Dwell Guided Nondual Meditation by Michael Taft
Streamed reside on Jan 13, 2022
Hey everyone! Welcome to tonight’s guided meditation, guided nondual meditation. Let’s start instantly. Okay, let’s begin meditating proper out of the gate. So what I would like you to do is to take your meditation posture. As traditional this implies to take a seat up good and straight. I’m in a chair right here at a desk, but when I transfer the factor there, then I can sit up. And what I do is you sit away from the again. Proper, so you progress ahead within the chair simply sufficient that you just’re not leaning on the again, however as an alternative sitting up, supporting your again together with your again muscular tissues. After which transfer your legs in such a method that your knees are at the least the identical stage as your hips and hopefully decrease.
You possibly can sit ahead sufficient on the chair your knees will go decrease than your hips. Be sure if you happen to’re in a chair that rolls that it doesn’t roll out from underneath you if you happen to do this. And you then simply sit up good and straight. And you already know that final little little bit of straight is getting the highest most level of your head type of pulling upward only a tiny bit. And that makes your chin tuck only a tiny bit or your tin chuck relying. After which when you get your backbone feeling type of straight up and down like that, I would like you to simply wave it just a little bit like a younger sapling in a contemporary wet breeze, very nice breeze, with some water and a few wind. After which steadily settle to that good spot the place it feels simply fully each upright and relaxed.
All the time remembering that that is a part of the bodily embodiment of realization or at the least a focus of good assortment gatheredness, unification of thoughts is that it’s each alert and relaxed. So we now have our physique alert with the upright backbone and the whole lot else within the physique is relaxed. In order that’s how we do this.
Okay, now I would like you to tune in with your personal, simply the way you’re feeling proper now. Simply tune into your thoughts, your feelings, your physique. Simply what’s it wish to be you proper now. Simply tune in for a second and test in. Examine in with your self. And don’t simply give attention to one factor, like oh I’m simply apprehensive concerning the keys or no matter. Discover how does your physique really feel, how’s your feelings feeling, how’s your coronary heart, you already know, how’s your coronary heart feeling? Simply tune in like this. What’s it wish to be you proper now.
After which from right here I would like you to note your intention or lets say your motivation. Why are you meditating? Come again to why are you meditating every time. It may be, like you already know, a tactical purpose like I’m meditating to get higher at focus. Or it may be one thing very massive like a bodhisattva vow – I’m right here to restore all of creation; I’m right here to deliver love and kindness and compassion to all beings. Or it may be one thing type of in between like I’m meditating to be a kinder particular person with an open coronary heart each single day, one thing like that. No matter it’s for you. Go forward and consider that now. And actually get clear, so it’s not simply “oh I’m meditating like brushing my enamel as a result of somebody mentioned it’s good for me.”
And now the subsequent factor we sometimes do is collect useful resource, collect sources and that may be the visualizations of deities we do, or visualizations of varied objects that symbolize our personal pristine consciousness, our personal rigpa after which we work with that. Tonight I need to do one thing completely different.
So you may sit together with your eyes closed once more. Usually in nondual follow we sit with our eyes open, however for this half you may shut your eyes. And I simply need you to spend the subsequent 5 minutes considering of issues that you just’re grateful for. And for every factor that you just’re grateful for I would like you to really say out loud, I’m grateful that I had such a pleasant bike experience at present, I’m grateful for the attractive colours of sundown that I’m seeing out the window proper now. And it may be something in any respect. The one stipulation is you need to imply it. You must really really feel grateful. And you may say the identical factor again and again if it’s too arduous to think about stuff you’re grateful for. However for the subsequent 5 minutes we’re simply going to do gratitude follow. And also you’re going to note that that’s type of melting your coronary heart, melting your armor, opening you up, tuning you in. It’s an exquisite follow. So let’s do gratitude follow for 5 minutes right here.
Preserve simply considering of issues that you just really feel grateful for and simply noticing. You don’t have to think about them quick. Simply consider one and simply really feel that gratitude. Actually really feel the smile, the nice and cozy smile of gratitude and the meltiness of the guts. Let’s maintain going.
