Guided Nondual Meditation with Michael Taft
Let’s start with a little bit little bit of seated motion, no matter you need. Circles can be good. Don’t simply transfer, truly tune into shifting. Really feel your arms shifting. In case you can, discover the sensation of the arms shifting. Then get your elbows going, too. Tuning into it. Transfer your head some. You don’t must comply with what I’m doing, simply let your physique transfer, however maintain tuned in: don’t try. Then get your backbone going, your shoulders going, so numerous circles. All the pieces’s a circle, however you are able to do it in no matter sample you need–or non-pattern–or combination of each sample and non-pattern. Or neither sample nor non-pattern. The tetralemma of circle actions. Simply maintain feeling the way it feels to maneuver like that. In case you can, discover one thing that feels good, and do it a few occasions. Simply let your physique really feel good.
Get up a little bit bit to the physique. Tune in, and really feel the circles, okay? Then begin bringing them in, making them smaller, not tighter, simply smaller. Nonetheless free, nonetheless open, however they are often little. Actually really feel the sense of vitality increasingly to the middle. Then steadily smaller and smaller, feeling it, feeling it. Keep tuned in. Then steadily you’re making a circle that’s so small that you may’t truly inform if you’re making a circle or not. However you possibly can nonetheless really feel it, really feel it, really feel it, as you might be doing it. Now, are you continue to, or are you continue to kinda making a circle? Then, that’s the spot.
Superb, then from this place, as common, I would like you to ask your self the query: What’s it wish to be me proper now? Don’t assume you already know the reply, however quite, look, really feel, tune in. What’s your thought realm like? What’s your physique sensation realm like? What’s your emotional world like? What’s the general psychic climate for you proper now? Simply tune into that. And see if, as an alternative of analyzing it, or criticizing it, or making an attempt to alter it or management it, you possibly can simply let it’s the best way it’s. Precisely the best way it’s proper now. Let’s sit with that for a couple of minutes collectively.
Now, start with simply permitting your thoughts to be extensive open. Generally I say, Meditate such as you’re the sky, which is similar request, however I’ll say it with much less fervor, and say, let your thoughts keep good and open. Your consciousness, good and open, relaxed, vibrant, clear consciousness. Keep in mind, there’s nothing to do to make consciousness open or vibrant or clear. It’s already like that, simply noticing that.
And, as common, discover if you’re participating with ideas, hanging onto ideas, following ideas, spinning with ideas, tumbling like a tennis shoe in a dryer with ideas, you simply let go of that. And by let go, I imply don’t interact. The ideas might be there, we like ideas. Ideas are cool, they will occur as a lot as they need. Simply don’t interact. Metaphorically, we’re simply going to set the equipment of thought apart. It will probably run as a lot because it needs, however we’re going to set it apart. As an alternative, keep on this good, clear presence. It’s very easy to do, so long as we put aside engagement with thought.
If you end up participating with thought, disengage. Come again to presence. Presence simply means extensive open, vibrant clear consciousness that’s already there. So, sitting with spacious clear openness. Any engagement with thought, we simply drop it. Merely drop it. And also you might need to drop it each 5 seconds for the entire meditation, and that’s fantastic, you simply drop it. You’re not preventing considering. Considering can occur, you’re simply not participating. Not struggling to disengage, simply disengage, and are available again to presence.
So, we come again to presence by dropping the ball of thought, simply drop it. The picture is of a sort of canine that once you play fetch, they seize the ball and received’t let go and simply growl at you [grrr]. And also you go drop it, drop it they usually received’t. Right here we need to simply drop it–open your mouth and let the ball drop out. What we are inclined to do all day lengthy is chunk on and go grrr and never let go of it. Right here we’re simply dropping the ball. We open and the ball drops out.
There’s no battle in any respect. There may be work within the sense of: you need to do it time and again, but it surely’s not a battle, you simply calm down and let the ball drop out. It may be work as a result of you need to do it a variety of occasions, however nonetheless, all you do is calm down, and are available again to presence. If it’s not that simple so that you can relaxation as open consciousness, although that’s already there, it may be not that simple to seek out. It’s okay to return again to another presence, like listening to the room, or feeling your butt on the cushion, or one thing together with your breath. No matter you might be coming again into presence with, don’t get tight or stiff or slim and concentrated. We’re staying relaxed and open and spacious.
