Non-conceptual knowledge, thinking and how do we 'know' things with mindfulness?

[gerronwithit]

Hello all. Came a cross a passage in Full Catastrophe Living which says (p443, latest edition, paraphrased a bit):

"Your work is seeing and letting go, seeing and letting be," in relation to thoughts.

So should we always aim for non-conceptual knowing over thinking? And what exactly IS that, just intuition and gut feeling?"

I don't think there is any point in FCL where he advocates the appropriateness of conceptual knowledge, unlike MBCT which does acknowledge that great things have been accomplished by 'doing mode' (which I think IS, or at least often involves, conceptual knowledge. Are the 2 synonymous...?)

[JonW]

'So should we always aim for non-conceptual knowing over thinking?'

Well, some thinking is pretty essential to our daily survival, right?
I take JKZ to mean that we make the mistake of believing that our concepts about reality are actual reality which, of course, they are not. It's these concepts we should let go of, not all thinking.
Cheers,
Jon

[gerronwithit]

Thanks, Jon. That is exactly my take - without thinking, in language, we would never have achieved anything!

But I still think he means to let go of all thoughts. I'll type the passge verbatim; it's long, so bear with me. P443 in latest edition:

"When you look at thoughts as just thoughts, purposefuly not reacting to their content and to their emotional charge, you become at least a little freer from their attraction or repulsion. You are less likely to get sucked into them quite as intensely or as often. The more powerful the emotional charge, the more the content of the thought is likely to capture your attention and draw you away from just being in the moment. Your work is simply seeing and letting go, seeing and letting go, sometimes ruthlessly and relentlessly if need be, always intentionally and courageously. Just seeing and letting go, seeing and letting be."

Well, if he lived his life like that he'd never have written the book I am holding!!

So, WHEN do we hold onto thoughts/thinking/conceptual knowledge?

Am I right in thinking that conceptual knowledge is ideas/words, right?