Okay, good. Now the subsequent factor I would like you to do, this can be a little tougher, however I would like it to be a continuation of this coronary heart opening and armor dissolving opening right here. And so as an alternative of gratitude now I would like us to do forgiveness. So simply suppose of people that you forgive, or issues or conditions that you just forgive and don’t do it with stuff you’re not able to forgive, okay. So I don’t need you to get all certain up and distressed, however moderately, solely conditions and folks and issues that you just actually really feel able to forgive. I would like you to simply once more deliver it up, give it some thought and say aloud you already know so and so, I forgive you. After which really feel the forgiveness. See them in your thoughts’s eye. Forgive, forgive, forgive and spot your coronary heart enjoyable and opening. And naturally you may forgive your self too. So let’s follow some forgiveness right here.
If there’s someone or one thing that you could’t forgive all the way in which, are you able to forgive them partially, at the least just a little bit, at the least for some issues? Let’s clear the decks, our inner system. Let’s clear it totally of the whole lot that we’re holding on to that we presently have the capability to forgive in order that we’re now not holding on to that. And so even when there’s one thing, you already know somebody who you may’t actually forgive but all the way in which perhaps there’s a few of the stuff you may forgive and give attention to that. Once more this isn’t about getting wrapped up within the stuff you may’t forgive, however we’re getting good and heart-melty and staying open and enjoyable pressure through forgiveness.
Discover how, as you already know we tune into our gratitude and we tune into our forgiveness you may begin feeling teary-eyed and your coronary heart actually you already know wells up. Your coronary heart will get actually massive. It’s an enormous aid to let go of the issues we’re holding on to and simply permit ourselves to forgive. So that is one other method we will collect useful resource, not solely visualizing deities and our personal pristine consciousness, but additionally working towards gratitude, working towards forgiveness. That’s constructing our sources, that’s constructing our resilience, proper. The extra that we let go like that, the extra issues that we genuinely are grateful for, the extra issues people who we typically forgive, the extra useful resource, the extra resilience we now have accessible. And you may really feel that now, proper. You are feeling fairly completely different after doing that.
Now let’s tune into our shamatha with an object. We’re going to start doing one thing with an object on simply the breath. And so that you’re inhaling and feeling that inhaling sensation and also you’re respiration out and feeling that respiration out sensation. And you are able to do this together with your eyes open, resting as huge spacious consciousness and simply permitting the sense of the breath to come back and go in consciousness. If you wish to shut your eyes and do it form of the extra closed in, centered method that’s okay, however I like to recommend sitting together with your eyes open and simply feeling that breath coming and going like a wave in consciousness. It’s very nice that method.
Once more, simply resting as huge spacious consciousness, feeling the breath wave come and go. However I would like you to note the minute the in-breath the second, the second the millisecond the in-breath involves an finish. And see you don’t should do tight laser beam focus to do this, you simply are conscious, noticing, noticing, noticing, conscious, conscious, conscious, when does the in-breath finish. And similar factor as you’re respiration out, respiration out, respiration out, respiration out, when does the out-breath finish. And an necessary caveat right here is, don’t manipulate the top of the in-breath or the top of the out-breath so that you see it. Proper, simply watch for it to naturally happen. However ensure you catch the top of the in-breath, finish of the out-breath with every breath cycle.
Now don’t miss a single a part of the breath wave. Once more you don’t should drill down. You don’t should be doing micro give attention to this. You’re resting as huge spacious consciousness and the sensation of the breath wave simply arises in consciousness and passes away in consciousness. However I would like you to pay attention to each little second of that breath wave. Don’t miss any of it and significantly discover the top of the in-breath, significantly discover the top of the out-breath. These are particular emphasis factors, however you’re additionally noticing the remainder of the entire breath. So permitting the breath wave to to actually be clear in consciousness, noticing each little a part of it. Let’s do this.
I would like you to sink into this much more deeply. Permitting that breath wave to fill huge spacious consciousness. In fact, huge spacious consciousness is huge, however that breath wave turns into very, very apparent. Very, very clear and also you’re not lacking a millisecond of it. And the breath wave is so massive it form of simply pushes ideas out of the way in which. We’re not on function doing that, however the breath wave is so massive and so clear, it simply type of dominates the spacious consciousness. It’s actually very clear in there and also you’re significantly conscious of the top of the in-breath. you’re significantly conscious of the top of the out-breath. And the remainder of the time that breath wave, that feeling of the breath rising within the physique and the sensation of the breath falling the physique may be very clear. You’re staying with that. You’re nearly resting with it or using it. Very easy.