It may be a lot simpler to remain alert and current with our eyes open. With this sort of meditation, you don’t must have your eyes open. It’s not a requirement, however, it does are inclined to make it lots simpler. Merely since you need to stay spacious and alert. Generally after we shut our eyes, we will get uninteresting or sort of collapse inward, and we need to keep awake and current and spacious.
Every time you end up latching onto the spinning wheel of thought, it’s going to begin spinning you and spinning you, simply let go, and also you’re again to spacious presence. All you’ve bought to do is to let go repeatedly of that wheel you seize onto. The wheel of samsara is admittedly simply the wheel of considering that you just seize onto. It’s at all times a alternative, it’s by no means making you grasp onto it, simply can’t let go. This received’t result in a particular state, it can result in a very easy presence within the regular second, however it will likely be a standard second with out samsara.
The difficulty with doing that is that you may’t be concerned with all of your tales. And when we aren’t concerned in our tales, we aren’t distracted, and when we aren’t distracted, we’re compelled to really feel what we are literally feeling. And to be with this particular second, and that’s often what folks hate essentially the most. Wouldn’t need to be with my precise emotions and simply face the groundless area of this second. I’d a lot quite be caught up in my drama or in my tales, or my tales about tales, or my Harry Potter half 7a, or no matter, than simply be on this second, nakedly.
We use all these tales like thick padding and mattresses and soccer pads and armor in opposition to simply the bare brilliance and openness and groundlessness and nearly insupportable great thing about this second. However it additionally has ache.
All we’re doing is simply, each time we’re grabbing onto the considering, simply drop the ball–drop it, drop it! After which, being with no matter you’re feeling or no matter is there. Perhaps you’ve a abdomen ache, that’s what’s there, okay. Simply maintain returning to the spacious open presence of clear consciousness on this second. And also you try this by simply dropping the ball. In case you choose it up, drop it once more. Generally it stays dropped, and also you simply must be with that. Even whether it is painful or disagreeable, boring, upsetting, or no matter. Even whether it is truly fairly troublesome, with out the wheel of thought, the turning wheel of thought being engaged, it can nonetheless be spacious, it can nonetheless be free. It is going to nonetheless be alive.
Actually, meditation comes right down to the query, Are you able to sit in a quiet place with none distraction and never get eaten alive by your thoughts? That is a technique to do this, study to drop the ball. Each time you choose it up, simply calm down, let it drop.
I’m going to ask you a query, and I would like you to reply with out choosing up any ideas. You don’t want to make use of your considering thoughts to reply this query. All that you must do is look, or simply do it, in actual fact.
So right here’s the query: Am I current for my life proper now? Proper now? You may look, or you possibly can truly be current, however don’t give it some thought. It’s a query to look into, to analyze. Am I current for my life proper now? Look once more. I’ll simply maintain asking, so simply maintain wanting. Am I current for my life proper now? Once more, after we come into presence, it may not be any particular second of something however presence. That’s what’s particular about it–you’re current, you’re not misplaced within the samsara of thought, you’re not misplaced within the equipment of considering. So maintain asking your self the query, and maintain wanting. What’s the reply proper now? What’s the reply proper now?
Once we’re caught up in considering, it’s like we’ve put ourselves in a cage. The minute you drop engagement with the thought. Once more, the ideas can nonetheless occur, we’re not stopping, we’re dropping the engagement. The minute you drop the thought, you’re out of the cage!
