PMA Q&A
Understanding Abiding
Four gentle questions for understanding what abiding means,
how it can be lived today, and how it differs from avoidance,
suppression, resignation, or emotional detachment.
Pure Mind is the spacious potential.
Abiding is the gentle wisdom.
Abiding Is a Living Practice
Abiding is not merely sitting still. It is not passivity, avoidance,
or pretending that life is easy.
In Pure Mind Abiding, abiding means remaining connected to spacious
awareness, love, wisdom, and presence while life is unfolding.
Abiding gives the heart a place to rest and gives wisdom time to
appear.
“Abiding is remaining present without abandoning awareness, love, or wise action.”
Questions on This Page
Read slowly. Each question can become a short meditation.
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2. What might abiding look like today?
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Question 1
“Explain abiding to me in simple spiritual language without making it sound passive.”
Abiding means staying lovingly present with life as it is,
while remaining open to wisdom, truth, and right action.
Abiding is the spiritual art of remaining connected. It is the
opposite of inner abandonment.
When something difficult arises, the ordinary mind often reacts by
fighting, fleeing, freezing, judging, blaming, or trying to fix the
experience immediately.
Abiding offers another way.
It says:
“This is here, and awareness can remain.”
“This is difficult, and love does not have to leave.”
“This moment may be met with steadiness.”
Abiding is not weakness. It is not passivity. It is not giving up.
It is a quiet strength that allows a person to remain present long
enough to see clearly.
To abide is to stand inwardly in awareness before reacting outwardly
in habit.
Spiritually, abiding can mean remaining in God, remaining in Christ,
remaining in love, remaining in awareness, or remaining in the deeper
knowing that life is larger than the present difficulty.
In Pure Mind Abiding, the phrase does not mean that the mind is empty
of human struggle. It means there is a deeper spaciousness that can
hold the struggle without becoming completely defined by it.
Abiding Is Active Presence
Abiding is active because it requires awareness.
It requires the willingness to notice what is happening rather than
collapse into automatic reaction. It requires compassion. It requires
patience. It requires discernment.
A passive person says, “Nothing can be done.”
An abiding person says, “Let me become present enough to see what is
true and what is needed.”
A Simple Practice
Pause.
Feel the body being supported.
Let the breath arrive naturally.
“Pure Mind, calmly abiding.”
“Love remains available here.”
Question 2
“What might abiding look like in my life today?”
Today, abiding may look like doing one ordinary thing with
gentleness, steadiness, and less self-abandonment.
Abiding does not have to look dramatic. It may not look spiritual
from the outside at all.
It may look like pausing before answering a difficult message.
It may look like sitting quietly with morning fear rather than
immediately believing everything it says.
It may look like letting the body soften for one breath before
starting the next task.
It may look like noticing resentment, sadness, tiredness, or worry
without turning against yourself.
Abiding today may simply mean remembering:
“This moment is here.
Ross can meet it gently.
Wisdom can still guide the next step.”
Abiding in the Morning
When the day begins, abiding may mean not rushing immediately into
worry, planning, or self-criticism.
It may mean placing a hand on the heart, feeling the bed or chair,
and saying:
“Pure Mind, calmly abiding, with this morning.”
The purpose is not to force the morning to feel wonderful. The
purpose is to begin the day in relationship with awareness rather
than fear.
Abiding During Stress
During stress, abiding may look like creating a small gap between
the trigger and the response.
Before speaking, deciding, eating, buying, withdrawing, defending,
or explaining, pause briefly.
“There is stress here.”
“This stress may be gently known.”
“May wisdom guide the next action.”
This is not inaction. It is preparation for wiser action.
Abiding in Relationships
In relationships, abiding may mean listening more deeply before
reacting.
It may mean recognizing hurt without immediately blaming.
It may mean saying less until the heart becomes clearer.
It may also mean setting a boundary from calm strength rather than
from resentment.
“Love can remain, and truth can still be spoken.”
A Daily Abiding Question
Ask once or twice today:
“What would it mean to remain gentle and wise in this moment?”
Question 3
“Help me distinguish abiding from avoidance, suppression, resignation, and emotional detachment.”
Abiding is present, warm, honest, and discerning. Avoidance,
suppression, resignation, and detachment each move away from
honest relationship with life.
Abiding Versus Avoidance
Avoidance says, “I do not want to know this.”
Abiding says, “This may be known gently.”
Avoidance turns away from experience because it feels uncomfortable.
It may distract, deny, minimize, or keep the person busy so the
deeper feeling is never touched.
Abiding does not force intense contact with pain, but it also does
not pretend the pain is absent. It touches the truth lightly and
respectfully.
“A little truth, held gently, is enough for this moment.”
Abiding Versus Suppression
Suppression says, “This feeling should not be here.”
Abiding says, “This feeling is here, and it can be held within
awareness.”
Suppression pushes the experience down. It may look strong on the
outside, but internally it often creates tension, numbness, or later
reactivity.
