I'd like to invite you to pause. Let your attention be right here. Just notice

of even in this short period of time there's been a sense of scattering. Anybody

notice? Just even the intention to pause shines a light on how the attention

quickly just goes out in all directions. When we're here, when we're awake,

awareness has two primary expressions and one of the expressions of awareness is

a quality of caring. There's a quality of tender receptivity towards the

life within and around us. That's one expression of presence or awareness. And

the other is interest. There's a kind of curiosity that has that inquiry of, so

what is this? What is happening? Tonight I'd like to reflect on this

latter quality of attention. This interest or curiosity in the Buddhist

teachings quite central called investigation or inquiry. And it's considered one

of the key ingredients in mindfulness or in any full fruition of presence.

It's been described classically as one of the factors of enlightenment, this

quality of investigation. And it's really essential to sing truth. I remember one

of my very first retreats. The phrase, a he Paseco was shared with us. This is a

poly phrase. And it means come and see for yourself. And very quickly what was

shared was that in this, in the wisdom traditions, and I don't think this is

just in Buddhism, rather than any expectation that you hear teachings and just

believe them, the most basic invitation is to truly, truly pay attention for

yourself to what's going on because there is no possibility of realization and

freedom unless we investigate our own reality. This is not possible. So there's

not so much emphasis on, well here are the precious teachings you just, you know,

...