Within the practice we teach, we are not trying to enter a concentrated state of mind but develop moment to moment awareness. So in the moment to moment practice, when you know that you are present, this is more what we are referring to as a meditative state. When you actually know you are present, when you can see your thoughts arising, existing, passing, when you can see your intention coming up to get angry at somebody and you are able stop it. That's a state of awareness of the body and mind in normal life. When you are present with your lifting, your moving, your placing of your foot. When you're present grabbing your toothpaste and putting it onto your toothbrush. It might sound strange, but that's it.
How many of you can thread a needle? How many times when you're threading a needle, do you miss? That's an example of being present or not present. When we miss the needle, it's because our mind went somewhere. When we get the thread right into that needle it means we are totally there, we are totally present. Now that doesn't sound like a lot of other teachers with their concentration meditation, with their bliss and super absorption and visions and all that, it's a very different type of practice we are teaching.
Why is it that people cannot be aware grabbing a door? Because they're thinking about where they are going. The mind is usually somewhere else, so the whole purpose of developing stronger awareness throughout the day is to actually know our thoughts.
Now when you think of purifying, within this whole practice, especially in Theravadin Buddhism, we're purifying our mind and heart. How are we going to purify our heart when we can't see anger before it comes up, and then prevent it from manifesting? How are we going to purify unless we know how to let anger go, if it's already manifested? Those are two of the main efforts; there are Four Great Efforts. Stop the bad stuff coming and learn how to let it go. The other Great Efforts are how to develop the good stuff, Compassion and Patience, etc. and how to maintain them!