Discover that consciousness of the breath doesn’t take any effort. Consciousness is already conscious. And so the attention of the breath simply is there. Rises in consciousness, passes away in consciousness with none effort required in any respect.
Good. Now, with only a slight shift in emphasis, remaining resting as huge spacious consciousness, simply let go of deliberately being conscious of something and even deliberately doing something. We’re simply resting as huge spacious consciousness, already awake, already conscious, already huge. There’s nothing to do in any respect. Now if you end up doing one thing like partaking with a thought, simply drop that. If you end up making an attempt to meditate, simply drop that. If you end up making an attempt to do something in any respect, that’s doing. Simply simply drop it. Come again to easily resting. And this isn’t a sleep type of resting we’re very, very, very awake however we’re not doing something in any respect together with following ideas. So it’s not about sitting and simply being distracted as a result of that’s really a doing, that’s following trains of thought. So if you end up following a thought, simply drop it.
Now for some folks the phrase ‘drop it’ is just too robust. They get entangled in a wrestle. This isn’t a wrestle. In the event you’re struggling, drop that. Proper, so we will use different phrases apart from drop it. We are able to simply say simply ‘let it go,’ we will say simply ‘let or not it’s,’ no matter, however we’re not doing. That is complete non-doing. Letting go or dropping just isn’t a doing. That’s a relinquishing.
Okay, good. Now we’re going to do one thing that takes just a little little bit of effort. we’re all already current buddhas, already current bodhisattvas. Our pristine consciousness is already totally enlightened. There’s nothing to do on that stage. On that deep stage there’s nothing to do. You’re already wakeful, however typically we don’t acknowledge it, we don’t see it. And so it’s straightforward for me to take a seat right here and say hey you’re all totally woke up buddhas, we’re all totally woke up buddhas, however you is likely to be considering yeah, however I don’t see it. Effectively why don’t we see it? We don’t see it due to our perception system. We don’t see it as a result of we now have concepts that we will’t be that and these concepts get in the way in which as a result of we’re totally woke up buddhas. Our ideas like which have actual energy to affect our personal minds.
So proper now I would like you to have a look at no matter ideas you may have they usually’re going to sound like this: I’m not adequate to understand my buddhahood; I’m too damaged to understand my buddhahood; I don’t deserve it; I’m too fucked as much as ever actually discover my very own buddhahood; oh I’ve tried for years and nothing works; perhaps it really works for different folks, however I can’t do it. Ideas like that. I don’t know the way it sounds precisely for you and it is likely to be in your personal language, or it’d you already know come up in a very completely different method, however no matter that’s for you want, I’m too damaged to ever acknowledge this buddhahood Michael’s speaking about. Let’s fake that’s the thought, I need to hear that thought in your thoughts. Deliver it up no matter phrases are the actual thought for you and listen to these phrases as empty. Hear these phrases as simply sounds passing by way of this huge sky of the thoughts, completely empty, completely dissolving, completely passing, completely not true. Okay. More often than not vacancy doesn’t imply issues are true or not true. That’s not the purpose. Even true issues will be empty, however on this case it’s additionally not true.
In order these ideas come up, simply see them as empty. okay. Any thought that you just’re not adequate. Any thought that you just’re too damaged, any thought that you just’re too misplaced, any thought that you just’re too previous, any thought that you just’re too silly. Something like that. We now have every kind of ideas like this. That is only for different folks, I’ve tried too arduous and it doesn’t work. All of that. All of those ideas are fully empty. So I would like you proper now to deliver these up again and again and see that these ideas are each empty and never true.
