Nondual Guided Meditation with Michael Taft
Okay, so let’s start. I need you to easily verify in with your self, ask your self the query; what’s it wish to be me proper now? And by me, I imply you. And simply tune in to your thoughts, your physique, your feelings, all that and simply see what it’s like. Type of a unadorned noticing, not an analysis however simply extra of, oh yeah, that’s what’s happening. And no matter it’s like, whether or not it’s nice or disagreeable, chaotic or clean, painful, pleasurable, impartial, no matter, merely settle for that state of affairs, that state, that climate report precisely the best way it’s and let or not it’s precisely that. Nonetheless it’s, is excellent.
Good, now in a really reductive, simplified method of speaking about it, the meditation we’re doing is extra about openness and fewer about constrictedness. So openness within the thoughts is essential, simply feeling that sense of spaciousness, openness, rest within the thoughts and the analog for that’s simply openness and rest within the physique. So let’s do some shamatha right here. Remembering that we’re staying good and nonetheless, not shifting and also you’re merely following your breath in a really open method. We’re gonna chill out the physique for some time right here simply to get into that embodied spaciousness.
So together with your consciousness, your consideration very broad, very, very broad simply discover the breath rising and falling, not centered on the breath you’re not narrowly attending to the breath, merely noticing that it rises and falls, rises and falls. That takes no further consideration in any respect. It’s merely as we sit we discover the rising and falling of the breath whereas the thoughts consciousness stays good and huge, good and open, broad expansive prefer it naturally is. So bear in mind it’s not an effort, it’s not some sort of pushing effortful exertion to make consciousness broad. Consciousness is broad with out us making an attempt. Forcing consciousness to be slender consideration takes effort however permitting it to simply be naturally broad, naturally spacious, that’s simply stress-free. So simply let or not it’s broad and spacious.
And it notices the rising and falling of the breath, the rising and falling of the breath.
So let’s do this for a couple of minutes after which I’ll start doing a guided rest of the physique together with it in order that our physique turns into increasingly more expansive.
Now with the attention very broad, very open, very relaxed, and noticing the rising and falling of the breath very naturally simply start to note the releasing of any stress in your head and face. We’re not shifting in any respect, not stretching, not forcing any muscle exercise, we’re simply stress-free. Fairly often once I counsel that we let go of stress folks give attention to the strain and attempt to struggle with it as a substitute what we do is just discover any half that feels relaxed and open up into that.
Let the comfort simply really feel good and sort of develop and that naturally, with out very a lot effort, simply permits the strain within the face, the top, the eyes, the cheeks, the lips, the mouth space to simply drain away. And as a substitute, a sense of, sort of, slack, heat launch, and openness enters the top and face. Any mounted expression releases, any tightness within the mouth simply releases, any stress within the jaw simply let’s go in order that your higher and decrease enamel are not touching. and then you definately simply really feel into how nice that rest feels. And the rising and falling of the breath simply appears to open that up even additional. And see now that stress is draining out of your neck and throat and shoulders.
That muscle, that if you happen to tighten it makes your voice slightly greater, relaxes. And it’s as in case your voice goes deeper, that muscle simply releases, your neck turns into comfortable and supple, and your shoulders let go. It’s an actual feeling of openness and ease and reduction, not solely by means of the top and face, however now by means of the neck, the throat, the shoulders. Don’t struggle with something, simply discover the half that’s already launched, already relaxed. It could really feel very impartial and that neutrality feels good.
Persevering with to breathe on this very open relaxed method, noticing that consciousness stays vibrant, consciousness stays clear and awake. In truth, the extra relaxed we get, the extra awake consciousness turns into. And with this awakeness, we discover that the arms, the fingers, and fingers all launch and chill out and let go. Arms come to an entire relaxation, so limp and a lot like noodles you could’t transfer them anymore as a result of it will take stress to maneuver them. As an alternative, they’re simply totally free, totally relaxed. You could even really feel the heat and tingling in your fingers of the elevated blood circulation as your wrists chill out and fingers chill out. After which the shoulders, the muscle tissue of your chest and higher again chill out and launch and open.
