Introduction
Miksang Practice Transforms How We See
Introducing Direct Perception
The Gap: The Birthplace of Direct Perception
The Two Moments: First Impression and Second Thought
The Two Extremes in How We See
A Broadband State of Being
Beauty is a State of Mind
Part 1: Preparation for The Mechanics of Seeing
Settling into Awareness:
Establishing Our Intention to See
Settling and Landing Practice
The Practice of Recognizing Direct Perception:
Standing in the Slack Tide
Variations on Recognizing Direct Perception
The Soft Gaze and Letting Things Be
We Land Where We Land and Let it Be
Hyper and Dull States of Mind
Working With Hyper and Dull States of Mind
Bringing All Our Energy into Our Eyes
The Practice of Paying Deep Attention
Part 2: The Mechanics of Seeing
Seeing Our Visual World
Thinking Mind
Miksang Mind
Why We Don’t See Clearly: The Four Main Obstacles
Skimming Through Our World
Dissolving Our Labeling Process and Simplifying How We See
Stillness
Quotes on Stillness
There is No Other Moment
Mind Mixed with Space has no Agenda
Miksang is Like Cleaning the Window
Part 3: The Three Clarities
The Clarity of Perception
How Does a Fresh Perception Occur?
Starting at the Beginning with the Gap in our Mind
The Process of Direct Perception from 1986
Qualities of the Flash of Perception
The Necessary Ingredients for Seeing Our World
How Settling into Awareness Relates to the First Clarity
Developing Certainty in the Flash of Perception
Gap/Flash/Confidence
Qualities of Miksang Mind
Resting the Mind in Miksang Practice
Clarity of Understanding
Coming to a Full Stop
Visually Clarifying
The Inner Viewfinder
Developing Confidence in the First Impression
Looking Through the Mirror of Our Mind
Taking Stock When We Have a Fresh Perception
Developing The Three Confidences
Visually Clarifying Through Opening and Closing Our Eyes
Shifting Our Allegiance Towards Directness and Passion
Removing Something That is Not Part of the Perception
When We Lose Our Connection to Our Perception
Impulse and Ambition
Advice for the Second Clarity
Being Genuine in our Experience of the Three Clarities
Clarity of Expression
The Instrument of Expression
Summary of the Three Clarities
Continuity and Confidence in the Three Clarities
Developing Confidence
Staying Still
Continuity in the Three Stages of Perception
Part 4: The Assignments
The Purpose of Miksang Assignments and Exercises
Complete-Ness Present-Ness and Simplicity
The Heat of Direct Perception
Miksang as a Mirror
Mirroring Ambition
The Photograph as a Big Mirror
Miksang is the Discipline Mirror
Color Assignment
Looking and Seeing
The Purpose of the Color Assignment
Clarity of Perception in the Color Assignment
Clarifying Our Intention to See Color
Simplifying How We See
Viewing Assignment Images
Clarity of Understanding in the Color Assignment
Clarity of Expression for all Miksang Assignments
Camera Settings Recommendations
Editing Adjustments
Things to Consider when Editing Color Images
Guidelines for Color Shooting
Texture Assignment
The Texture Assignment
Clarity of Perception in the Texture Assignment
Clarity of Understanding in the Texture Assignment
Clarity of Expression in the Texture Assignment
Simplicity Assignment
Clarity of Perception in the Simplicity Assignment
Finding Simplicity
Clarity of Understanding and Expression in the Simplicity Assignment
Simplicity is Not a Miksang Aesthetic
Elegance and Simplicity
Part 5: Fruition of Opening the Good Eye Course
Genuine and Authentic
Miksang is Like a Three-Stage Rocket
Equanimity
Qualities of Experience
Blending
The Prime Directive: Go with The Flash
No Gap – No Flash
Appendix 1: Elaborations on Settling and Landing
Settling And Landing Practice Summary
Points for Settling and Landing
Guidance and Insights about Settling and Landing
Relaxing with How We Are
Resting Evenly in Settling and Landing
Settling and Landing Practice Instructions letter to Students
Settling into Awareness is a Self-Guided Tour of Yourself
Self-Awareness of One’s State of Being in Settling and Landing
The Hierarchy of Seeing
How Settling and Landing Helps Us in Visually Clarifying
Four Aspects of Experience in Settling and Landing
Appendix 2: Elaborations on Recognizing Direct Perception
The Difference between Ordinary and Direct Perception
Recognizing the First Impression
Getting to the Raw Perception
Recognizing What Direct Perception Looks and Feels Like
Developing Confidence and Changing our Allegiance
Passion
The First Impression and the Essence of the Perception
Recognizing Direct Perception Is a Mirror
Appendix 3: Elaborations on Paying Deep Attention
Overview of Paying Deep Attention
What is the purpose of Paying Deep Attention?
Paying Deep Attention and Its Application in Editing
Getting Past the Endless Commentary
Paying Deep Attention Without Words
