Taking the backward step in Zen
Empty Sky
The normal direction of attention
One question that comes up frequently in my discussions with my friends is what exactly does it mean when Zen teachers tell you to take the backward step or how to turn your attention backwards as taught by Ramana Maharishi or Nisargadatta Maharaj? To be clear a lot of traditions have similar practices, so this practice of turning the mind backwards on itself is not exclusive to Zen or Advaita Vedanta but since these are the most commonly cited examples I have decided use them in this blog post.
The great Zen Master Dogen wrote in the Fukanzazengi:
“You should therefore cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words and following after speech, and learn the backward step that turns your light inwardly to illuminate your self. Body and mind of themselves will drop away, and your original face will be manifest.”
Awareness identifies itself with a construct that is caused by the mind identifying with external phenomena.
The first thing to realize as one begins the practice of self-inquiry is that our normal everyday attention is focused on external phenomena, and is a very narrowly focused sense of attention. This is the nature of our everyday mind, which is very useful and allows us to solve tasks, from the everyday mundane to the very complex. However, the focus of the mind on external objects and phenomena reinforces a feeling of being separate and adrift in the world. We try to solve this problem by acquiring new shiny objects or chasing various pleasures but even though they might offer temporary respite we ultimately come back to this feeling of being separate from the world around us. This inherent feeling of separation causes us to seek things that we believe will make us whole and complete.
2. Reversing the direction of attention
The practices of self-inquiry in Advaita, and taking the backward step in Zen teach us to turn the direction of attention inward, away from external objects and directly to our own true nature. Awareness, our true nature, is the ever present background of our existence. It is always present irrespective of our mental states, thoughts or feelings. It is the Subject from where all experience arises.
In my case it was a very simple question from my teacher that opened me to spacious Awareness, “The only truth that does not need outside validation is the truth that you exist. How do you know that you exist?” At that very instant, my mind turned backwards and I could recognize the true nature of mind or Awareness, which is independent of thought or concepts. This Awareness is outside of the conceptual prison that is created by thought, and is inherently free, and spacious. It is always present irrespective of our circumstances. This reversal of attention is the beginning of practice in Advaita Vedanta and Zen, as well as in the Tibetan traditions of Mahamudra, and Dzogchen.
The mind now focuses on the Awareness.
3. Practices for reversing the direction of attention
To be clear, one critical condition, that is required for reversing the direction of attention is a mind that is free from cravings. The various techniques that are typically taught to early practitioners in various traditions focus on quietening the mind so the pointing out instructions and practices can take hold.
Recently, I found a couple of non-traditional practices that I find very interesting and I would like to point them out here in the hope that some of you might be able to try these out.
Traditional Pointers of Awareness:
Who am I? or Where am I?
Find the root I-thought
Find the feeling of I-AM
Are you aware?
How do you know you exist?
What was your original face before you were born?
Non-traditional Pointers: Les Fehmi & Douglas Harding
Les Fehmi, an American psychologist and pioneer in neuro-feedback found some very interesting strategies to deepen alpha waves. Numerous studies using EEG have shown that alpha waves in the brain are correlated with states of well being and happiness. As he was looking for various ways to deepen these alpha waves, he found that by asking a few simple questions he was able to amplify feelings of well being and peace in a lot of participants in his studies.
Douglas Harding was an English mystic, spiritual teacher and author of a number of books, including On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious(1961), which describes simple techniques he invented for readers to experience (not just understand) the non-dual nature of Awareness.
Can you imagine the space between your eyes?
Can you imagine the space between your ears?
"Point to your feet, legs, belly, chest, then to what's above that. Go on looking at what your finger's now pointing to. Looking at what?"
Ernst Mach: Analysis of Sensations. This portrait is pointing to the source from which our experience of the world arises.
Conclusion:
The point to realize from all of these practices is that they are showing us a way to see the world from an open relaxed perspective instead of a narrow ego-centric constricted viewpoint. In the picture that I posted below, a flock of birds flying in the sky, Awareness is the open sky through which our thoughts/sensations, (flock of birds) pass through. The sky is unaffected by the passing of birds or changes in weather. The sky’s original nature is pristine and unblemished.
Awareness is the empty sky through which the birds fly.
These exercises are not mere intellectual exercises but have to be directly realized by the one practicing these experiments. This realization has to come from within. No Guru, Spiritual Master or Yogi can give this realization to you. You are responsible for your own salvation and freedom.
References:
https://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/teachings/instructions/
https://www.headless.org
https://princetonbiofeedback.com/about-us/about-dr-les-fehmi/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb3PzxwEKCQ&t=188s (Rupert Spira-Self Inquiry)
https://www.happinessofbeing.com (Michael James is a student of Sadhu Om)