Really feel how good that feels, even the areas within the armpit area and even inside your higher chest all launch and chill out and let go. And as you discover the nice emotions in your face, your head, your throat, your neck, your shoulders, your arms, your fingers, your higher chest–all so relaxed, all so launched–you merely and with none effort drop now extra deeply right into a state of wide-open rest and spaciousness, merely respiratory like wind shifting by means of an unlimited empty sky. Wind effortlessly blowing in an unlimited, open, empty sky, tremendously free, tremendously contemporary, totally clear and clear.
Now, noticing that stress is releasing from the diaphragm area, the diaphragm is stress-free, softening, opening, making it a lot simpler to breathe freely. Stomach area is stress-free and the kidney area in again opening, permitting you to breathe way more deeply, way more freely, way more pleasantly, much less impedance. Noticing how the spaciousness and openness of the thoughts is now changing into the spaciousness and openness of the physique, very pure, very straightforward, no massive deal. And see the pelvic area is stress-free and opening, letting go. The hips are releasing, discovering freedom, letting go. After which the legs, too start to fully launch, the massive muscle tissue of the thighs, the knees, the calves, the shins, ankle joints releasing and opening, the toes, particularly the soles of your toes, opening. And the toes stress-free so you’ll be able to truly really feel this heat and tingling of a lot larger blood circulation within the legs as they change into jello-like, tremendously relaxed, so relaxed that there’s simply no approach to transfer them anymore. Since you’d must tighten them as much as transfer them and in the event that they’re nonetheless tight sufficient to maneuver simply see if you happen to can let go just a bit additional in order that they really can’t transfer.
After which let that sensation of; so relaxed that motion is inconceivable, so relaxed that it will simply be an excessive amount of effort to attempt to transfer. Let that permeate your total physique in order that it’s simply totally like a giant water balloon, completely settled into the underside of a bowl. Actually, actually, actually partially full water balloon that’s simply flopped with zero stress. And see that feeling of zero stress permeating each a part of your physique now so deeply that it simply permits you to merely and naturally categorical a sort of basic freedom by simply permitting each a part of your being to simply drop now into a good deeper sense of complete non-doing.
Consciousness simply noticing the breath shifting like a contemporary wind by means of pine timber within the mountains. And see how this deep openness, this profound spacious feeling within the physique now feeds again into the thoughts, permitting the thoughts to simply soften. There’s no want to carry the thoughts collectively in any method. The thoughts simply falls aside, falls open, opens like a flower changing into the sky, completely clear sky of consciousness with no effort. Let’s sit as this clear sky of consciousness simply noticing the rising and falling breath for a short time collectively right here.
Now into this huge spacious sky of consciousness comes a seed of fireside and the fireplace begins burning away all the physique. The entire physique burns away, and burns away, and burns away, leaving solely ashes, white-gray ashes. After which, all feelings burn away. Any emotion catches on hearth and burns away fully, leaving no hint.
After which, any thought within the thoughts bursts into flame and burns away with none hint, after which any sense of any boundary in any path, any constructing, any boundary, something in any path catches on hearth, bursts into flame, roars, after which vanishes with out a hint.
After which, any sense of time; the previous, the long run, even the now, any sense of any time catches on hearth, bursts into flame, after which burns away totally, leaving no hint. After which, any sense of evaluating or measuring or monitoring, judging bursts into flame, roars brightly, lighting the huge sky for a second after which vanishing with out a single hint. Any urges of any sort, any discomfort, any itches, any ache, something pleasurable all bursts into flame, and burns away fully leaving no hint of any sort.
After which any sense of self, of me, of a location, or a historical past, or a persona burst into hearth, burns powerfully, roaringly, ragingly, after which vanishes leaving no hint. After which, any sense of anyone doing something in any respect, any effort, any intention bursts into flame, flares brightly, after which vanishes leaving no hint.
All that’s left is vibrant, clear, shining wakefulness with a way of huge ease, openness, and house. Should you’re feeling sleepy sit up open your eyes and proceed the meditation. Now all these items have burned away so we’re simply going to relaxation on this huge open house of consciousness with no objects of any sort to seize onto remaining completely nonetheless all the time. Anytime the thoughts tightens up in any method, grabs onto one thing, engages a thought, that simply immediately burns away and we drop again into simply huge openness, the openness so huge that it may well typically, at first, be uncomfortable and even scary till you understand there’s no downside.
Simply let or not it’s huge open.
