Advice for prospective zombies!

          There isn't a wee man or woman in your brain somewhere who is hearing and seeing and touching and all that. Hearing's hearing. Seeing's seeing. These things just go on. It's what being conscious is all about. But there is nobody in there. You are a conglomeration of stuff, changing stuff.

           If you are worried about turning into a zombie, it just shows how far up your backside your head is.

           It's alright to understand something like this - this non-self and emptiness stuff -but that really isn't much use. After a while you'll forget about it and the same stupid thoughts and neurotic anxieties will emerge.

            The only cure for the worry about turning into a zombie is to meditate on non-self and emptiness. If you regularly do analytical meditations especially, these stupid thoughts will eventually be replace by more sensible ones, and the worry will dissipate.

             Of course, nobody wants to meditate. They'd rather watch the telly. Oh, what shall we do, Great Lord, when old age and death come rolling in? Well, monk, just watch the telly and take the chemical cosh.

              As all else fails apart, the meditations continue to improve in a most wonderful manner. It ebbs and flows, but sometimes it does seem to jump a station. Today there was some kind of overall bliss pervading - there is still something going on with something opening - and I could hardly hold a vase breath for more than twenty or thirty seconds. The channel must be quite a bit open. The winds must be entering. I never do know quite what's going to happen next. But whatever it is, I promise not to turn into a zombie!!