Last month's (December's) total sum-up instructions added an item - asking "Why do you need to know?" - to the 'minimal but complete' set of actions that make the flow of experience smooth. The existing list was: Checking 'latent' i.e. tacit (incorrect) presuppositions about what there is, what the nature is of the one undeniable phenomenon, experience; checking for suffering; recalling Ajahn Chah's log (which means giving up on any intention of optimizing your experience); and going for a walk when things feel congealed.

The effectiveness of that revised list is what brings us to the idea that 'the work' is completed. Most of what seems to be needed within experience is just to overcome the natural tendency toward a certain view of it, and this practise achieves that. We posit that that is sufficient for getting along in life. However, for January we will add one more item which should make peace more habitual: Any time it's applicable, switch wanting (get) mode to giving mode. Don't fret about actually doing anything, it's just a setting in the mind to dispel suffering, not because you owe any actions (actions may follow in scenes where it's warranted, but that's incidental). Next month we'll see where some of these overlap and do consolidation. For now one quick attempt at consolidation is that the two questions which aren't about beliefs, 'are you suffering?' and '(why) do you need to know'? We'll lump together as asking. Thus, in any scene, set your mind at ease, assured the real work is already complete - it is accomplished - as here we have: January instructions (no order, careful):
ASK, WALK, TACIT, OPT, GET.