The Signal in the Noise
Cutting Through is a term coined by Trungpa, Ripoche. It was inspired by a Tibetan Buddhist practice called “Trekcho” which is a series of practices used to cut through obstacles.
This notion was foundational to Trungpa as he developed his teachings for the West. Faced with the profusion of conflicting and confusing information in his new home, it seemed the energy of cutting through was a very good place to begin. The first book he published in the United States was the seminal Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism in which he wrote about releasing ourselves from the trap of using spiritual practices for material ends. More generally, cutting through refers to a fundamental energy that can be developed to cut past mental complication and confusion. It is not something we need to try to do but simply a natural aspect of our mind that we can isolate, develop and employ when needed.
We tend to think that extricating ourselves from webs of confusion would be a complicated practice. This is not necessarily so. Rather than adding complexity to complication, the practice of Trekcho is a like lightning strike or a hot knife through butter. When confusion arises instead of getting bogged down in the minutia of clashing narratives, we could simply cut through and effortlessly move past. This is an assertive application of mind that can be employed, as needed, to clarify and simplify situations in life. It is essential, however, that our view is to help rather than harm all concerned.
A cat mom will swipe at an unruly kitten to keep it in line. The strike is instructive and after the lesson is conveyed, there are no residual hurt feelings. Unlike humans who imbed psychological narratives to everything, mammals just do and move on. This is natural. Trekcho is natural. It is action in its purest form. This “clean” cat mother action is representative of the Vajra family in the Tibetan Five Wisdom tradition. It is cutting through the noise directly to the signal. In its wisdom form, Vajra energy is characterized by sharpness, clarity and decisive action. But Vajra has a shadow side. When in the service of self, the energy manifests as anger, frustration or impatience. The inflection point between the wisdom of clarity to neurotic anger comes as we are pulled from doing what is needed for all concerned, into self-interest, prejudice or resentment. When the energy is self-serving it becomes destructive rather than constructive.
Vajra energy is so potent it becomes very important to remind our psyche that we are employing it for the benefit of beings. When we say, “benefit of beings” we mean all beings concerned – including, but not exclusively, ourselves. As it is so easy to slip into self interest, all formal Trekcho practice begins with acknowledgement of a wisdom lineage and an assertion of the Bodhisattva Vow.
Like mom cat we are not analyzing, we are doing. Cutting through is pure action. Just make it simple. Occam’s razor is a scientific principle the states when you have a preponderance of possibilities, the simplest possibility is our first step. Usually, it’s right in front of our face.
Finding the signal within the noise, or the point in the profusion of life’s information, means we are not adding further complication but instead cutting through discursiveness and ignorance. This is an application of a stabilized mind. Often people mistake ignorance for meditation. Spiritual bypassing is employing what we’ve learned in meditation to avoid the sharp edges of reality. Trungpa famously said “meditation is not a vacation from irritation.” It is about dealing with life and learning to keep balance and poise in the turmoil. It is not jettisoning to a dissociative state free of other people’s worries. We are other people. Lofty ideals make us feel we’re destined for something greater while we’re up to our knees in swamp water. We might notice the slow, steady movement of crocodiles or alligators or whatever the heck it is in the swamps. If we want to help others we have to cut through the judgments, doubt and noise and admit we’re in a vat of trouble.
Cutting through is hard medicine for hard times.
The image for cutting through is the sword of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. However, the sword he wields not a sword of destruction. It is sword of wisdom. It is said the sword is so sharp it cuts through the noise without violence. The sword of Manjushri cuts past the obstacles with not credit or blame. It is so sharp it moves through obstacles as if they weren’t there. This is possible, because, in fact, they aren’t really there. Most of the obstacles that we face are made-up or fake news or our own judgment, doubt and shame. Rather than creating more noise by arguing the point we just cut through to the point.
The sword of prajna that is so sharp sometimes merely gripping its handle is all we need. Remembering that this is all made up. Remembering elaboration and complication are never the point. Having the confidence to know that and then let go. A dull knife cannot cut, so you hack maybe saw, but you make a mess and infinitely more pain. By developing clarity and sharpening our wisdom we cut past hacking and sawing to cutting through. through but the sharpest knife but without even application it just sees the confusion and we’re past it effortlessly and decisively.
Decisive and effortlessness. Sometimes we think the antidote to complications and confusion would be a more aggressive complication. But that “fire with fire” approach is the dull knife of our ego assertion. Vajra decisiveness is so clear, and so sharp that cutting through is effortless. We don’t antagonize the obstacle, nor do we try and assert our point. We just simply cut through and step beyond.
Buddhist iconography illustrates the point. Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, carries a sword. This sword of wisdom cuts through confusion, bullshit, and disinformation. The Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara, is sometimes depicted with a thousand arms that represent the many possible actions compassion my take when in the service of wisdom. Tantric icons are depicted flaming, as they burn up the prejudice and ill-will their compassion is liberated as active, and passionate. Compassion is not a static philosophy. It adapts. Compassion responds. Compassion does what works. If we come from wisdom, seeing clearly beyond our self-interest, what needs to be done becomes apparent.
What we are witnessing now—politically, industrially, militarily—has very little to do with care. Our political systems are not designed for anyone’s well-being. Most are designed to accumulate power. Power is a commodity. The planet, and the life that lives on it, are transactional bartering chips. It always has been. Very recently, Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security, spoke openly about how all the world respects power. Only power. He said nothing about compassion, wisdom, even knowledge. Nothing about communication. Nothing about safeguarding the health, safety, or dignity of the people he claims to represent. Fascists never do. They always tell people to tighten their belts ahead of a glorious future.
And we need balance too. Rage that destroys our health and clarity helps no one. Turning off the news sometimes is necessary. Creating boundaries is necessary. But if we are committed to compassion, we cannot turn away. We have to look directly at violence—even when it’s standing right in front of us, aiming straight at our face. Or shoots us in the face.
In our personal practice, we can be mindful of the breath beating out a rhythm as we become aware of the room or our body to begin with. In time, we might relax further, allowing awareness of our thoughts without becoming lost in them.