The 3 Biggest Mistakes I Made in the Diamond Approach

Necessary Mistakes in the Fog of War

Embarking on the journey of the Diamond Approach, one might believe there are no mistakes. Yet, mistakes are inevitable and necessary for growth and understanding. Delving into the three most significant missteps made during their spiritual journey, the author sheds light on the nuances of loving the truth, the essence of presence, and the pitfalls of sensing, looking, and listening from a place of past conditioning. These revelations serve as a testament to the intricate dance between understanding and misconception, guiding readers to reflect on their own spiritual paths.

1. Reflection on Truth: How does one differentiate between loving the idea of truth and genuinely loving the truth of the present moment?
2. Presence in Practice: What does it mean to be truly present, and how can one avoid the trap of seeking presence as a commodity?
3. Perception and Time: How can one ensure one’s perception is rooted in the present and not influenced by past experiences or future expectations?

There’s an old adage that there are no mistakes. Here are three of mine anyway. (I’d be interested to know if you understand why I am using the subheading – The Fog of War – leave a comment).

The Power of Acceptance

In the realm of spiritual growth, acceptance plays a pivotal role. By embracing our flaws and acknowledging our mistakes, we pave the way for profound transformation. The Diamond Approach, while guiding us toward enlightenment, also emphasizes the importance of accepting our current state. It’s not about reaching a destination but about understanding and cherishing the journey, with all its ups and downs.

#1 – Not Loving the Truth

Loving the truth is the central orientation of the Diamond Approach. I spent many years not loving the truth by loving the truth. Sound confusing? Well, I was.

You see, I loved the idea of loving the truth—the truth I was seeking, the truth that lay at the end of inquiry, the truth that reveals and corrects my assumptions and misunderstandings. Do you see the issue here?

I did not love the truth of this moment, where my issues and ignorance were. It’s a form of rejection not just of this moment but of seeing and understanding that truth is everywhere. Right here, in the midst of ‘my stuff,’ is truth. In fact, my stuff is the truth.

The Role of Introspection (Open-ended Inquiry)

Introspection, or looking inward, is a cornerstone of the Diamond Approach. By inquiring into our immediate experience, our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we gain deeper insights into our true selves. This self-awareness allows us to identify patterns hindering our spiritual growth and gives us the tools to break free from them. Through introspection, we can truly understand the nature of our mistakes and learn from them.

Loving the truth is an orientation, not an action.

#2 – Undermining Presence

I spent years and a lot of time, attention, and energy undermining presence by practicing presence. I did this by trying to become more present in my experience. I’d take a few breaths, focus on settling down, getting centered, sensing my arms and legs, and other activities.

These are all useful and admirable, but in participating in these activities, I was often oriented toward ‘becoming’ present, a form of rejection of presence in my immediate experience. I made the mistake of thinking that presence has some kind of recognizable quality that would alert me to being present.

There is never a moment when we are not present. To seek more presence or wishing to deepen presence is a rejection of presence because the self is taking action from its sense of separateness.

Being present with a lack of presence is presence—so to speak. Being aware of presence, understanding what presence is, and having some understanding of its nature is a good thing, but using all of that to seek presence undermines presence in the moment and reflects an orientation toward presence as a commodity.

#3 – Sensing, Looking & Listening from the Past

This, too, is a subtle one. It’s easy to spot the more time slows down. My first insight into this was in recognizing that when I would practice SLL, I was ‘future-oriented’, which always means I am operating in the past. This is tricky because I can schedule an event in my calendar while not operating in the past.

The insight and change in orientation toward SLL came from two places:

• Hameed has repeatedly stated that it all boils down to SLL; all his teachings point to this.
• Paying attention, so to speak, to the experience of SLL.

The more I practiced SLL from the perspective of the past, the more possibility of recognizing – oh, it’s not an activity, it’s receptive perception. It’s openness and not-knowing. It’s not a doing.

My first whiff of the perfume was when my ‘seeing’ seemed more like peripheral vision, and my sensing seemed more field-like than flesh and bones.

Embracing the Present

The present moment, often overlooked in our fast-paced lives, holds the key to true understanding. The Diamond Approach teaches us to anchor ourselves in the now, to fully experience each moment without the weight of past regrets or future anxieties. By doing so, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities, where mistakes are not setbacks but stepping stones to greater wisdom.

One thing that changed everything began in meditation, then quickly spread to SLL and practicing presence – I quit ‘coming back’.

When I was first taught the kath meditation, I was instructed to count my breaths: 1,1,1; 2,2,2; 3,3,3; 4,4,4. When I became aware my mind had wandered, maybe engaged in some future thinking, I was instructed to ‘come back and start over’: 1,1,1; 2,2,2; 3,3,3; 4,4,4.

I noticed when i did this, I was saying no to what was happening and my orientation was oriented toward the past. This seemed to support a sense of conflict between me and my mind, so to speak.

At some point, I simply let the mind continue doing what it was doing while tasting the fruit of the three mistakes mentioned above.

What’s evolved out of all of this is a perpetual motion machine with no moving parts – openness/revelation.

Why the fog of war?