Discover that this huge spacious consciousness is completely nonetheless it by no means strikes, it’s by no means ruffled, totally nonetheless. It doesn’t have to give attention to something, it’s already completely clear, completely awake, completely nonetheless with none object in any respect. No matter story you’re telling your self in your head proper now could be meaningless. Come again to simply awakeness with out hanging on to a thought object. Every time one thing arises within the sky of consciousness be what notices the arising. It doesn’t matter what it’s, possibly your complete meditation is nearly discomfort. That’s simply an arising. Be what is aware of the discomfort, be what notices it. If there’s a thought, be the attention that notices the thought.
Discover how completely straightforward this meditation is just resting because the open consciousness you’ve gotten at all times been, there’s actually nothing to do, it’s inconceivable to fail. Discover that there’s a sort of pleasure on this openness, a sort of enjoyment of the liberty and house.
It is likely to be delicate at first, however if you happen to tune into it you’ll discover there’s an incredible sense of pleasure, great sense of openness, and sort of freedom in that openness that brings an actual sense of eager to share that, to offer that to others. And so enable that to actually blaze forth proper now, actually open up in your coronary heart a fireplace of affection and kindness that burns away all cynicism, all doubt, all concern hearth burns away that sulky, crappy a part of your self, the cynical, complaining, sarcastic half and as a substitute opens as much as that sky of simply kindness and laughter and peace and pleasure that radiates out the heat of this fireplace in all instructions. Really feel that fireplace burning away, burning away all crusty tight restrictions leaving no hint, burning away all ideas of our inadequacy or imperfection or incapacity and leaving no hint. Radiating out the heat of affection and kindness to others irrespective of how imperfect and leaving no hint of unwell will, no hint of judgment.
All that’s left is a radiant hearth within the coronary heart, a burning hearth that’s each sorrow for the world and love and kindness in the direction of all beings
Om, gate gate para gate para sam gate bodhi swaha
Om, gate gate para gate para sam gate bodhi swaha
Om, gate gate para gate para sam gate bodhi swaha
Okay. Good, now let go of the meditation.
Dharma Discuss, Q&A
Noticing that nothing has modified after we cease. Our consciousness remains to be huge and spacious, completely relaxed and awake, and slightly than involving ourselves in all of the arisings, simply be what is aware of the arising. That’s it. We already are that however we simply observed that.
In a method of taking a look at it, that is the best doable factor, proper? We’re merely tuning into what we’ve at all times been since beginningless time. In different phrases, tuning into what we will’t assist however understand, can’t assist however discover we at all times are. So in a method of taking a look at it, there’s no extra apparent, no simpler doable factor to do or to note. And in case that’s nonetheless not clear; be what notices. And since expertise is going on, noticing is going on already with out you doing something in any respect.
In truth, attempt to flip off expertise proper now, give it your greatest shot. Attempt to flip off consciousness if you happen to’re doing consciousness. If consciousness is a few sort of exercise that you simply’re making occur then cease doing it. Shut it off proper now. Discover that that could be a little bit exhausting to do. You might do it, I imply with a chainsaw or one thing, I imply most likely, or possibly a momentary cessation if you happen to had been actually up for that nevertheless it’d nonetheless come again, nonetheless come again.
So discover, it’s not an exercise, it’s not one thing that you simply’re with-effort making occur. Fairly, it’s at all times there with none effort of any sort. It’s taking place proper now. Oh look, it’s taking place once more, by no means stops taking place. And so what everybody retains specializing in is the stuff that’s taking place in consciousness, and making an attempt to alter one thing about that–like get actual centered on some arising in consciousness and maintain consideration on that constantly or no matter, which is cool. I imply I’ve achieved numerous that, we’ve all achieved numerous that however that’s not what we’re doing right here, actually. The arisings in consciousness are fascinating, there’s nothing fallacious with them, they’re cool, they’re stunning, and so forth. however that’s not what we’re doing, you recognize?