Keep in mind that as a result of we’re already current totally woke up enlightened beings. , Inexperienced Taras, Buddhas, Shiva, Shaktis, no matter your perception system, no matter probably the most sacred, most awake, most compassionate, most loving being is, we’re already all that. And so it doesn’t matter what the ideas are. They are often issues like I used to be abused a lot as a toddler I can by no means acknowledge my buddhahood. That thought is empty and it’s not true as a result of the buddhahood is stronger than that. That’s to not negate what occurred. It’s to not say it doesn’t depend, however by way of your already current buddhahood, that may heal all that. In order that’s an empty and incorrect thought. I’ve skilled an excessive amount of trauma and the trauma blocks the whole lot. It doesn’t block your personal buddhahood. That thought is empty and unfaithful. Discover that now.
One other one could be I used to be an excessive amount of of an addict, I’ve simply damage myself an excessive amount of, I’m too sick to acknowledge my very own buddhahood. No that’s not true. The Buddha by no means ever was affected by any of that for even one second. Your buddhahood is past all that. It will probably make it easier to to heal all that and you’ll join with your personal already current enlightenment regardless of all that. So all of the abuse we’ve suffered, all of the trauma we’ve suffered, all of the horrible issues we’ve achieved to our physique, none of that will get in the way in which of recognizing your buddha nature, proper. The buddha nature can acknowledge itself as a result of the buddha nature was by no means damage in any of this.
The buddha nature is flooding you with acceptance, self-acceptance and confidence and love and kindness at each second. And the buddha nature is what you actually are so even when your bodily physique is damage, even when your psychology is hurting, all that, that will likely be healed and that doesn’t get in the way in which of recognizing your buddhahood. So discover that these ideas are empty and unfaithful, empty and unfaithful, empty and unfaithful. Possibly there’s issues that may’t be healed, however the Buddha, the already current buddhahood nonetheless acknowledges itself past all that. So discover the vacancy and never trueness of those ideas now and launch them, allow them to go. They’ll now not block your recognition.
Good, now let go of that and I would like you to simply come again to resting in huge spacious consciousness. Awake, completely clear, completely effortlessly awake, conscious and nonetheless. If something comes up and we get entangled in it, we simply calm down and relinquish that involvement. We stay fully uninvolved with the whole lot. We’re simply conscious, effortlessly wakeful like a buddha, effortlessly completely conscious.
Good, now resting as huge spacious consciousness, wakeful, completely clear, I would like you to simply have the intention for this awakeness to note itself. There’s nothing to do, you may’t do that, however you may intend it, so simply permit consciousness to see itself. Permit consciousness to pay attention to itself after which simply relaxation once more.
Simply permitting or intending that consciousness pay attention to itself. Don’t do something in any respect, there’s nothing to do. In the event you do something you’ll get in the way in which. so simply permit consciousness to pay attention to itself. Permit awakeness to see itself after which simply relaxation doing nothing.
What if there’s nothing to alter? Simply let go of making an attempt to alter something fully. What if there’s nothing to do? Simply let go of doing something now. What if the whole lot is already fully good simply the way in which it’s? Let or not it’s good simply the way in which it’s. What if you happen to’re already good simply the way in which you’re? Simply permit your self to be good simply the way in which you’re. Resting as huge spacious consciousness because the buddha thoughts. Simply resting as clear, crisp, vivid awakeness conscious of itself doing nothing in any respect.
The urge to alter one thing comes up and also you seize on, simply calm down, let go of that, drop it, simply come again to rest. The urge to carry on to a thought, to do one thing comes up. Simply let go of that thought, don’t do something, simply calm down and open and stay open. Naturally, open naturally, awake, completely effortlessly vivid and clear.
Good, now let this already awake, totally enlightened buddha that you’re, beam love and caring and kindness and pleasure and power and well being and love and sweetness and kindness to the entire world. Simply permit that. It takes no effort in any respect due to the facility of a buddha. Simply let that lovely power shine and shine and shine and unfold to all beings, all folks and animals round you, all folks and animals and beings all over the place on the earth, all over the place in all worlds, on this universe, all over the place in all worlds, in each universe. Really feel that pleasure and that kindness and that love and that knowledge and readability and confidence and pure dignity and a way of regality shine forth touching everybody all over the place together with your self.
All beings all over the place rejoicing, all beings all over the place feeling cherished and cared for, all beings all over the place feeling wholesome and powerful, all beings all over the place feeling secure and safe, all beings all over the place feeling assured and succesful. Really feel that beaming in all instructions now.
