Guided Nondual Meditation by Michael Taft
Streamed reside on Feb 3, 2022
So once more, take away your glasses, get in your meditation posture, no matter that may be. I’ve gone over the posture a number of instances intimately lately so I’ll simply say get in your meditation posture, no matter that may be. Make certain it feels good for you proper now.
And, the very first thing we’re going to do tonight is I would like you to simply test in with your self. So, I would like you to simply merely, virtually like, take stock or form of like do a climate report in your being. How’s your bodily physique really feel? How’s your thoughts really feel? How do your feelings really feel? , how’s – how’s the being doing? And the one factor I would like you to be sure to make part of this stock is that you simply simply settle for no matter you discover, proper? So that you’re not judging stuff, you’re not attempting to alter it; make it go away, make it greater, or no matter. No matter you discover I would like you to easily settle for it and simply, you understand, tune in. That is the climate report on your self and once more, it’s not spoken. It’s not like it’s important to be commenting to your self about it. I’m simply utilizing the climate report metaphor. Simply tune in to the way you’re doing and I’ll be quiet for a minute when you try this. That is only a self check-in – hey, what’s it prefer to be me proper now?
Good. Doesn’t should be an extended observe but it surely’s an necessary observe. Simply, you understand, be the place you’re at proper now, be with what’s occurring and simply let that be okay. So, subsequent I wish to tune right into a metaphor, a meditation metaphor. And generally, as you understand, generally we meditate like area and generally we meditate like water. Tonight we’re gonna do one which we don’t do that usually, which is we’re gonna meditate like fireplace, okay?
So I would like you to be fireplace proper now, okay? You’re meditating like an enormous bonfire or perhaps a star, proper? Like an enormous nuclear fireplace. However no matter type of fireplace; a bonfire, a star. Some type of blaze of pure fireplace, there’s not even – in contrast to a star – there’s not even any gas. That is simply pure fireplace itself. And the, you understand, once we meditate like a mountain we tune right into a type of groundedness and rootedness and stability. And once we meditate like area, we tune into that openness and vastness, proper? Within the type of totality of acceptance of area, the truth that area accepts every thing. However once we meditate like fireplace it’s actually primarily about, there’s a few issues, however the massive factor is simply that every thing is repeatedly altering, proper? And that whole change, steady change is admittedly nice, proper? The hearth just isn’t caught, it’s not fastened, it’s repeatedly shifting, okay? So discover that ideas are repeatedly shifting and altering, going out and in. The cycle of the breath is repeatedly shifting and altering, it’s going out and in. The sounds of the world round you might be repeatedly altering. In order that’s a side of meditating like fires; the continual impermanence, the change, the movement of every thing. After which one other facet of meditating like fireplace is, fireplace is taken into account to be tremendously pure, proper? It’s, you may’t get a, it’s like the hearth isn’t soiled, the hearth isn’t contaminated. It’s totally pure, the hearth is completely pure. So there’s a type of beautiful, lovely purity on this fireplace, okay? So we’re not solely repeatedly altering second by second, every thing’s repeatedly in flux, repeatedly flowing. It’s – you may’t step in the identical river twice type of transfer – however on the identical time there’s a type of perfection, a type of purity on this fireplace.
So these are two fundamental qualities. One other high quality of fireplace that’s actually necessary is that it’s energized, proper? It’s not sleepy, it’s not flat, it’s not unconscious indirectly. Hearth is energized, it’s awake. There’s super power there; super vitality, super life drive. So we really feel quite a lot of juice, quite a lot of power, quite a lot of Shakti, proper? A variety of energy within the sense of power. And that’s a extremely lovely high quality of this fireplace, is that there’s sufficient power for every thing, proper? It may be very unsleeping.
And despite the fact that the hearth itself is pure, a fourth high quality is that in a approach it burns away all impurity, burns away, eliminates all dross. And this particular type of fireplace that we’re meditating as – has no the rest. When it burns one thing there’s no smoke, when it burns one thing there’s no ash. It simply is gone; totally, completely gone. In order that’s why the hearth itself is so pure. So I would like you to simply sit as a fireplace for a couple of minutes right here, along with me.
