The Art of Wise Living
The art of wise living is to be present in the present as a present. Most of us do not experience an experience. We are busy butchering the experience with our concepts of good and bad, right, and wrong; thereby missing the experience altogether. To be open to an experience is to chew and munch on that experience. In this space, experience guides you mysteriously.
What do you mean when you term 'experience an experience?' A student asked the master 'What was your experience before and after enlightenment?' The master replied, 'Before enlightenment I used to wake up, bathe, eat, chop wood and sleep at night. After enlightenment, I did the same,' he continued. 'The only difference being, previously when I was doing similar chores, my mind used to be in the past or future. After enlightenment, when I eat — I eat, when I bathe — I bathe and hence I live in the present.'
To experience an experience is to be present in that experience. Very often our mind judges an experience based on our likes and dislikes. So, the energy of our likes and dislikes is superimposed on that experience. It is like a movie projected on the screen and the screen not being visible. Is it ever possible to free us from likes and dislikes?
As unconscious beings,they control our lives. Conscious beings are masters of likes and dislikes. When likes and dislikes are under your control, they will serve you and in such a state, you are not messed up. Likes and dislikes are not the problem. However, do they control your life, or are you controlling