Okay good, let’s deliver the meditation to a detailed now, thanking all beings all over the place. Feeling gratitude for the whole lot, feeling forgiveness for the whole lot and simply noticing our pure already current effortlessly current, extensive awakeness which is all the time proper there. It’s all the time proper right here proper now, this buddha awakeness. And simply permit your physique to maneuver and stretch. Permit your self to really feel comfy. Have a drink of water as we deliver the meditation to an finish now.
Dharma Discuss
In order you noticed tonight we began out with gratitude and forgiveness and as I discussed on the time, that’s actually highly effective for constructing useful resource, for serving to us to open our coronary heart. Meditating with a closed coronary heart with an armored emotional physique, armored physique. You are able to do it, however it’s arduous. It turns into a lot simpler if we open our coronary heart, if we type of soften our armor, we type of calm down, proper come out of our tortoise shell and open, open, open. So we do our gratitude follow, we do our forgiveness follow, different instances we do our deity yoga or no matter, however we need to have extra openness than perhaps we sometimes do when strolling round on the earth. So tonight we did gratitude and forgiveness to assist ourselves with that.
After which discover after we did shamatha—we did a dzogchen type shamatha—which, as an alternative of being slim, may be very extensive. So you already know if you happen to discovered the way to do let’s say mindfulness in a vipassana custom, otherwise you’re doing the thoughts illuminated type shamatha or no matter, it’s very slim. You retain focusing down, focusing down, focusing down and also you’re moving into micro particulars. And that’s wonderful, that’s one type of shamatha. It really works, however within the type of shamatha that I’m displaying you tonight, which is a extra dzogchen type shamatha, we’re resting extensive open. Our eyes are open, consciousness is conscious, it’s all the way in which conscious in all instructions, it’s simply resting extensive open like it’s. We’re not narrowing it after which we’re simply letting that breath wave come up in consciousness.
Now discover how completely different that’s than saying I would like you to make type of a flashlight beam out of consciousness into this tight consideration and also you’re noticing the breath with tight consideration. And a few folks say like in TMI it says to do this whereas nonetheless sustaining some openness, however what we’re doing right here is completely different than even sustaining just a little openness. We’re primarily simply resting in open consciousness and as an alternative of type of efforting to make a beam out of consideration and shine it on the physique sensations of respiration, moderately we’re noticing that the physique sensations of respiration are current in consciousness already. You don’t should type of on function make this beam and shine it on these sensations of the breath. They’re simply arising already in consciousness. That’s how you already know it’s there you’re conscious of it. There’s nothing to do. You’re already conscious of it so we’re not moving into the micro particulars, however we’re staying with the attention of the breath right through the cycle of the breath. You’re not lacking any a part of the breath cycle.
The principle mistake that folks do once they’re making an attempt to do shamatha follow is what I name test the field. So in your listing of issues to do it says really feel the in-breath and they also’re feeling the in-breath they usually go, yep felt the in-breath. After which they go and take into consideration their pokemon go snorlaxes, or no matter, or how they’re going to rearrange their pokedex till the subsequent breath comes they usually’re like, oh there’s the breath once more, I really feel it, test, now I can go take into consideration my pokedex once more or the subsequent pokemon that I need to seize, or no matter. You go off and play together with your thoughts in between since you suppose, oh I checked the field, I did what I’m purported to do.
That’s a mistake after we’re doing shamatha, even this very extensive, open consciousness shamatha the place we’re simply effortlessly conscious of the breath coming and going. You don’t need to test the field. Or to place it a distinct method, you’re checking the field each second of the breath. Feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now. After which actually further noticing the top of the in-breath, noticing, noticing, there it’s. Okay, right here comes the out-breath, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now, feeling it now. you’re checking the field constantly after which particularly right here, right here comes the top of it, there’s the top of it, growth. Now right here comes one other in-breath.
