty of your meditation. It”s one thing to define what mindfulness is, but here are clear instructions on how to be mindful, how to set it up, how to program yourself so you are fully mindful.

　　Arousing Energy

　　Of course another factor needed for mindfulness is energy. In each of these stages you need energy, and the way that energy is aroused is by learning to put everything you have into what you”re doing now. Don”t keep any thing back for the next moment. It”s one of the mistakes which people make -- especially with mental energy. They think, "Well if I really push myself hard now, if I put a lot of energy into this moment, I”11 have nothing left for the next moment". It doesn”t work that way with the mind. You actually arouse energy. You initiate energy. The more energy you put into this moment, the more you have for the next moment, and the more you”ve got for the moment afterwards.

　　With mental energy you actually build up the force. With physical energy it is the opposite. You”ve only got a certain amount, a certain store of physical energy. So if you use some up now, you haven”t got as much for later on. With mental energy, there is a limitless store, and if you put a lot of energy into what you are doing right now, you”ll find the next moment, the next five minutes, the next hour or whatever, you”re really awake and very alert. You”re sharp because you”ve built up that energy. That”s why Ajahn Chah, my Teacher, used to say that whatever you”re doing put a hundred percent effort into it. If it”s listening to a talk, put one hundred percent effort into listening. If you”re sitting meditation, put one hundred percent effort into sitting. If you”re walking, put one hundred percent effort into walking. If you”re eating your lunch, put one hundred percent effort into eating your lunch. If you”re resting, put one hundred percent effort into resting. Really sleep as perfectly as you can. Whatever you do, put one hundred percent effort into it. Then you find that you build up energy. …

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