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“KNOWING HOW TO KNOW” ESSAY # 2

(Issued March 22, 2010)

EXPERIENCING

This “KNOWING HOW TO KNOW” series is being published and made

available freely with the hope that this information may help people at grass
roots level to improve their conditions in life, and the conditions of their loved
ones.

The purpose of this second issue is to help develop the following skill.

SIMPLY EXPERIENCE WHAT IS THERE WITHOUT AVOIDING,

RESISTING OR SUPPRESSING IT BACK.
Feelings, emotions, sensations, etc., are flows because they outpour or discharge.
One “looks” at such flows by experiencing them without resisting. This lets them outpour
and discharge.

Here are some examples of these flows:

(a) Feelings: confusion, love, disgust, etc.
(b) Emotions: grief, fear, anger etc.
(c) Sensations: tingling, dizziness, hot and cold, etc.
(d) Efforts: any effort to do something, such as to run; or not to do something, such as,
not to move.

EXPERIENCING THE ENVIRONMENT

Suppose a dog is running toward you and you feel afraid. If you simply experience
that fear caused by that dog without avoiding, resisting or suppressing it, you may find
that you are able to handle the situation much better even as it develops.

☺ Exercise 1
Find something in your environment that you have been avoiding
looking at.
(1) Observe the feelings or emotions that appear as you start to face it.
(2) Experience those feelings and emotions without resisting or suppressing
them.

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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When the mind brings up some feeling or emotion as an immediate response to the
environment, it is safe to experience it.

To safely experience the mind, do not think or push the mind in any direction.

Usually it is much easier to experience positive flows, such as, love, enthusiasm and
well-beingness; and rather difficult to experience negative flows, such as, guilt, fear and
pain. But, when such flows come up in immediate response to something, they are safe
to experience.

In response to looking at things in the environment, the mind will immediately

bring up only those feelings, emotions and efforts that are safe to experience.

One may encounter uncontrolled thinking in the mind. But, as one looks and
experiences the environment, without thinking or resisting, that uncontrolled thinking
starts to calm down.

To experience a flow, simply stay with it without avoiding it, resisting it, or
suppressing it back. Dive right into the very center of it and feel it without adding
anything. As you stay with it, the uncomfortable intensity of the flow would lessen and
eventually disappear.

☺ Exercise 2
Move around the house leisurely, and look at various objects, touching and
feeling them. Experience them without resisting until you can unconditionally
accept their presence.

☺ Exercise 3
Go for a walk in the neighborhood. Look and notice things. Experience them
without resisting until you can unconditionally accept them being there.

☺ Exercise 4
Go to a coffee shop, sit there and observe the surroundings and other
people. Experience whatever feelings come up until you no longer are
avoiding, resisting or suppressing anything from yourself.

☺ Exercise 5
Look at your family album or any old pictures that you may have kept. As
feelings and emotions come up, experience them without avoiding, resisting
or suppressing them.

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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EXPERIENCING THE MIND

Suppose an instance comes to your mind when you fell from a bicycle. You feel
nausea and disorientation. Simply experience that feeling or sensation without avoiding,
resisting or suppressing it back. You may at first feel an increase in the intensity, but
then that intensity starts to discharge and, ultimately, go away.

Uncontrolled thinking comes about when one is trying to predict what may happen
tomorrow, or when the data needed to resolve a problem is missing and cannot be
located. Often such data is suppressed in the mind, and the anxiety to find it keeps it
suppressed. So, the mind goes on thinking.

When one simply looks and experiences the mind, without thinking or exerting
in any way, the hitherto suppressed data start to come to view. Old problems
begin to resolve as missing data shows up.

With continual practice of looking and experiencing, the uncontrolled thinking in the
mind eventually calms down.

As you do the following exercises, make sure that you are well rested and not
hungry. Your body should not be a distraction while you are experiencing the mind.

☺ Exercise 6
Do exercise in the Appendix.

Here is a general purpose exercise.

☺ Exercise 7
1. Find a place where you can sit comfortably and be there for a while without
being disturbed or distracted.
2. Simply observe with your eyes open. If you find your mind adding more to
what is plainly visible, simply notice that fact and continue.
3. Once you can comfortably notice what is there, and can differentiate it from
what your mind tends to add to it, you may close your eyes.
4. If you just see blackness, then observe that blackness. If you see a play of
light and darkness, then observe that play of light and darkness.
5. Observe the various sound and smells as they offer themselves to you. Do
not strain to perceive them.
6. Observe what your senses present to you, such as, the temperature in the
room, the pull of gravity, or the taste in your mouth. Do not look for
anything in particular. Just be there comfortably experiencing what is there.
(Continued on next page)