So we’re tuning into the hearth high quality, the fire-type meditation, proper? And so we’re tuning into this impermanence, this steady movement and alter. We’re tuning into the purity and the truth that it may possibly burn away all impurity. And we’re tuning into simply the pure power degree, the super power that’s out there; the wakefulness of fireplace.
After which I wish to add one other aspect as a result of, in fact – or it’s nonetheless the aspect of fireplace – however one other property of fireplace, which is that, you understand, that is only a metaphor for our personal awakeness, proper? Our personal awake consciousness, our personal rigpa, proper? Our personal naturally occurring, woke up thoughts, our personal Buddhahood. So let this fireplace that we’re meditating on – or meditating as, relatively – be tremendously lovely and tremendously loving and simply infinitely highly effective. And simply really feel that stunning, highly effective, infinite ever-changing, completely pure and extremely energized fireplace that you’re simply effortlessly burning, effortlessly burning.
Okay? Good. Now from right here we’re going to do one thing comparatively easy and but very profound. For the remainder of the guided meditation tonight I’m simply gonna, I would like you to simply relaxation as open consciousness, altering nothing in any respect, okay? So we’re letting go of the hearth metaphor, you don’t have to visualise that anymore in any respect. I would like you to simply relaxation as open consciousness. We will say for now that the open consciousness is centered, in quotes, centered in your head. However, it’s simply effortlessly and spontaneously all the way in which vast open. Tremendously huge with out you doing something to make it huge. Tremendously open with out you doing something to maintain it open, it simply is that approach. And, as common, if you end up gripping, grabbing, tensing up round something – simply discover that, let go, come again to simply being effortlessly vast open, okay?
So we’re doing the dropping the ball observe though with a slight variation the place we’re imagining, and it’s simply creativeness – consciousness isn’t really centered anyplace – however for now we’re imagining just a bit bit that it’s centered in our head. However, something that comes up, in the event you begin getting concerned in a discursive thought, you understand you’re following a prepare of thought, simply let go of that. Come again to simply resting as open consciousness. For those who begin following a physique sensation just like the breath or no matter, yeah that’s okay, simply let it go. Come again to simply resting as open consciousness. Let’s do that collectively for some time right here.
If there’s any thought that you simply’re doing it fallacious and also you wish to attempt to do it higher, simply let go of that. If there’s any thought that you simply suppose you have to be doing one thing, simply drop that. Simply drop it. If there’s any thought that you simply don’t get it, simply drop the thought. As we’re resting within the thoughts right here, any considered any variety that’s welcome to return and go, however don’t entertain them in any respect. We’re simply completely dropping engagement with any thought. We’re not stopping considering as a result of that may be a type of ‘grabbing up’, however neither are we participating with any of the ideas; they’re simply taking place, similar to respiratory, similar to digesting. We’re not getting concerned, we’re simply dropping.
And in the event you discover any unfavorable self-talk, “I’m doing it fallacious, I’m not good at this,” or something like that, “I’ve tried this for therefore lengthy and that i can’t do it.” Simply drop all of that, proper? Once more, dropping on this case doesn’t imply eliminating, it simply means don’t interact. Slightly relaxation as huge, spacious consciousness with out engagement with something.
Okay? Good, now we’ll make a change right here. We’re nonetheless going to relaxation as huge, spacious consciousness; effortlessly huge, effortlessly spacious, effortlessly conscious. However I would like you to think about now that as an alternative of being centered within the head it’s centered within the coronary heart. Not on the entrance of your chest, however deep inside your coronary heart and truly off to the place you are feeling, you understand, that deep, deep sense of – let’s say your emotional middle. And so, the notice now’s coming from this, the emotional middle in your chest. And, though we’re nonetheless letting go of and never participating with ideas, I would like you now to be just a bit bit extra conscious of letting go of and interesting, not participating with, any emotional content material. So once more, feelings are 100 per cent allowed to be there, we’re simply not notably digging into them, avoiding them, attempting to push them away or with different feelings attempting to get them, or savor them, or no matter. We’re merely permitting the emotional stream to do no matter it needs, with out us participating in any approach. We’re coming again again and again to simply huge, spacious consciousness, centered within the coronary heart. So each time you end up getting engaged in any approach, simply calm down and are available again to the current second of huge, spacious consciousness centered within the coronary heart. Really feel how good that feels.
