Guided Nondual Meditation with Michael Taft
Let’s start with a bit little bit of seated motion, no matter you need. Circles can be good. Don’t simply transfer, really tune into shifting. Really feel your palms shifting. Should you can, discover the sensation of the palms shifting. Then get your elbows going, too. Tuning into it. Transfer your head some. You don’t should comply with what I’m doing, simply let your physique transfer, however maintain tuned in: don’t take a look at. Then get your backbone going, your shoulders going, so numerous circles. Every thing’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. Should you can, discover one thing that feels good, and do it a few instances. Simply let your physique really feel good.
Get up a 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 power increasingly to the middle. Then regularly smaller and smaller, feeling it, feeling it. Keep tuned in. Then regularly you’re making a circle that’s so small which you can’t really inform if you’re making a circle or not. However you’ll be able to 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 regular, I would like you to ask your self the query: What’s it wish to be me proper now? Don’t assume you realize the reply, however slightly, 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 vary it or management it, you’ll be able to 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 large open. Typically 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, brilliant, clear consciousness. Bear in mind, there’s nothing to do to make consciousness open or brilliant or clear. It’s already like that, simply noticing that.
And, as regular, discover if you’re partaking 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 have interaction. The ideas will be there, we like ideas. Ideas are cool, they’ll occur as a lot as they need. Simply don’t have interaction. Metaphorically, we’re simply going to set the equipment of thought apart. It will probably run as a lot because it desires, 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 partaking with thought, disengage. Come again to presence. Presence simply means large open, brilliant 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 may need to drop it each 5 seconds for the entire meditation, and that’s effective, you simply drop it. You’re not combating considering. Pondering can occur, you’re simply not partaking. 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 whenever 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 wish to simply drop it–open your mouth and let the ball drop out. What we are inclined to do all day lengthy is chew 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 wrestle in any respect. There may be work within the sense of: you must do it time and again, however it’s not a wrestle, you simply calm down and let the ball drop out. It may be work as a result of you must do it a number of instances, however nonetheless, all you do is calm down, and are available again to presence. If it’s not that straightforward so that you can relaxation as open consciousness, regardless that that’s already there, it may be not that straightforward to seek out. It’s okay to come back 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 type of meditation, you don’t should have your eyes open. It’s not a requirement, however, it does are inclined to make it rather a lot simpler. Merely since you wish to stay spacious and alert. Typically once we shut our eyes, we are able to get boring or sort of collapse inward, and we wish 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 obtained to do is to let go repeatedly of that wheel you seize onto. The wheel of samsara is actually simply the wheel of considering that you simply seize onto. It’s all the time a alternative, it’s by no means making you hold onto it, simply can’t let go. This received’t result in a particular state, it’s going to result in a extremely easy presence within the regular second, however it is going to be a traditional second with out samsara.
The difficulty with doing that is which you can’t be concerned with all of your tales. And when we’re not concerned in our tales, we’re not distracted, and when we’re not distracted, we’re pressured to really feel what we are literally feeling. And to be with this particular second, and that’s often what individuals hate probably the most. Wouldn’t wish to be with my precise emotions and simply face the groundless house of this second. I’d a lot slightly 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 towards 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. Possibly you have got 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 do this by simply dropping the ball. Should you choose it up, drop it once more. Typically it stays dropped, and also you simply should be with that. Even whether it is painful or disagreeable, boring, upsetting, or no matter. Even whether it is really fairly troublesome, with out the wheel of thought, the turning wheel of thought being engaged, it’s going to nonetheless be spacious, it’s going to nonetheless be free. It is going to nonetheless be alive.
Actually, meditation comes all the way 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 method to try 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 you could 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 possibly can look, or you’ll be able to really be current, however don’t give it some thought. It’s a query to look into, to research. Am I current for my life proper now? Look once more. I’ll simply maintain asking, so simply maintain trying. Am I current for my life proper now? Once more, once we come into presence, it won’t 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 trying. What’s the reply proper now? What’s the reply proper now?
After 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 following query I would like you to take a look at, not take into consideration. Am I within the cage proper now? And, in fact, should you discover that you’re, drop it. Should you discover that you simply’re not, then, that’s good! Am I in a cage proper now? If you’re, 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 overlook, and have interaction, 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 want their cage, by far, they love their cage. They adorn it inside bars, they’ve obtained little ribbons and little decorations throughout. It’s painted simply the best way they prefer it. I’d slightly be in my cage. Outdoors of the cage, you might be uncovered to the bare readability of precise existence. You possibly can’t numb out, you’ll be able to’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 have interaction ideas. Look. What’s it that’s trying? What’s awake? Proper now. Discover it, discover the awake factor. Should you’re like Effectively, I do know what he means is that there isn’t a awake factor as a result of every thing 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. Should you maintain out of the field, you might be noticing that you’re fairly current proper now, fairly exterior the cage. It’s not very onerous, you simply should be relentless. There’s not simply seven horcruxes, there’s like seven million. Simply maintain going after the following one, the following 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 which you can fall asleep in. Sleep with complete struggling. After we’re out of the cage, unengaged with the wheel of thought, we’re very spacious, very large open, and it’s very clear, tremendous relaxed.
