It's interesting to see how perceptions and expectations form based on our habits and routines. This would be a typical breakfast for me, and a satisfying midnight snack as I don't usually eat supper. However being accustomed to eating staple rice or noodles that is savoury and complete with ingredients for lunch and dinner, a sandwich would fall short of my expectations. An enlightened person would see food as its function; to abate hunger and sustain life. However most of us attach craving towards it, seeing it as a source of pleasure. We may not realise this most of the time.
It is a gradual training to bring awareness to this craving and expectations (in my interpretation); to see that there is craving rather than condemning it and trying to get rid of it. Meditation is a training to develop mindfulness, in and out of meditation. This is a rather insightful quote on meditation.
"The training doesn't ask us to be any particular way in any particular situation, but through it we begin to teach our mind how to recognise the mind-state of kindness.
As we are sitting, we recognise when we are going to war with ourselves, or trying to control our thoughts and perceptions so that they constantly fit into the perfect world we want.
We are not open and relaxed in the present moment.
I suppose this need to be present, here and now, is something I learned from my teacher, Ajahn Sumedho.
He spoke with great confidence about returning again and again to what he called "the real", no matter what we are thinking about.
Always back to the "real"."
~ Ajahn Sundara 🙏
What is not "the real": the expectations we have of our mind; controlling thoughts, perceptions and whatsoever to fit the ideal mental state of meditation we perceive (as mentioned by Ajahn Sundara)
"The real" involves letting go of such expectations, not being in a constant struggle to control thoughts and such.
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