It’s like–there will be no matter arisings you need, that’s not the purpose–be what notices the arising. Concentrate, if you wish to put it that method, to the truth that you’re conscious of it in any respect which, when you consider it, that’s a really completely different sport. It looks like only a variation on the sport nevertheless it’s a really completely different sport, it requires no consideration in any respect. And actually, consideration nearly makes it more durable, it doesn’t actually nevertheless it nearly makes it more durable. As a result of the wakefulness, the attention, is there with or with out consideration and if we’re taking note of one thing that’s rising in consciousness and that’s doubtlessly sort of, to place it in a humorous method, distracting us from the actual fact of the attention itself, which isn’t tense, it doesn’t take any tightening, it’s already there. It’s at all times been there. Consider some second in your life when it wasn’t there. You’ll be able to’t since you might solely bear in mind what was earlier than or after such a factor anyway. So all expertise is, in fact, expertise of consciousness. It’s like a tautology.
So we use typically particular states, we use consideration possibly to get in particular states as a result of it tends to normally simplify what’s happening within the thoughts slightly bit, so there’s fewer arising, so we’re grabbing on to fewer arisings. That makes it simpler to note the noticing, the attention itself. Or possibly it raises our power to the purpose the place we will come out of grabbing onto issues and simply discover as a result of there’s such a behavior round grabbing onto all of the arisings that possibly our power wants to lift up slightly bit to note the noticing.
There’s a complete bunch of causes that we would do particular focus workout routines at first, or visualizations at first, and even working psychologically at first, merely to make it simpler to do the best factor on the earth. And that is the paradox is that–as somebody who tries, with some measure of success typically, to indicate folks how to do that factor, it seems that describing it’s exhausting as a result of we don’t speak about it as a society mainly ever. We speak about arisings, that’s what we’re considering–the stuff that’s within the consciousness.
And so regardless that it’s like, okay, you’ve spent your complete life as a fish taking a look at every little thing within the water however now somebody’s saying no I need you to see the water and also you’ve simply by no means been, by no means achieved that. And so it’s exhausting to explain. However even if you happen to do it for a minute you’re like, okay, I did it for a second, so what? And by the best way, if you happen to had been in a position to do it even for a second good, that’s cool. You’re getting the thought, however so what is now do it once more and do it once more and, actually, begin noticing that on a regular basis. Then it begins to be a giant SO WHAT, begins to actually truly be helpful, essential, useful, stunning, deep.
As a result of that background, we will name it ‘the background’, it’s probably not the background however that background of consciousness is as a result of it’s the foreground and the center floor too, it’s every little thing, proper? However we’ll name it the background of consciousness is secure and sane and clear and unruffled, nothing bothers it. And it’s, to place it in a humorous method, it’s in sort of a great temper on a regular basis. It’s probably not a temper however openness and freedom and non-constrictedness simply really feel good. After which, irrespective of how clogged up all of the arisings get or painful or troublesome or overwhelmingly no matter, that background or foreground or center floor or complete floor of consciousness is simply high quality and at relaxation and open and simple, and it’s at all times there. and if there’s something that you simply “truly are,” that’s what you truly are.
And so, as you’re tuning in to the story in your head, simply acknowledge that that’s simply an arising. The story in your head shouldn’t be actually–it’s not a foul factor, we use it for varied stuff however discover how a lot the story in your head is about what’s fallacious proper now, and it simply goes on and on about it, or why you’ll be able to’t be/do that factor, or why you’re not like that, or why this different individual can’t be completely different, or no matter. And, you recognize, in some methods that may be helpful for manipulating the relative world, nevertheless it’s–particularly once you’re recognized with that as who you might be–that’s a reasonably depressing place to reside. Nothing’s ever proper. That is fallacious, this isn’t, this isn’t, that is fallacious, this isn’t good, I’ve bought to alter it, change it, change it, change it. Discover irrespective of how a lot you’ve modified it, the quantity of change that appears mandatory is similar. It’s an infinite sport that, you recognize, it’s a part of being alive.
We have to simply proceed, you recognize, irrespective of how a lot you clear the kitchen you’re gonna have to scrub it once more tomorrow. In order that’s simply a part of actuality however this sense that, ‘I can’t relaxation till it’s mounted,’ and it’ll by no means be mounted. That’s the lure that if we’re caught being fixated on the arisings or if we’re recognized with a narrative in our head and that’s all that’s happening for us that’s going to be a reasonably depressing place by definition.
