Mindfulness Restraint of Noumena

In the Asheyana path, Calm Abiding practice is supported by one's work with the Eight Renunciations, having developed some space of mind in stepping back from bivalent perceptions.

Having worked with Calm Abiding within the context of the seventh Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Noumena, one can begin to work with this extension to the practice, "Mindfulness Restraint of Noumena."

The purpose of this Mindfulness Restraint is to develop particular habits of mindfulness conducive to progress along the path within and beyond the context of formal practice.

During a session of Calm Abiding or in daily life, one begins to focus on the fifth Point of Practice, that of the Mind:

• • Recalling "Mindfulness Restraint of Noumena," one brings the noumenal of expression of mind back to a good poise as in Mindfulness of Noumena practice.
    
    

  • Noting if unwholesome or over-elaborative thoughts, or thoughts irrelevant to one's phenomenal experience arise, one gently shifts their thinking to pertain to one's present phenomenal experience, or to silence.
    
    

  • In resting, one allows thoughts to dissolve in rest.
    
    

  • In waking, one gently shifts their thinking to pertain to one's present phenomenal experience, or to silence.
    
    

  • Unwholesome or over-elaborative thoughts, or thoughts irrelevant to one's phenomenal experience are abandoned. Wholesome thoughts related to one's phenomenal experience are allowed to arise--or alternatively, one abides in silence of thinking--communicating a quieted receptivity of mind to the external environment and beings therein.
    
    

  • Eventually, one should begin to sense a reduction in appearance of and craving for proliferation of thinking and an attenuation of clinging to thoughts as reinforcement of identity in daily life. Not expending oneself needlessly, qualities of discernment and accommodation begin to naturally arise in one's noumenal experience, even in the presence of conflicting views and proliferation of opinions.
    
    

The fruition of Mindfulness Restraint of Noumena is called Placement of Noumena--letting one's noumenal experience synchronize with the signal and silence of one's phenomenal experience, with a thinking--when present--held neither too tight nor too loose, with a quality of restrained potential for a fully accommodating comprehension representing all perspectives. Noumenal experience appears spacious and agile in stillness and movement.

May these words help the accommodating Asheyana practitioner to abide spaciously in the Placement of Noumena with full mindfulness. May it be of benefit.