In order that’s the subsequent query I would like you to have a look at, not take into consideration. Am I within the cage proper now? And, after all, should you discover that you’re, drop it. In case you discover that you just’re not, then, that’s good! Am I in a cage proper now? In case you are, it’s you that’s placing your self there, so simply drop it. Am I in a cage proper now? Look. Which cage? The cage of all my ideas, all my tales, all my concepts about stuff. Are you in a cage proper now? Or did you neglect, and interact, and put your self proper again inside. In all probability you simply maintain doing it. That’s okay, don’t make that into one other factor to fret about, simply drop it. Come again to presence, openness, spaciousness, ease, readability, brightness. It’s all there the minute you come again into presence, come out of the cage. Most individuals choose their cage, by far, they love their cage. They beautify it inside bars, they’ve bought little ribbons and little decorations throughout. It’s painted simply the best way they prefer it. I’d quite be in my cage. Outdoors of the cage, you might be uncovered to the bare readability of precise existence. You may’t numb out, you possibly can’t distract. Can’t dramatize. However you’re alive, and it’s spacious, free, and deeply joyous. Even whether it is actually uncomfortable second sitting with a toothache, and chilly air. It’s deeply joyous.
Are you current in your life proper now, on this second? Are you within the field?
Subsequent query. What’s it that’s awake proper now? Don’t give it some thought, don’t interact ideas. Look. What’s it that’s wanting? What’s awake? Proper now. Discover it, discover the awake factor. In case you’re like Effectively, I do know what he means is that there isn’t any awake factor as a result of the whole lot is empty. You’re in a field! Cease it, you’re within the cage. You’ve engaged thought. Look: what’s it that’s awake proper now? Discover it. In case you maintain out of the field, chances are you’ll be noticing that you’re fairly current proper now, fairly outdoors the cage. It’s not very arduous, you simply must be relentless. There’s not simply seven horcruxes, there’s like seven million. Simply maintain going after the subsequent one, the subsequent one.
What’s it that’s conscious proper now? What’s it? Look! Don’t drift off into grabbing onto the ideas after which beginning to spin the cocoon of numbness round your self once more. The wheel of considering simply spins this thread of numbness that turns right into a sleeping bag that you may fall asleep in. Sleep with complete struggling. Once we’re out of the cage, unengaged with the wheel of thought, we’re very spacious, very extensive open, and it’s very clear, tremendous relaxed.
Subsequent query. Don’t interact with considering, simply look. What time is it? What time is it? Look. What time is it? Proper now. Perhaps your thoughts is sort of a difficult Buddhist thoughts that’s saying, It’s now! That’s nonetheless within the cage, simply look. Now isn’t a solution, it’s a dodge. Look. Tough solutions get you flunked. Quick flunk.
Are you current in your life proper now? What time is it? What’s it that’s conscious, proper now? These have all been tremendous simple questions, however you guys are doing fairly good, so I’ll offer you a tough query. Keep in mind, you possibly can’t give it some thought, you simply must look. It would damage. What am I avoiding feeling proper now? Or, higher, What am I avoiding proper now? Not another time, proper now. By wanting, you’ll discover it, and also you received’t be avoiding it. If you consider it, you possibly can give it some thought without end, and that’s avoiding it. In case you simply look, What am I avoiding proper now? I don’t need my leg to really feel uncomfortable. I don’t need to really feel that emotion–oops! What am I avoiding proper now? Once we look, we’re not avoiding it.
That is what’s so terrible and sensible about working like this: You may’t keep away from. If emotions are there, there they’re. What am I avoiding now? Am I current for this second? What time is it?
Look.
What bodily discomfort do you retain making an attempt to maneuver away from, and maintain making an attempt to maneuver away from, that you may truly simply face. Or emotional discomfort, or another sort of discomfort. Discover, how, even within the presence of that discomfort, the spacious readability remains to be there, simply as spacious, simply as clear. So long as we don’t get wrapped up within the considering.
What am I avoiding now? All you need to do is look. You understand what you might be avoiding. Simply take a look at it. Simply really feel it: don’t keep away from it. In case you are actually difficult, you would possibly say, effectively, Michael, I’m avoiding participating in considering. However, that’s avoiding. Perhaps there are some emotions in there that you’re feeling. There it’s–now you might be current, wakeful on this second. Current in your life, current for what’s occurring. Engaged. What am I avoiding? Look
Subsequent query: Keep in mind, don’t choose up the considering, simply look. What’s spaciousness? Look in your individual expertise proper now. What’s spaciousness? What’s spaciousness? Look. The minute you look, there it’s: spaciousness. In case you begin to consider it, it begins to fade or go away, so that you’re again within the cage. So, ask your self once more: What’s spaciousness? There it’s.