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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7. The mind may present "pictures" of the current and past events, some
flattering and some not so flattering. Simply experience them without
thinking. The scene may shift around continually.
8. The mind may present emotions, such as, embarrassment, guilt, anxiety,
anger, fear, grief, and even apathy. Simply experience whatever comes up
without trying to judge it, or justify it.
9. The mind may present various sensations, twitches in muscles, pain, effort
to do, or not do something, etc. Do not avoid, resist or suppress these back.
Just experience them fully. They will all clear out eventually.
10. There may be tendency to squirm, move or change position. If the
discomfort lasts, readjust your body to a more comfortable position, while
keeping your attention on experiencing the effort.
11. If you find yourself getting involved in thoughts, or mentally doing
something else, then simply recognize this fact, and continue. Do not
suppress anything. Do not add anything.
12. Let these feelings, emotions and sensations play themselves out. Do not
speculate on reasons and possibilities. As you persevere, the
uncomfortable feelings and sensations will clear out.
13. Try ending this exercise at a point when some persistent emotion or effort
has just left. Do not end while it is still persisting.

Here are some advanced exercises.

☺ Exercise 8
Look at an instance when you lost somebody you loved. As feelings and
emotions come up, experience them fully without avoiding, resisting or
suppressing them. Take as much time as you need to stay with the feelings
and emotions until they start to discharge.
☺ Exercise 9
Look at some traumatic experience you went through. The details may come
up slowly but stay with it. Look without thinking and experience without
resisting. It may take several sittings but continue until all details come to
view and the trauma starts to discharge.

In the above exercises the guide may occasionally check, as necessary, to make
sure you are looking and experiencing without thinking and resisting. The guide must
take care not to interrupt when you are deeply absorbed in the exercise.

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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SUMMARY
Experience the environment without resisting until you can do so comfortably. Then
you may practice experiencing the mind. The whole idea is to practice and become
skillful at the following:

SIMPLY EXPERIENCE WHAT IS THERE WITHOUT AVOIDING,

RESISTING OR SUPPRESSING IT BACK.
EXPERIENCING is an extension of the process of looking without thinking.

EXPERIENCING is totally non-judgmental. If any guilt feelings start to come to view,

simply experience them and accept them for what they are, and continue.

This principle of EXPERIENCING may be applied while going through your daily
routine. Do so until it has become your second nature.

As one experiences without resisting, one unburdens the mind. The data that has
been suppressed up until now starts to come to view. As a result many problems start to
resolve and disappear, anxieties lessen and the mind becomes increasingly clear. The
intervals of calmness grow wider, and life becomes a continuous stream of joy.

Researched and compiled by

Vinay Agarwala
With contributions from
Ivan Doskocil

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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☺ Appendix
Read yourself or have a guide read each item to you.
(1) If nothing comes up, continue.
(2) If something comes up, experience it freely.
(3) Do not consciously add anything to what is observed.
(4) Take as much time as you need to experience fully.

Look at an instance:
1. When you were happy.
2. When you climbed a tree.
3. When you ate something good.
4. When you received a present.
5. When you enjoyed a laugh.
6. When you helped somebody.
7. When you threw a ball.
8. When something important happened to you.
9. When you played a game.
10. When you jumped down from a tree.
11. When you won a contest.
12. When you had a good laugh.
13. When you met someone you liked.
14. When you flew on a plane.
15. When you were at a beautiful place.
16. When you jumped into a pool.
17. When you enjoyed a beautiful morning.
18. When you went for a walk.
19. When somebody teased you.
20. When you sat in a coffee shop.
21. When you danced with joy.
22. When you raced with someone.
(Continued on next page)

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved
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Look at an instance:
23. When you completed something important.
24. When you experienced a pleasant surprise.
25. When you met somebody after a long time.
26. When you were caught in a rain.
27. When you heard a thunder.
28. When someone smiled at you.
29. When you played with a pet.
30. When you held someone’s hand.
31. When someone picked your body up.
32. When you were spinning around.
33. When you read a good book.
34. When you felt breeze on your face.
35. When you saw a beautiful flower.
36. When you smelled a rose.
37. When somebody called you.
38. When you were in a play.
39. When you sang aloud.
40. When you watched a movie.
41. When your team won.
42. When you rode with friends.
43. When you visited a garden.
44. When you played in water.
45. When the weather was stormy.
46. When somebody gave you a hug.
47. When you liked somebody.
48. When you slid down a slide.
49. When you ran toward somebody you liked.
50. When you enjoyed a beautiful weather.

Knowing How to Know Series #2 of March 22, 2010 Print Date: March 22, 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Vinay Agarwala, All Rights Reserved