The following talk was given at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California.

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Okay.

So, question submitted on the text line. I'll read it here. In formal practice, there's a

distinction between taking a more receptive approach to whatever thoughts are going through

your mind, i.e. open awareness style and taking a more directed approach, redirecting to an object. I understand this

in the context of formal practice, but find myself unsure of how to approach various mind states

in day-to-day life, especially negative ones, jealousy, fear, rumination, anger, sadness. Some teaching seem to suggest

a more active uprooting of unwholesome mindsets and others suggest generally resting in more

awareness of whatever's going on without trying to actively change it. I assume there's some

discernment needed about which approach is best

under given circumstances, but I would love it if you could shed some more light on it.

Is it a hierarchy bringing more receptive awareness to what's going on as ideal, but revert to a

more active approach of changing the channel if you're overwhelmed or unable to maintain awareness?

Or is it dwelling in less wholesome states to be avoided through active means?

Or is it totally dependent on what the mind is actually doing?

You should bear with it, understand it.

So... You should bear with it, understand it. So, okay, few principles come to mind.

And the first is don't fetishize technique.

This is all kind of made up.

Weird words, doing our best.

Some precedented in the sutas, but even that's made up.

...