I have to Clean Up all of my psychological suffering before I can even possibly Wake Up. Isn’t that right?

No, the Direct Path teaching would point out that that view is precisely courting ignorance: implicit in what’s written is the deeply held belief that one is a vigilant doer who must “do all of his homework” before it’s even possible for one to embark seriously on the path of Waking Up, let alone actually realize one’s Essential Nature. Instead, the Direct Path teaching would invite one to go directly to what is already here.

Some amount of Cleaning Up is no doubt very helpful for Westerners who have been carrying around a lot of psychological suffering. But soon enough what I call a “low teaching”–that of Cleaning Up–must naturally come to an end. Otherwise, one will get stuck in samsara: in the endless process of having to Clean Up…

Consider, in this connection, three realms: my pain, my feelings, and my intrusive thoughts. These are the realms in which one would ordinarily Clean Up. Let’s suppose they’ve been explored, in the vein of Cleaning Up, for some time. How might one then pivot to the Highest Teaching?

According to the Direct Path teaching, there is a provisional distinction to be drawn between objective experience and Awareness. This is called “discrimination” or “the path of exclusion.” Here, take the label “pain” off of the experience of pain and notice that it’s only sensation. Take the “my” out of a feeling and notice that it’s either a thought or a sensation. And take the “my” and “intrusive” off of a thought and notice that it’s only a thought.

Then consider the question: “Is What I Am (that is, Awareness) the same as or different from whatever is appearing–that is, this sensation or this thought?” Without thinking about it, I simply notice that Awareness is undeniably different from the objective experience that is presently appearing. I open completely to this Understanding.

There is no more to “be done.” In fact, this moment signifies, if only symbolically, the end of all doing or trying. Instead, knowing immediately that I am different from this objective experience, I simply rest in Myself–that is, Awareness–while allowing this objective experience to naturally flow however it does.

If a thought (a doubt) arises, “But is this enough?,” then I gently ask: “Is What I Am (that is, Awareness) the same as or different from this doubt?” I notice that I’m different from it. I remain as Myself; I leave this experience alone.

The mind stops thrashing and comes to rest.