So that you’re not lacking any second of that breath cycle, however neither are you, the way in which we’re doing it tonight. Once more, there’s many many alternative sorts of shamatha and there’s nobody magic sort of shamatha. However anyway, the way in which we’re doing it tonight, you’re resting as open consciousness, noticing you’re already conscious of the breath. You don’t should do something. There it’s. It’s simply occurring in consciousness. Now stick with it, stick with it on a regular basis. All the way in which on the out breath. All the way in which on the in-breath. Give just a little further discover on the top of the in-breath, staying with it, staying with just a little further discover on the top of the out-breath. And also you’ll discover that you just’re having fairly a centered meditation, proper. Not centered slim, however centered within the sense of you’re actually staying with that breath. And it’s not even arduous, proper.
And as you’re permitting an increasing number of of that breath sensation to fill consciousness, different issues like considering will get actually pushed to the facet. It’s not that you just’re in any method making an attempt to cease considering or manipulate your ideas. You’re not doing that in any respect, however you’re getting so concerned within the rising of the breath and the falling of the breath that it’s nearly that rising and falling is taking over all of consciousness. And it’s type of pushing the considering out of the way in which. So that you’ll discover an increasing number of time passes the place you’re simply all that’s arising in consciousness is the breath sensation, proper. You’re nonetheless seeing the surface world and also you’re conscious of stuff however there may not be a lot considering happening as a result of it’s type of getting nearly like, there’s not room for it.
And in order that’s how I would like you to do shamatha proper. In the event you’ve discovered this different method the place you’re doing the slim shamatha that’s wonderful. Go forward and do it, however for these non-dual sort meditations we’re doing a non-dual custom form of shamatha the place we’re simply permitting the breath to come up in consciousness, permitting the breath to fall in consciousness, whereas remaining wakeful like that. Whereas remaining huge and spacious like that. In order that’s how I would like you to be doing shamantha for these meditations.
However I additionally need to say, I simply mentioned it briefly, however I’ll say it once more. There isn’t any one proper approach to do shamatha. Shamatha is shamatha. There’s a zillion methods to do it and if a type of methods was so a lot better than the opposite methods, as a result of folks tried out all of the methods of doing shamantha 2000 years in the past, 2500 years in the past, 3000 years in the past. If there was one further particular method that was so a lot better, it could have taken over a thousand years in the past. We’d all find out about it and it’d be the one one we do.
So there isn’t a one proper approach to do shamatha. That’s simply nonsense. Nevertheless, having mentioned that, the way in which that we’re doing it, with our eyes open and holding in huge spacious consciousness and never getting slim simply makes it a lot simpler to then transfer into shamatha with out an object and so forth. It simply makes it simpler for what we’re going to do later. However discover that’s completely different than saying it’s a greater type of shamatha or it’s the proper of shamatha. It’s simply setting us up for the subsequent strikes. Plus it’s a good way, it’s enjoyable to do easy open shamatha. So it’s good. However I don’t need to declare that one way or the other the best method or one of the best ways.
And a corollary to that that’s tremendous necessary, I’ll let you know I’ve been instructing meditation a very long time now. Right here is the query that I hear so typically. I hear this nearly every single day. And so that you just by no means should ask this query once more, I’ll say this as clearly as potential. There isn’t any particular shamatha object. There isn’t any particular shamatha object. There isn’t any particular shamatha object. What do I imply? What I imply is in numerous traditions they’ll be like, oh these stinking soiled losers do shamatha on the breath, however we’re going to do shamatha on visualization and that’s the one true method, that’s the way in which you get enlightened. Oh no no no, the individuals who do shamatha on the visualization are stinking soiled losers, however we who do shamatha on this particular mantra, we all know that is the way in which you’re going to get enlightened as a result of what you want is the best shamatha object. You want a particular shamatha object. Individuals there isn’t a such factor because the particular shamatha object. Simply let go of that concept endlessly. It’s not the case.
Right here’s type of the implied query within the query when folks say what’s the great shamatha object, what they actually imply is what shamatha object will get me enlightened and I respect the query. I’m not mocking the query. That’s a very cheap query. However the reply is all of them or none of them, as a result of focus or staying with an object, is simply staying with an object and you are able to do that with any object. So there’s nobody that’s the proper one besides the one which works for you.
