Dwell Guided Nondual Meditation by Michael Taft
Streamed reside Mar 10, 2022
Meditation
Let’s start our meditation this night by beginning out with getting in our meditation posture. In order traditional I need you to take a seat along with your knees, if attainable, your knees under your hips. Should you’re on a chair, like, I’m on a rolly chair, you simply sit manner ahead and the chair, not a lot that the chair squeezes like a lemon seed out from between your fingers, and y’know, shoots out from behind you. However fairly you simply sit very balanced on the entrance in order that your knees are down and also you’re simply supporting your individual again. However discover, as a result of your knees are down, your again simply sits up good and straight, completely naturally, completely with out effort. Or you probably have a meditation cushion; that’s the purpose of that cushion. You may as well lay in your again along with your knees within the air, in order that your again is flat. So these are the positions that we prefer to meditate in, if attainable. You possibly can even meditate standing up for those who’re actually drained. So get in, or if it feels good, get in a kind of positions, or actually some other place you’re feeling like, which you could keep in for an hour with out shifting.
After which I need you to simply transfer round it ‘until it feels very nice, actually settled, actually calm, actually steady. After which what we’re going to do is about our intentions. So what meaning is, perhaps ‘set intention’ will not be precisely the best approach to say it; keep in mind intention, recall our intention, why are we meditating? What’s the objective general for our meditation apply? Why can we do that in any respect? So no matter that’s for you, simply carry that up now. Keep in mind why you do that.
After which subsequent we’re going to do a useful resource gathering, a visualization, okay? And a part of why I’ve this hilarious ‘cult chief’ t-shirt on is as a result of, the visualization tonight, we’ve by no means carried out this, we’re gonna sit like a rainbow, okay? So typically we sit like a mountain, typically we sit like an ocean, and so forth. Tonight we’re gonna sit like a rainbow. So I need you to image this stunning rainbow, and that’s what this shirt is there for, that can assist you keep in mind what a rainbow appears like. Keep in mind, blue on the within of the arc, pink on the surface of the arc and every part in between, in between. So that you’re visualizing this exquisitely attractive, pretty shining rainbow, okay? And also you’re sitting as for those who’re a rainbow. What does it imply to take a seat like a rainbow? Properly [sit like] a rainbow, on this case metaphorically, the place it’s stunning. So sit with a way of magnificence, of getting magnificence. It’s obtained all of the totally different colours, so it’s not like all condensed down into white mild; it’s the total expression. So it’s sitting with a full expression. Lets say full expression of your already current Buddhahood, or full expression of awake consciousness, full expression of the thoughts of awakening, proper? So, it’s not solely stunning, it’s obtained this temper of simply full unimpeded, pleasant and celebratory expression.
Proper? So, sitting like a rainbow. Additionally, it’s easy, proper? The rainbow simply seems. No one paints it, it’s not some type of effortful creation; it’s completely easy. So there’s a way of effortlessness and there’s additionally, keep in mind final week the place we did the mandala visualization, up and down the central channel? The rainbow incorporates all these mandala qualities as effectively, proper? So you possibly can actually really feel all of the totally different qualities. Should you did the mandala apply then these are all current for you. After which, I may go on and on, we may do a complete meditation simply visualizing this rainbow as a result of that might be very nice. However, the final one I’ll say is that – perhaps it’s two extra – the rainbow is simply type of hanging there in area; it’s, it has no weight. So not solely is it easy but it surely’s weightless. There’s this extremely stunning show, having no mass, proper? It’s simply, I imply, scientifically we may most likely say the photons making up the rainbow have some type of mass. However we’re enthusiastic about it metaphorically. It’s identical to this piece of art work hanging within the sky with no weight in any respect; it’s feather-light. It’s like, totally, like floating, like hovering with none effort. So we’re sitting like that. After which lastly, the rainbow is a logo of vacancy, proper? As a result of vacancy doesn’t imply issues aren’t there. It’s not a void. It’s not after we see a rainbow we see a black void of nothing. We see the alternative. We see this beautiful expression of all the colours and but you possibly can’t contact it, you possibly can’t exit and discover it, you possibly can’t, you understand; it’s each there and never there. It’s like, type of like a dream or a imaginative and prescient. It has this empty high quality of ‘there and never thereness’ on the identical time. So I need you to, no matter it means to you, I received’t go over all these qualities once more. However simply consider essentially the most stunning and profound issues a couple of rainbow and sit with that, and simply visualize this rainbow. Sit like a rainbow. And we’ll do this collectively for a couple of minutes right here after which we’ll transfer on from there.
