| Definitions
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The ideal direction for mindfulness training to move in over time. Lifelong self-transcendence and improvement through mindfulness may often be subtle, on a continuum, and/or evolve over decades. Behavioral and ethical points are nonnegotiable.
The main ways we think about it in UM are in terms of four relationship: to mindfulness training, pleasure and pain, interpersonally, and with transcendence:
Maturity (Training)
- You have a commitment to maintaining the pillars and accelerators.
- You take the approach that you’re never done with this process.
Maturity (Pleasure/Pain)
- You view all sensory experience, pleasant and unpleasant, as valuable. For example…
- Preferences bother you less because purification is fulfilling with both pleasant and unpleasant sensory experiences.
- You don’t equate pleasant effects with progress and unpleasant effects with a lack of progress—either can be a sign of progress.
Maturity (Interpersonal)
- You maintain ethical conduct by the broad norms of humanity and by your personal values. Depending on their role in your life, these may also be coupled with guidelines set out by UM and other professions, your community, religious group, and/or family and friends.
- You keep your feedback channels open and you are accountable for behavior that causes harm even if it was not your intent
- You love being around anyone, regardless of that person's current level of maturity. Equally able to be fulfilled in the presence of those who are suffering/negative as when around those who are not.
Maturity (Transcendence)
- You effectively integrate deep insight. You have access to Now, on demand, as you go about daily life. That keeps deepening. (Reference: Absolute Now).
- You understand and manifest the complementarity between Transcend the world and go beyond yourself; benefit the world and refine yourself. (this is the highest level of maturity with transcendence).
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