So to barely backpedal, let’s say you want doing mantras and also you don’t like doing visualizations, nicely then mantras are higher shamatha objects for you since you like them and also you’ll do them extra. Or let’s say you actually love doing shamatha on the breath and also you’ve achieved years of it and also you simply love that. Effectively okay then, that’s your shamatha object. Tremendous, that’s nice for you, however it’s not the case that there’s one proper focus object for each particular person. Or like there’s a particular one which if you happen to’re led into the key again room and you place a fifty greenback invoice in my arms I’ll present you the one proper shamatha object. And that’s the actual one. shamatha is shamatha is shamatha is shamatha. All of them work. It’s all simply resting the thoughts on an object. Permitting consciousness to pay attention to that object no matter it’s okay.
So cease the seek for the particular shamatha object or the one proper approach to do shamatha. Simply do your shamatha and permit your self to relaxation with it. Once more, the way in which I would like you to study to do it’s form of the traditional method in my programs, but additionally on these youtube meditations is eyes open, consciousness resting extensive open and simply permitting consciousness of the breath to come back and go. That’s our shamatha with an object. However different instances you’ll hear me do it one other method. Typically we’ll do a visualization. Typically we’ll do a mantra. In order that’s form of simply one other method of doing shamatha. So there’s all these other ways to do shamatha and there’s nobody magic object.
You learn a few of these books which are on breath consciousness they usually make it sound like that’s the one factor you may meditate on. And that’s simply incorrect. You possibly can meditate on something. It’s quite common in meditation traditions to begin out meditating on one thing like a pebble. Go get a pebble, set it in entrance of you, stare at that factor together with your eyes light. That’s a very regular meditation object and it’s not one way or the other higher or worse than the breath. So simply let go of this concept that there’s a particular object. There isn’t, okay. In order that’s my form of ranty a part of the dharma discuss.
The opposite half is, discover that you just don’t should do something to bear in mind. That is one other factor perhaps that is type of persevering with the rant, however on a distinct subject. What I hear folks say quite a bit is one thing like I’m struggling to make my consciousness huge. Or I’m struggling to note consciousness. You possibly can’t make your consciousness huge. It’s already huge. It begins out huge. However what occurs is that as an alternative what you’re used to doing is narrowing, narrowing, narrowing and simply noticing one little tiny channel, an consideration channel out of the entire vastness of consciousness. However consciousness is all the time huge. So that you’re not making your consciousness huge. All you’re doing is enjoyable your consideration. And you already know and if you happen to’ve received a behavior of tight consideration, you bought to simply maintain letting go, maintain letting go, till it relaxes and also you discover the attention that’s already wakeful. So there isn’t a making my consciousness huge. By no means wrestle. By no means spend even a second struggling to make your consciousness huge. Simply let go of narrowing and also you’ll discover it’s already panoramic. It’s all the time been panoramic.
After which the opposite one is I’m making an attempt to note consciousness. Now that one is admittedly really type of humorous as a result of the koan there could be: oh actually you’re making an attempt to note consciousness? What’s noticing? The one factor that may presumably be noticing is consciousness. Consciousness is what notices. So if somebody says, or in case you are saying I’m struggling to note consciousness. That’s like your canine looking for its tail. It’s already received it. It already is the tail. The canine contains the tail. The attention contains the noticing. So simply discover the noticing. That’s consciousness.
One other approach to say the identical factor is that consciousness is sort of the identical phrase as expertise. The truth that something is going on proper now in any respect, that the lights are on in your expertise, the truth that you’re having a thought or can really feel your physique and spot the thought or really feel your physique. Or the truth that you may hear my voice or see this video or any of that. That’s all consciousness. So the arduous factor to do just isn’t discover consciousness. Consciousness is what’s noticing. The arduous factor to do is to one way or the other not discover consciousness. So these are some pointers about issues folks wrestle with that you just now have permission to thoroughly let go of.
Now we additionally did plenty of psychological work tonight speaking about beliefs that get in the way in which, ideas that get in the way in which and so forth. And we labored with {that a} bunch and we’ll proceed to work with that over time as a result of that seems to be a giant deal. I simply didn’t get into it within the discuss tonight, so we’ll come again to that one other time.
Be a part of Michael’s mailing listing and get notified of latest choices and programs.
Donate to assist create extra of those movies and extra.