Good. Now to go a little bit deeper into this. As we see the empty nature of the rainbow that permits us to tune into our personal empty nature, the truth that irrespective of – in the identical manner that the rainbow is each there and never there, it’s crammed with shade and but you possibly can’t actually discover it – in the exact same manner, although you have got ideas and emotions and an expression as an individual, for those who look inside looking for the supply or the truth of those ideas and emotions, you possibly can’t actually discover it. You possibly can’t actually contact it. And so in the identical manner that the rainbow is each stunning and alive and vibrant and actual and on the identical time empty; our self, our feeling of being a separate self can be vibrant and alive and in a way actual, and in one other sense, totally empty. So enable your self to gaze upon that rainbow awhile and spot its vacancy. The truth that it’s like hanging within the sky like a dream, a shining dream. And but you possibly can’t, identical to a dream, you possibly can’t really attain out and contact it. In the identical manner, you your self are simply hanging within the area of consciousness, ideas, and emotions passing in consciousness, and but there’s nothing to the touch; there’s nothing to succeed in out and discover. So, the vacancy of the rainbow displays the vacancy in you. The vacancy of being displays the vacancy of the rainbow and that is very, very nice, very stunning. So sit with that for a couple of minutes.
Good. Now from right here, as a result of we’re empty and the rainbow is empty, simply enable the rainbow to come back inside you. In order that as an alternative of being a human physique, respiratory and digesting and all of the issues {that a} human physique does, and as an alternative of being ideas and emotions or no matter we think about ourselves to be; we’re merely a rainbow shining within the sky. That’s all there may be, is a rainbow shining within the sky. It’s violet, indigo, blue, inexperienced, yellow, orange, pink; all shining shiny in an infinite, huge, empty sky. Image that now, really feel that now, be that now.
And actually really feel the great thing about the colours and the shining mild, the effortlessness of it. Completely easy, shining rainbow. Actually discover the truth that it’s weightless, unfindable, and empty, and but additionally there; it’s not nothing. And it’s shining with this great pleasure and sweetness.
Okay, Good. Now from right here we’re gonna start meditating on our breath. And so there’s sufficient contact with physique sensation to simply really feel the breath however right here’s how I need you to breathe, okay? If that you must otherwise you wish to, simply breathe usually. However for those who can, what I’d such as you to do is definitely breathe as gently and softly and barely there as attainable. So we’re doing a very, actually, actually mild breath. Now don’t do it so gently that you just, you understand, really feel such as you’re not getting sufficient oxygen such as you’re not getting sufficient air or no matter, that’s not the purpose. I simply need you to breathe as gently and shallowly as you possibly can and have it nonetheless really feel good, okay? So it’s a really, very mushy breath, very barely shifting in any respect, okay? Once more, don’t do it a lot that that you must yawn or no matter, make it give you the results you want; however throughout the parameters of consolation breathe tremendously, tremendously gently. After which simply enable that wave of the breath to come up within the sky of consciousness. We will let the rainbow imaginative and prescient go now. Simply enable the wave of the breath to be observed in consciousness rising and observed in consciousness falling. So we’re not pointing consideration on the breath, we’re simply letting the breath itself simply come up with none effort in consciousness and fall once more with none effort in consciousness.
Good. Now proceed with this. Remembering that after I say the sensations of the breath are simply rising in consciousness, that’s easy. Consciousness is already conscious of the sentiments of the breath, that’s how you understand they’re there. So there’s nothing to do besides enable the wave of the breath to be observed effortlessly by consciousness. However after I say consciousness I imply that huge, sky-like thoughts. The huge, spacious consciousness by which the sky, by which the rainbow, was showing earlier than. So it’s simply this wave of breath sensation effortlessly arising in an unlimited sky of thoughts; so let’s proceed.