Simply to modify gears, with out participating, just because plainly someone is admittedly stepping on the gasoline pedal of the Kalidah Dying Machine proper now, the homicide machine, is admittedly working additional time. Let’s see if we will simply generate some goodwill and kindness and love and caring inside ourselves. Then permit that to fill all of the area, all that spaciousness that intermingles with all the opposite spaciousness in all places. All of the folks on this room, feeling love and kindness and compassion and caring, and beaming it outward. Each different particular person within the room, feeling it from all the opposite folks within the room, after which beaming it outward, outward, outward, and feeling it getting back from all the opposite hearts in all places, in all instructions. The straightforward, kindness and pleasure and love and caring that’s current after we’re not concerned in our psychological drama. It’s simply instantly there. Simply permit that to radiate out in all instructions, and be acquired again from all instructions. This straightforward want that everybody take care of one another. Everybody take care of one another. Might all of us take care of one another.
Dharma Discuss and Q&A
So, in a approach, that is the crux of the problem. And perhaps, the best strategy to strategy it, a really, very stripped down, completely easy strategy to strategy it. Simply disengage with that sort of thought. Don’t battle it, don’t battle with it or attempt to change it, simply disengage, and simply come again to your individual immediacy, your individual wakefulness, your individual presence, and your individual emotions. Feelings will probably be there, the total richness of the whole lot is there, you’re simply not grinding on all of the drama. So that is lifeless easy, this is so simple as it will get. And that may take you all the best way that you just’re going to get.
However, it’s additionally tremendous arduous. Quite simple, and tremendous arduous, as a result of it’s like, Okay, throw your self again into the bare expertise time and again with out actually working with it in any approach, simply being with it. So it may be actually gnarly–doesn’t must be–however it may be. So the upside is tremendous easy. The draw back is that you just’re not getting a variety of instruments, simply sit there. Some weeks you come right here and we’re doing vitality stuff and area, a little bit vipashyana. That’s far more difficult. There’s lots to do and issues to know. However, it additionally perhaps offers you instruments to make this factor rather less gnarly, so you’ve extra methods to work with it. So, typically we do the lifeless simple factor, typically we do stuff that’s extra complicated, however perhaps much less uncooked.
For some folks, they’re actually drawn to the simplicity, simply sit there–stunning, complete ease–but it surely’s additionally tremendous gnarly. Different folks just like the complexity, and likewise the skillfulness that we will work with it utilizing complicated strategies like vitality, vipashyana, getting in there. In case you’re like me, you want doing each. They’re each sort of fascinating. They’re each highly effective, and each have their makes use of. Some days you need to do one, different days, the opposite. They don’t seem to be in battle. Particularly should you perceive that all of it suits collectively in a single path.
The draw back of the complexity is a) that it’s complicated, there’s stuff to study, and b) you may get misplaced in it–it may change into one thing else you may get distracted in. I’ve bought these 97 strategies, and I’m making an attempt to tweak on them–that may begin to be its personal psychological spinning. In order that’s why it’s kinda good typically to simply go, Fuck it! Sit. Shut up! So each are good–totally different days, totally different moods. House dragon. Generally you’ll discover the bare wide-awake openness might be terrifying: there’s no floor, there’s nothing to carry onto, there’s no cage to be secure inside. Is the cage holding you secure inside, or is it holding you locked in? Generally it seems like it’s holding the sharks out. So, as you come out of it, there’s no floor, no security, in a approach. It’s not likely security, it’s the ego security of numbness and distraction and story that we construct round ourselves. so it may be actually scary–Wiley Coyote off the cliff, operating in air for a second earlier than you fall. The excellent news is, you by no means hit the bottom. The opposite factor is that it may be actually intense, particularly if we’ve been utilizing numbness and distraction and drama to not really feel one thing. Something however that! Then once you drop out of considering, right here comes the sensation that you just had been avoiding. Now you’re going to really feel it. And I’m not going to sit down right here and let you know that That will probably be nice! as a result of it may be actually terrible for some time. Some emotions actually damage, and perhaps they damage for some time. Though they’ll damage for a shorter time should you’re not participating the ideas which might be holding it going, holding it going.