Subsequent query. Don’t have interaction with considering, simply look. What time is it? What time is it? Look. What time is it? Proper now. Possibly 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 straightforward questions, however you guys are doing fairly good, so I’ll offer you a tough query. Bear in mind, you’ll be able to’t give it some thought, you simply should look. It would harm. What am I avoiding feeling proper now? Or, higher, What am I avoiding proper now? Not another time, proper now. By trying, you’ll discover it, and also you received’t be avoiding it. If you concentrate on it, you’ll be able to give it some thought eternally, and that’s avoiding it. Should you simply look, What am I avoiding proper now? I don’t need my leg to really feel uncomfortable. I don’t wish to really feel that emotion–oops! What am I avoiding proper now? After we look, we’re not avoiding it.
That is what’s so terrible and sensible about working like this: You possibly can’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, which you can really simply face. Or emotional discomfort, or another sort of discomfort. Discover, how, even within the presence of that discomfort, the spacious readability continues 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 must do is look. You already know what you might be avoiding. Simply have a look at it. Simply really feel it: don’t keep away from it. If you’re actually difficult, you would possibly say, effectively, Michael, I’m avoiding partaking in considering. However, that’s avoiding. Possibly there are some emotions in there that you’re feeling. There it’s–now you might be current, conscious on this second. Current to your life, current for what’s taking place. Engaged. What am I avoiding? Look
Subsequent query: Bear 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. Should 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 partaking, just because evidently anyone is actually stepping on the gasoline pedal of the Kalidah Dying Machine proper now, the homicide machine, is actually working extra time. Let’s see if we are able to simply generate some goodwill and kindness and love and caring inside ourselves. Then enable that to fill all of the house, all that spaciousness that intermingles with all the opposite spaciousness all over the place. All of the individuals 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 individuals within the room, after which beaming it outward, outward, outward, and feeling it getting back from all the opposite hearts all over the place, in all instructions. The straightforward, kindness and pleasure and love and caring that’s current once we’re not concerned in our psychological drama. It’s simply instantly there. Simply enable that to radiate out in all instructions, and be obtained again from all instructions. This easy want that everybody look after one another. Everybody look after one another. Might all of us look after one another.
Dharma Speak and Q&A
So, in a approach, that is the crux of the difficulty. And possibly, the only approach to method it, a really, very stripped down, totally easy approach to method it. Simply disengage with that sort of thought. Don’t struggle it, don’t wrestle 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 likely be there, the complete richness of every thing 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 simply’re going to get.
However, it’s additionally tremendous onerous. Quite simple, and tremendous onerous, as a result of it’s like, Okay, throw your self again into the bare expertise over and over with out actually working with it in any approach, simply being with it. So it may be actually gnarly–doesn’t should be–however it may be. So the upside is tremendous easy. The draw back is that you simply’re not getting a number of instruments, simply sit there. Some weeks you come right here and we’re doing power stuff and house, a bit vipashyana. That’s far more difficult. There’s rather a lot to do and issues to know. However, it additionally possibly offers you instruments to make this factor rather less gnarly, so you have got extra methods to work with it. So, typically we do the lifeless straightforward factor, typically we do stuff that’s extra complicated, however possibly much less uncooked.
For some individuals, they’re actually drawn to the simplicity, simply sit there–lovely, complete ease–however it’s additionally tremendous gnarly. Different individuals just like the complexity, and likewise the skillfulness that we are able to work with it utilizing complicated strategies like power, vipashyana, getting in there. Should 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 wish to do one, different days, the opposite. They aren’t 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 may be stuff to study, and b) you may get misplaced in it–it might turn out to be one thing else you may get distracted in. I’ve obtained 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 only go, Fuck it! Sit. Shut up! So each are good–completely different days, completely different moods. Area dragon. Typically you’ll discover the bare wide-awake openness will be terrifying: there’s no floor, there’s nothing to carry onto, there’s no cage to be protected inside. Is the cage protecting you protected inside, or is it protecting you locked in? Typically it looks like it’s protecting the sharks out. So, as you come out of it, there’s no floor, no security, in a approach. It’s probably not 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, working 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 now we have been utilizing numbness and distraction and drama to not really feel one thing. Something however that! Then whenever you drop out of considering, right here comes the sensation that you simply have been avoiding. Now you’re going to really feel it. And I’m not going to take a seat right here and let you know that That will likely be nice! as a result of it may be actually terrible for some time. Some emotions actually harm, and possibly they harm for some time. Though they are going to harm for a shorter time should you’re not partaking the ideas which are protecting it going, protecting it going.
