Insight: Clearing the Mind

by Mark W. Muesse

Length: 32 mins

Practicing mindfulness over time prepares the mind for "insight," which in this tradition means seeing clearly into the fundamental nature of reality. Begin an inquiry into what Buddhism calls the three "marks" of existence with the notion of impermanence - the eternal arising and passing away of all phenomena.

Audible Audio

Published November 18, 2011

About the author

Mark William Muesse is an American philosopher, theologian, and teacher. Muesse was born in Waco, Texas and attended University High School. He received a B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Baylor University and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Reviews

[Lily P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Audible)

Great Courses Lecture

How does insight happen in mind? Is insight an epiphany or something else? How does one settle the mind's racing thoughts to get to the point where something new can be observed?

Muesse includes the analogy of a bucket brimming with contents. Adding something to a full bucket doesn't fit, it can't be done without losing something else. Like a bucket, our racing thoughts in our mind keep the brain busy. We're so busy thinking thoughts that we don't have room for insight--and/or won't recognize it when it shows up. In order to add new to our thoughts, we need to quiet the mind--settle the swirling vortex of anxiety, worry, fear, even boredom has it's own thought tornados.

Includes mindfulness exercise and directions.

RECOMMEND

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 30 minute lecture from the Great Courses series "Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation". It is essentially applied Buddhism. Don't get me wrong. I use a lot of these techniques myself, but I am not a Buddhist and I find the character of his voice to be a little trying. However, I am not judging him because he has a southern accent. I have somewhat of a southern accent.

I will not be listening to this lecture again, but I felt compelled to give it a hearing once.