So, we let go of participating the ideas, then right here it comes–the monster you had been holding at bay, the sharks which might be out of the cage, you get eaten. However, whew! Want some mint aftershave! However it ends–feelings come up and it’s intense, you’re with it, and it’s handed. You’re not residing to keep away from that anymore, and that’s a aid.
Ultimately, this fashion of working–any of those methods of working, in the event that they maintain resulting in the spacious, open, wide-awake place, it’s the definition of aid. It’s pleasure and freedom. That’s why you do it, as a result of residing within the wheel of samsara actually sucks. All of the struggling, the concerns, the issues and grinding that’s there; and it doesn’t assist something. While you step outdoors, then, even when it’s uncomfortable, there might be peace and freedom and openness and ease. You may nonetheless suppose, do math, write. It’s not such as you’re lobotomizing your self. It’s the actual sort of considering the place you’re getting concerned in drama, tales, chains about your self. That’s the actual factor we’re setting apart.
So, questions on that, feedback, stories? Stuff developing?
Questioner 1: I used to be actually curious concerning the query, What time is it?
Michael: Yeah, what time is it? Everyone? What time is it? Look.
Everybody: Now
Michael: That’s the mistaken reply. [laughter]. You’re out!
Questioner 1: I imply, I kinda went with Now. I used to be like, that’s not good.
Michael: That’s nonetheless a solution coming from thought. Now remains to be a location in time–it’s totally different from the previous and the longer term. It’s a thought. Simply look. The minute you look–do it proper now. What time is it? Inform me what time you discover.
Questioner 1: I don’t actually discover it.
Michael: Proper! That’s not a thought, that’s not even now, that’s simply, huh? Proper? Time–what the fuck is that? Look, I’m not kidding, it’s simply an thought. So, now you’ll go–oh, there isn’t any–that’s a thought. It’s important to look every time, and spot, you possibly can’t fucking discover it, and but, we torture ourselves with these things. It’s not even there. Look.
Questioner 1: Thanks.
Michael: What else? Some other questions, feedback developing?
Questioner 2: I assume my expertise of the time factor was that there was at all times one thing occurring, and so the best way that I answered the query within the second was that this was the time that I’m having this expertise, of no matter sensation was developing. However perhaps that’s only a strategy to put story on it.
Michael: However what story is it, you’re simply saying this expertise. That’s an ideal reply, as a result of, the place is time in that? It doesn’t imply nothing can occur. All the pieces retains occurring. This expertise, stunning, looks like an ideal reply.
Questioner 2: This can be a report/query. I discovered whereas doing this, I wasn’t capable of calm down, or there was disagreeable physique sensation, sorta like bracing. It felt like there was some sort of pressure or destructive feeling tone.
Michael: Yeah! So, that’s the factor you’ve been avoiding. As quickly as we drop out of the distraction–there it comes. It may not be a pleasing second, there could also be some physique pressure. The extra you sit with it and don’t interact the story about it, it can at the least change into open and recognized to you. I received’t say it can essentially go away, as a result of perhaps somebody has a horrible sickness, and it’s going to harm. However I’ll say that the much less story that’s there, and the extra they only sit with it, we will interact different instruments that assist us work together with it extra skillfully, it can change into no drawback in any respect.
Questioner 2: Yeah, like there’s no must give you some scheme for altering it.
Michael: Yeah.
Questioner 2: Thanks.
Michael: Yeah. It’s not essentially a contented second, however it may nonetheless be joyous.
Questioner 3: You’ve talked lots concerning the perspective of individuals feeling discomfort outdoors the cage. For me, outdoors the cage is at all times superior. There may be often pleasure there, and the thoughts needs to remain on what’s pleasurable, fascinating, no matter. And but, typically when the behavior of the thoughts equipment has been so robust, it’s like, I need to be outdoors the cage, however the cage retains leaping over me. I’m not going again into the cage, the cage is coming again over me.
Michael: Habitually.
Questioner 3: Sure.
Michael: That’s what I used to be speaking about. You simply let go once more, drop it once more, drop it once more.
Questioner 3: However that’s not a option to get in, the selection is to get out.
