PURE MIND Abiding (practice)

PURE MIND Abiding (PMA)

A Gentle Practice of Recognize • Allow • Abide

PURE MIND Abiding is a simple mindfulness practice that changes our relationship to suffering.
Rather than trying to fix or remove difficult experience, we learn to allow experience to be known within awareness itself.

This practice is quiet, direct, and deeply human.
Nothing special needs to be achieved. Awareness is already present.

What Is PURE MIND Abiding?

PURE MIND Abiding is the practice of resting as the awareness that already knows thoughts, emotions, and sensations.

Instead of asking, “How do I change this experience?” we gently discover:

Knowing is already happening — and knowing is enough.

Difficult emotions are not obstacles to awareness. They are experiences appearing within awareness.

The Three Movements of PMA

1. Recognize

Notice what is present without analysis.

  • There is fear.
  • There is sadness.
  • There is tension.

Recognition interrupts automatic reaction and brings gentle clarity.

2. Allow

Allow experience to exist without resistance.

Allowing does not mean liking or approving suffering.
It means letting experience be known before trying to change it.

3. Abide

Rest as awareness itself.

Awareness is already holding experience. Nothing extra is required.

Nothing more needs to be done.

Allowing vs. Resignation

Allowing and resignation may look similar externally but feel very different internally.

Allowing Resignation
Open and aware Closed or defeated
Experience is felt Experience is avoided
Responsive Withdrawn

Allowing keeps us connected to life. Resignation disconnects.

Working with Fear in the Body

Fear usually begins as sensation rather than thought.

  • Tight chest
  • Shallow breath
  • Muscle contraction
  • Restlessness

Practice

  1. Notice the sensation.
  2. Gently acknowledge: “There is fear.”
  3. Allow the feeling to exist.
  4. Rest as awareness for a few breaths.

You are not forcing calm.
You are allowing fear to be safely known.

The Phrase “There Is…”

Many practitioners find the simple phrase “there is…” helpful.

It removes personalization while keeping intimacy with experience.

  • There is thinking.
  • There is sadness.
  • There is breathing.

Experience becomes something known — not something you must become.

A Simple Daily Practice

When difficulty appears:

  1. Pause.
  2. Recognize: “There is…”
  3. Allow the feeling.
  4. Abide as awareness.

Even a few seconds is enough.

What Develops Over Time

  • Less resistance to emotion
  • Greater emotional stability
  • Natural compassion
  • Reduced self-criticism
  • A quiet sense of enoughness

Practice gradually becomes less something you do and more how life is lived.

Closing Reflection

Experience arises.
Awareness knows.
Life continues.

Nothing more needs to be done.
Knowing is enough.

Scroll to Top