Precisely. But if we're talking about enjoying the first
experience, then it helps if you're "into" it, and not distanced
from it.
Not that I think it's quite that simple, either. I guess I can
see both sides, here. Maybe there's two different forms
of distancing. I know where Eric is coming from, and it's
a Zen thing, but at the same time a certain form of self-
awareness is quite often advocated in Buddhism and
the like. You can just enjoy something, and you can
bring an extra level of awareness to it, and know that
you're enjoying it, as the simple enjoyment continues
on another level, and I think that would be viewed
positively within the mystical traditions. What is
disparaged is mainly distraction: part of your attention
is elsewhere, perhaps concerned with how you're
looking, for instance. That is a *very* different sort of
self-awareness. In fact, I'd say it's awareness of a
different self!
Robin