Michael: One thing’s selecting there however, proper.
Questioner 3: There are occasions that I attempt to look beneath that stuff, and typically it’s pointless to go there. It’s simply, I assume that might be vipashyana, to look.
Michael: That’s what I imply. You may work with a distinct method, get in there with talent, and deconstruct it, and there’s nothing mistaken with that. And you possibly can additionally simply drop it once more, drop it once more. And ultimately–you already know the rolled-up map metaphor, proper? You have got a paper map in a tube, and also you convey it out and you need to put weights on the corners, in any other case it retains rolling up. However should you try this sufficient, it can lay flat. So we simply drop it and drop it and drop it till ultimately your thoughts simply lays flat.
Questioner 3: That is principally shamatha, however we’re simply actually leaning in on the do-nothing?
Michael: That is non-meditation. Relying on the view.
Questioner 3: I’ve discovered that, after the instruction to drop the thought was repeated numerous occasions, the movement of dropping the thought itself felt like a movement, and I wished to drop the dropper. To drop the dropping.
Michael: That’s the distinction between dropping as a battle and an effort, and simply stress-free. I did attempt to level out the distinction between these two issues. Proper? There’s a doing dropping, and there’s simply stress-free. Okay? So, once you’re doing dropping, there’s nonetheless some story in there, there’s nonetheless some engagement with considering. I’m doing it. However ultimately, you simply calm down.
Questioner 3: At a sure level, I did try this, permitting the expertise of not dropping to remain there, as a relaxed again in there.
Michael: If it doesn’t simply wrap up once more, then that’s good.
Questioner 3: A extra built-in model, then, can be to have it drop deeply in a full approach, or would that be a continuation?
Michael: It will depend on what you imply, actually. While you’re simply letting it keep dropped, if it’s extensive open, not engaged, that may deepen over time, dramatically. However there’s no more to do. Simply sit there, wakeful, letting it keep open. Then you definately’re current, you’re in it. You may be current in a very reified world of stuff, however that’s what begins to dissolve, as a result of should you’re not feeding the engine of the thought machine, it can slowly permit the whole lot to de-reify. Okay?
Questioner 3: Thanks.
Questioner 4: That was dope! My query is, in that area, that dropping, how do you strategy unifying the dropping again with phrases, if you find yourself speaking with folks?
Michael: It simply takes time. After some time–it doesn’t imply you possibly can’t suppose, it’s only a sure relationship with thought. However, at first, you simply don’t. Then ultimately you discover that you may nonetheless discuss simply fantastic. However it would possibly at first sieze again up, so that you get good at dropping the ball, and ultimately, you’re speaking with out getting seized up. So, it’s simply behavior, you’re employed at it. It’s like once you get good at vipassana when you’re sitting, you then begin working at it once you’re strolling, however you stroll actual sluggish. Ever try this? Actually? Gradual strolling.
Questioner 4: No, by no means.
Michael: Actually, you’ve by no means been a vipassana zombie?
Questioner 4: No, I’ve by no means accomplished vipassana.
Michael: You do sluggish strolling, I’m feeling the ball of my foot rolling onto my toes. You try this for days and also you get used to shifting, then you possibly can transfer sooner. It’s an identical course of. You simply strive saying one phrase to somebody and attempt to keep open. Perhaps you possibly can’t, however ultimately, you possibly can. Okay?
Questioner 5: That was nice, thanks. After I’m meditating with my eyes open, typically I ponder whether I’m getting distracted by my visible subject, or whether or not it’s alright to sort of intensely interact with the visible subject, since it’s half of the present expertise.
Michael: The reply is, go forward and interact with the visible subject. I wouldn’t suggest getting actual slim with it, like specializing in that one spot. You may, and it’ll convey you into presence, however don’t get tight. It’s like once you’re meditating on physique sensations or no matter–keep actual broad with it. So, the identical with the visible subject, nonetheless keep broad. It’s very easy to tighten up, and we wish that openness taste. Positive! Mark’s blanket is sufficient to put me into meditation, if I simply stare upon it. It’s highly effective. However it isn’t slim, maintain it open.
Thanks in your questions.
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