Abiding allows the experience to be recognized without letting it
dominate speech, action, or identity.
Abiding does not mean expressing every feeling outwardly. It means
not banishing the feeling inwardly.
Abiding Versus Resignation
Resignation says, “Nothing can change. I give up.”
Abiding says, “This is what is here now. Let me meet it clearly and
discover the wise next step.”
Resignation collapses possibility. Abiding opens possibility.
Resignation may sound calm, but underneath it often carries despair,
helplessness, or hidden bitterness.
Abiding includes acceptance of the present moment, but it does not
cancel hope, discernment, prayer, repair, protection, or action.
Abiding Versus Emotional Detachment
Emotional detachment says, “I will stay above this and not feel it.”
Abiding says, “I can remain spacious and still be tenderly connected.”
Detachment may create distance, but it can also reduce warmth,
compassion, and relational presence.
Abiding is spacious, but not cold. It is calm, but not uncaring.
It is steady, but not removed from the heart.
“Spaciousness and tenderness can be present together.”
Simple Comparison
| Pattern | Inner Message | PMA Response |
|---|---|---|
| Avoidance | “I will not look at this.” | “This can be known gently.” |
| Suppression | “This should not be here.” | “This is here and may be held.” |
| Resignation | “Nothing can change.” | “What is the wise next step?” |
| Emotional detachment | “I will not feel this.” | “Spaciousness can include tenderness.” |
| Abiding | “I remain present with wisdom and care.” | “Recognize. Embrace. Bless. Discern.” |
A Test for True Abiding
Ask:
“Am I becoming more honest?”
“Am I becoming more kind?”
“Am I becoming more able to respond wisely?”
“Is this practice helping me stay connected rather than shut down?”
Question 4
“How can abiding include both acceptance and wise action?”
Acceptance recognizes what is here. Wise action responds to what
is needed. Abiding allows both to belong together.
Acceptance and action are often misunderstood as opposites.
Some people think acceptance means doing nothing. Others think action
means refusing to accept what is happening.
Pure Mind Abiding brings them together.
Acceptance means:
“This is what is present now.”
Wise action means:
“Given what is present, what is the kind, clear, and responsible next step?”
Acceptance tells the truth about the present moment. Wise action
expresses care for the next moment.
Acceptance Without Action Can Become Stagnant
If acceptance is misunderstood, it can become passive endurance.
A person may say, “I accept this,” while ignoring a real need,
avoiding a conversation, tolerating disrespect, or refusing to make
a necessary change.
That is not full abiding.
True abiding remains open to truth and to action.
Action Without Acceptance Can Become Reactive
Action without acceptance may be driven by panic, anger, control,
fear, or urgency.
It may try to force life to become comfortable immediately.
Wise action does not need to arise from panic. It can arise from
clarity.
Abiding creates a pause where action can become more thoughtful,
loving, and effective.
The PMA Movement
Recognize
“This is what is here.”
Embrace
“This may be held with care.”
Bless
“May this be met with healing and wisdom.”
Discern
“What is the wise next step?”
Examples of Acceptance and Wise Action Together
If fear is present, acceptance says, “Fear is here.” Wise action may
say, “Let me slow down, gather information, and take one practical
step.”
If anger is present, acceptance says, “Anger is here.” Wise action may
say, “Let me pause before speaking and then express the truth clearly.”
If sadness is present, acceptance says, “Sadness is here.” Wise action
may say, “Let me rest, reach out, pray, journal, or allow tears.”
If a boundary is needed, acceptance says, “This relationship is causing
pain.” Wise action may say, “Let me speak respectfully and protect what
needs protecting.”
If nothing can be changed immediately, acceptance says, “This is the
reality of this moment.” Wise action may say, “Let me care for my body,
soften the heart, and wait without despair.”
A Practice for Acceptance and Action
“This is here.”
“This may be gently held.”
“May wisdom guide the next step.”
“What is mine to do now?”
Summary: Understanding Abiding
Abiding is not doing nothing. It is remaining inwardly present,
honest, compassionate, and available to wisdom.
Abiding is not avoidance, because it does not deny what is present.
Abiding is not suppression, because it does not push experience away.
Abiding is not resignation, because it remains open to possibility
and wise action.
Abiding is not emotional detachment, because it includes tenderness,
care, and relationship.
Abiding is spacious enough to accept what is here
and wise enough to respond to what is needed.
A Short Daily Practice
Pause once today and say slowly:
“Pure Mind, calmly abiding.”
“This moment may be known.”
“Love does not have to leave.”
“May wisdom guide the next step.”
Rest for one breath. Then continue gently.
Continue Gently
Continue your Pure Mind Abiding practice with one of these next pages.
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Love is Everything — G. Ross Clark
These Pure Mind Abiding reflections and practices are offered for
contemplative and educational purposes. They are not a replacement
for medical care, mental-health treatment, crisis assistance, or
professional counselling.
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