So, on this huge, spacious sky of consciousness that’s centered within the coronary heart, feelings could come up within the consciousness, they might move via the sky of consciousness and consciousness is okay with that. There’s whole freedom of emotion. Any emotion can come up on this huge, open sky of consciousness and do its factor after which move away, and but the huge sky of consciousness just isn’t paying any consideration in any respect, particular consideration in any respect, to these feelings; it simply is resting in itself. It’s not engaged or being with, in a selected approach, targeted by the feelings in any respect. It’s simply completely merely resting in itself, accepting all feelings. There’s no good feelings or unhealthy feelings; there’s nothing to alter concerning the feelings. All feelings are nice. We’re simply resting as huge, spacious consciousness, unengaged, uninvolved with emotion.
Okay? Good. Now persevering with to relaxation as huge, spacious consciousness, effortlessly and repeatedly. Let’s transfer the felt middle of this consciousness – in fact there is no such thing as a middle – however let’s transfer the imagined middle down into our stomach. So, a little bit bit under your stomach button and deep inside, there’s a spot in there that feels type of specific, it feels type of particular. And, however you understand, it’s slightly below your navel in the course of your physique. And now the notice is coming from there, it’s coming from the soma. It’s 100 per cent embodied consciousness and now, not solely ideas are arising on this huge, spacious consciousness – and we aren’t participating them – and feelings are arising on this huge, spacious consciousness – and we’re not participating them. However now additionally, all physique sensation; even the whole lot of the sense of the bodily physique is an look in consciousness. It’s not the notice is coming from the physique, it’s that the sensation of the physique is arising in consciousness. And we permit these emotions to come up, they may be painful, they may be nice, however we utterly permit them to come up and do their factor and finally move away or change. However we’re not participating with them in any approach, we’re not meditating on the physique in any approach. We’re merely resting our consciousness in its personal huge, spaciousness with out doing something with it in any respect. But when it begins to become involved in physique sensation or thought or emotion; we mentioned we drop these and are available again to simply resting as huge, spacious consciousness centered within the stomach.
Discover how consciousness centered within the physique is superb at dropping the ball, proper? We simply, the huge, spacious consciousness, simply permitting the physique, to the sensations of the physique, to come up and fall. Ideas to come up and fall, emotions to come up and fall, however unengaged with any of them. It’s superb at this, proper? The centered within the stomach is kind of good at non-conceptuality, so let’s proceed with this.
Good. So we’ve rested as huge, spacious consciousness centered within the head, centered within the coronary heart and centered within the stomach. However every time I’ve mentioned it’s not likely centered anyplace, so let’s embrace that now and let go utterly of any sense of consciousness being centered anyplace. It’s merely current consciousness, itself is the middle. Consciousness itself is the furthest rim, proper? The furthest edge. Consciousness itself is every thing in between. Consciousness has no middle, no edge and no center, proper? It’s simply what every thing else is arising in, so simply let consciousness pay attention to itself. Permit consciousness to concentrate on itself. That’s what is definitely resting in huge, spacious consciousness. Now spacious consciousness is resting in huge, spacious consciousness. And let anything that come up, arises simply be let go of instantly; simply not even seize all the way down to within the first place. Consciousness displaying itself to itself, consciousness conscious of itself, by itself. Consciousness effortlessly huge, effortlessly spacious, effortlessly with none boundary of any variety. Conscious of itself, resting in itself, unsleeping.
Nothing to alter, nothing to do, nothing to defend; every thing simply as it’s proper now.
Good. Now I’d such as you to simply discover a sensation of pleasure within the heart-center and permit that pleasure to radiate out to all beings all over the place on this planet, all beings all over the place within the universe, all beings all over the place within the multiverse. And the identical factor with the sensation of affection radiating out to all beings all over the place. Since consciousness is boundless it stretches to all multiverses, or each universe within the multiverse. All is inside consciousness, so we really feel this pleasure radiating out to all beings all over the place. We really feel love radiating out to all beings all over the place. We really feel it is a constructive sense of energy, a constructive sense of power. That fiery energy that’s so energizing and life-affirming, radiating out to all beings all over the place. Bringing all beings love, bringing all beings pleasure, bringing all beings well being and well-being. Radiating out, spreading all over the place, beaming in all instructions. Okay? Good. Very, superb. Now let’s convey the meditation to a detailed.