Whereas, the factor that it’s not a factor, however the factor that’s noticing that I’ll say, the noticing itself, doesn’t have any of these issues. You might, even if you happen to mounted all these issues, the noticing itself wouldn’t change. It’s already high quality. It’s at all times been high quality. On the day that you simply had been born, you had been a miracle, like a stunning miracle. Popping out of nothing into, you recognize conscious, sentient somethingness.
Now we have all these child birds in our yard and the truth that an egg can plop out of a fowl after which finally develop and begin flying round and singing a track and hanging out with different birds and splashing within the fowl tub. And yesterday one landed on the chair with me, proper there at the back of the chair, a blue fowl. I imply a jay, you recognize, a fowl that was blue, not a blue fowl, a blue jay, I imply that’s fucking insane.
Consider your closest individual, let’s say your closest pal or relationship accomplice the individual you recognize the most effective, and take into consideration the intricacy of their being; their likes and dislikes, their emotions, the issues they’re very concerned in that they know a lot about, their historical past, the sensitivity they’ve in the direction of this or that…All of that got here out of nothing. And we’ll return to nothing and in between, it’s simply hanging there in consciousness, it’s a miracle, it is mindless, it’s insane.
How is there wakefulness even taking place proper now? The attention that’s right here, how is that occuring? Discover that it’s no one’s doing it nevertheless it’s right here. There’s an expertise taking place, that miracle of the day you had been born remains to be taking place, one thing’s awake, one thing’s experiencing. Did that experiencing come from anyplace? Take a look at it proper now. Did it come from anyplace? I’m not speaking about going to your concepts and your reminiscences or biology or one thing, I’m speaking about taking a look at expertise proper now. Did it come from anyplace? Did it begin sooner or later?
Take a look at it proper now. It’s a miracle and see how in comparison with that our concepts of the story of our life, or what we’re concerned in, or any of that, which is all tremendous fascinating, in comparison with that miracle is sort of a facet impact, or like an decoration, simply one other cool factor that tremendous miracle can do.
So in this sort of meditation, we’re taking a look at that, or that factor is noticing itself, it’s not a factor, however it’s noticing itself. The miracle notices itself. Watch your self slipping again into mundanity, to quotidian ideas and minimize by means of and are available again to the wakefulness the awakeness that’s beneath that, that helps that, that’s the substrate of that. That’s wonderful.
Questions or feedback or experiences?
One time I noticed within the courtyard of our condominium constructing a child hummingbird get born which they’re in regards to the dimension of like an acorn or one thing teeny after which there have been these two morning doves and so they killed it. Morning doves had a nest close by and so they’re very territorial and so they you recognize they killed this child hummingbird, which pissed me off it was like hanging out of the nest, all tousled. So I yelled on the morning doves.
However then a few seasons later, one other one was born, one other child hummingbird, little the scale of a marble, and that one lived. And the mother and father, dad or mum hummingbirds, proper, are feeding the newborn, and finally–we had been watching this very fastidiously–it’s time to show it to fly. You already know a hummingbird is sort of a helicopter, proper, as a result of it’s barely managed chaos. It shouldn’t even have the ability to fly, actually not in a managed method, and that, at first, was the hilarious factor. The newborn hummingbird would get to the sting of the nest after which like sort of simply zoom off in a single path then simply cease and, you recognize, the mother and father would go attempt to assist it out. It’d cease on a department and be like oh as a result of it couldn’t management the path you recognize after which it will be like over to a different department. It’s mainly the best factor I’ve ever seen.
After which in the future–took a couple of day and a half of that simply completely chaotic, kind of like, you ever see somebody attempt to trip a motorbike who’s by no means achieved it earlier than and so they hit the gasoline too exhausting, which makes the bike lurch ahead, which makes them hit the gasoline more durable. It’s like, yeah, that’s what a child hummingbirds like. After which they’re wildly making an attempt to hit the brakes. Anyway, after a couple of day and a half the mom hummingbird like zoomed straight up and over the condominium constructing again to the place all of the flowers had been, as a result of we had large wall of morning glories again there, like purple and blue morning glories that the hummingbirds appreciated and many different flowers and the newborn noticed the mom go over and it. You knew what was going to occur subsequent nevertheless it sort of like was occupied with it after which lastly shot over the condominium constructing and that was it. It knew find out how to fly then. I simply needed to have some uncontrolled freakout flights first. So, thus endeth the lesson.
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