So, we let go of partaking the ideas, then right here it comes–the monster you have been protecting at bay, the sharks which are 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.
In the long run, this manner 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 exterior, then, even when it’s uncomfortable, there will be peace and freedom and openness and ease. You possibly can 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, experiences? Stuff arising?
Questioner 1: I used to be actually curious in regards to the query, What time is it?
Michael: Yeah, what time is it? All people? What time is it? Look.
Everybody: Now
Michael: That’s the improper 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 continues to be a location in time–it’s completely 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’ll be able to’t fucking discover it, and but, we torture ourselves with these items. It’s not even there. Look.
Questioner 1: Thanks.
Michael: What else? Every other questions, feedback arising?
Questioner 2: I assume my expertise of the time factor was that there was all the time one thing taking place, 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 arising. However possibly that’s only a approach to put story on it.
Michael: However what story is it, you’re simply saying this expertise. That’s an important reply, as a result of, the place is time in that? It doesn’t imply nothing can occur. Every thing retains taking place. This expertise, lovely, looks as if an ideal reply.
Questioner 2: It is a report/query. I discovered whereas doing this, I wasn’t in a position to calm down, or there was disagreeable physique sensation, sorta like bracing. It felt like there was some sort of rigidity or damaging 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 won’t be a nice second, there could also be some physique rigidity. The extra you sit with it and don’t have interaction the story about it, it’s going to no less than turn out to be open and identified to you. I received’t say it’s going to essentially go away, as a result of possibly 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 simply sit with it, we are able to have interaction different instruments that assist us work together with it extra skillfully, it’s going to turn out to be no drawback in any respect.
Questioner 2: Yeah, like there’s no have to give you some scheme for altering it.
Michael: Yeah.
Questioner 2: Thanks.
Michael: Yeah. It’s not essentially a cheerful second, however it might nonetheless be joyous.
Questioner 3: You’ve talked rather a lot in regards to the perspective of individuals feeling discomfort exterior the cage. For me, exterior the cage is all the time superior. There may be often pleasure there, and the thoughts desires 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 wish to be exterior 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 possibly can work with a distinct method, get in there with ability, and deconstruct it, and there’s nothing improper with that. And you can additionally simply drop it once more, drop it once more. And ultimately–you realize the rolled-up map metaphor, proper? You will have a paper map in a tube, and also you convey it out and you must put weights on the corners, in any other case it retains rolling up. However should you do this sufficient, it’s going to 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 a variety of instances, the movement of dropping the thought itself felt like a movement, and I needed to drop the dropper. To drop the dropping.
Michael: That’s the distinction between dropping as a wrestle 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, whenever 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 do 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 relies on what you imply, truthfully. While you’re simply letting it keep dropped, if it’s large open, not engaged, that may deepen over time, dramatically. However there’s no more to do. Simply sit there, conscious, letting it keep open. Then you definately’re current, you’re in it. You may be current in a extremely 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’s going to slowly enable every thing to de-reify. Okay?
Questioner 3: Thanks.
Questioner 4: That was dope! My query is, in that house, that dropping, how do you method unifying the dropping again with phrases, when you find yourself speaking with individuals?
Michael: It simply takes time. After some time–it doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t suppose, it’s only a sure relationship with thought. However, at first, you simply don’t. Then ultimately you discover which you can nonetheless speak simply effective. 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 whenever you get good at vipassana whilst you’re sitting, then you definately begin working at it whenever you’re strolling, however you stroll actual gradual. Ever do 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 finished vipassana.
Michael: You do gradual strolling, I’m feeling the ball of my foot rolling onto my toes. You do this for days and also you get used to shifting, then you’ll be able to transfer quicker. It’s an analogous course of. You simply strive saying one phrase to somebody and attempt to keep open. Possibly you’ll be able to’t, however ultimately, you’ll be able to. Okay?
Questioner 5: That was nice, thanks. Once I’m meditating with my eyes open, typically I ponder whether I’m getting distracted by my visible area, or whether or not it’s alright to sort of intensely have interaction with the visible area, since it’s half of the present expertise.
Michael: The reply is, go forward and have interaction with the visible area. I wouldn’t advocate getting actual slim with it, like specializing in that one spot. You possibly can, and it’ll convey you into presence, however don’t get tight. It’s like whenever you’re meditating on physique sensations or no matter–keep actual broad with it. So, the identical with the visible area, nonetheless keep broad. It’s very easy to tighten up, and we would like that openness taste. Certain! 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 to your questions.
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