Dharma Discuss
So, though, in fact consciousness stays huge and spacious at all times, there’s nothing completely different within the meditation that makes consciousness huge and spacious. So we’re simply letting go of the meditation posture and starting to do different issues and but discover that consciousness stays huge and spacious it doesn’t matter what.
So stretch your physique, transfer your physique and shake out your physique, no matter feels good. And have a drink of water or no matter as we finish the meditation course of and as an alternative change to Q&A. So, in case you have any questions this night go forward and toss these within the chat window. I’ve received my particular ‘query studying’ glasses on, which principally edit all of the questions. These glasses have an influence to edit all of the questions simply all the way down to their essence immediately, and I simply learn the belongings after which attempt to reply that. This can be a Q&A so, you understand, reside dharma Q&A. So I’m simply not doing something besides answering the questions principally as greatest as I can. As greatest I can, or as I generally say, I’m simply parading my ignorance on the web. Creating my ignorance in recorded movies so folks can see it forever! So, these should not essentially by some means the correct solutions, though they’re, to the most effective of my potential, the proper reply. However, they’re my solutions, so do my greatest. You, your mileage could range, so in case you have any questions or feedback please go forward and put that within the chat window.
Now, the essence of what we’re doing here’s a shamatha with out an object, proper? So, in shamatha with out an object we’re, we’re stabilizing consciousness. However as an alternative of stabilizing consciousness on an object just like the breath, or like a mantra, or perhaps simply common physique sensations outdoors of the breath, or perhaps exterior sound. There’s all types of issues once we’re meditating that we relaxation consciousness on with the intention to form of impart or borrow the obvious stability of the item, proper? That’s what we’re doing once we do shamatha with an object. However once we do shamatha with out an object there is no such thing as a object to borrow obvious stability from, proper? There’s no object to borrow a way of a spot to focus from. Now, in fact, our objects aren’t really secure in order that’s why I preserve saying ‘obvious stability’. However they’ll appear fairly secure in comparison with, let’s say, the, you understand, wanderings of thought. So, in comparison with my thoughts leaping throughout to the previous, sooner or later and out and in of issues – simply gazing a pen like this; ‘pen’ doesn’t appear to be altering very a lot till we glance very, very deeply. However, till that time which requires stability, the pen goes to appear comparatively secure and so we borrow a few of that stability once we do shamatha with an object. However we didn’t do any shamatha with an object this time, we did shamatha with out an object.
So, what does that imply? It means, I imply, I’ll state it incorrectly, but it surely will get you want 90 per cent of the way in which there. It means the main target object is consciousness itself. Now that’s not true since you’re not focusing and consciousness isn’t an object. In order that’s why that assertion is deeply false and on the identical time you get the concept, which is consciousness is resting in itself. Consciousness is conscious of consciousness itself. And, that really is tremendously extra secure than any object that’s arising in consciousness, which is at all times, it doesn’t matter what, going to be inherently unstable. However consciousness itself – fairly secure. It may not be infinitely secure, we are able to discuss its impermanence or its vacancy relying on custom and our personal expertise. However, usually, in comparison with another object that’s arising in consciousness, consciousness itself may be very, very secure.
So, in a method of speaking about shamatha with out an object, like we simply did – dropping the ball observe – like we simply did. As a substitute of hanging out with objects; ideas are objects in consciousness, emotions are objects in consciousness, the physique is an object arising in consciousness. As a substitute of getting concerned with all that, we’re simply type of letting that stuff be and letting consciousness simply be conscious of itself, proper? And relaxation in itself. And that may be a actually, actually highly effective observe. For those who can’t do it, it simply means you haven’t received the grasp of it but. Then as an alternative, do consciousness, you understand, do shamatha with an object. Then, meditate in your respiratory rhythm or meditate on a pen, you understand, simply set it on the desk in entrance of you and evenly stare upon it, and so forth. As a result of these apparently secure objects will assist to type of settle issues down within the thoughts till you may simply let go of all that psychological kerfluffle and the emotional kerfluffle and all of the issues – and simply discover the notice that’s the foundation of all of them, proper? It’s the factor that’s doing all noticing anyway.
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.