Okay. Now persevering with to do this actually mild breath, if that feels good to you, I need you to modify from noticing the breath wave rising and falling in consciousness. Once more effortlessly, consciousness simply already is aware of, already can pay attention to the breath wave. I need you to do the identical factor with all ideas and feelings, however particularly ideas. Whether or not they’re visible or verbal ideas there’s the sky of consciousness and considering is only a trickle of vapor shifting by means of that sky of consciousness. It’s like just a bit, little ripple within the air of the sky of consciousness. It’s not disturbing the sky in any manner and it’s not one thing to actually concentrate on. We’re not, we don’t, we’re not participating with the content material however we nonetheless are literally very conscious of it. So it’s a little bit totally different than dropping the ball as a result of we’re not simply utterly disregarding it and simply letting it’s there. We are literally, although we’re not sharply specializing in it, we’re giving it some consideration; noticing it as a spotlight object. So it’s nonetheless shamatha with an object, fairly than on the breath, simply very calmly on considering itself with out getting concerned within the considering in any respect. Give {that a} shot and if that’s too troublesome come again to meditating on respiratory.
Discover that ideas don’t disturb the sky of consciousness, the huge sky of consciousness in any manner. They’re identical to ripples on the ocean or identical to currents of air within the sky. It’s not disturbed. The sky is large enough and huge sufficient and nonetheless sufficient for these ideas to maneuver by means of it, for air currents to maneuver by means of it with out it being disturbed in any manner.
Okay. good. Now for those who’re used to meditating along with your eyes open, it is a good time to do this. Should you’re not used to it however you wish to attempt it out then now’s the time to do this. Simply have your eyes open however they’re probably not targeted on something. You’re probably not trying with them, they’re simply open. They usually’re relaxed and never narrowly something. They’re simply type of relaxed and open. They don’t must be out of focus they usually don’t must be nonetheless. Generally if we go away our eyes nonetheless the visible discipline will begin to disappear based mostly on, you understand, the retinal cells getting drained. So be at liberty to blink and transfer your eyes and all that. However they’re simply, it’s simply relaxed, it’s simply a simple gaze.
After which what we’re doing as a meditation now – and I need you to take heed to this instruction fastidiously as a result of I imply it – we’re gonna do nothing in any respect, okay? You’re not focusing however you’re additionally not not focusing. You’re not doing something in any respect. You’re not following ideas, you’re not attempting to stick with one thing, you’re not even really meditating, okay? You’re letting go even of the thought of meditating. You’re nonetheless in your posture, you’re nonetheless sitting nonetheless however you’re letting go of every part–except letting go turns into a doing, by which case we let go of letting go and simply sit. In order that’s what I need you to do.
Now for those who discover that you just’re getting actual caught up in stuff, simply let go of it. Or if you wish to, simply be caught up in it till you’re carried out. However what we’re actually doing is letting go utterly; we’re not doing something. And so once you’re caught up in thought, that’s type of a doing. So we simply, the standard factor is to simply let go of it. And let go of every part. Once more, even the concept you’re meditating, even the concept you’re supposed to vary one thing in any respect. That’s why I say, in a manner you don’t have to vary something, simply sit there. Simply sit there and permit your self to let go. Completely easy, completely with out doing, merely being.
What if there’s nothing to vary in any respect? Nothing to do, nothing to attempt, every part is already good, every part is already full, every part is already fulfilled. And there’s completely nothing to do. Awake.
Simply resting naturally as huge, spacious consciousness with none effort, with none doing of any type, with out even the thought of meditating or a meditator. Not even anyone doing something. Simply pure resting as open consciousness. Now, if once more if that is too troublesome or chaotic, be at liberty to return and easily meditate on the breath wave arising and passing in consciousness; in any other case let’s proceed.
Good. Now into this huge area visualize once more the rainbow shining effortlessly, fantastically, radiantly with all its numerous colours. See that very, very clearly now.
Simply radiantly shining with magnificence and pleasure and variety with these easy, weightless, unfindable, liquid colours, radiant shining. After which allow them to simply fly out. Colours simply fly. They dissolve or like, break up and fly in all instructions to in all places; each individual on the planet, each being on the planet, each being in all the universe will get touched by this rainbow mild and feels that pleasure and feels that magnificence, feels that radiance and feels that variation, the range. After which simply let that go and be simply utterly empty once more for simply one other second.
Okay, superb. Let’s let go of the meditation there and simply enable your self to open up a little bit bit bodily, loosen up a little bit extra, transfer and stretch in no matter manner feels actually, actually good. Possibly you wiggle your fingers and toes or simply type of enable your backbone to wiggle in a manner that feels actually scrumptious, or no matter. Have a drink of water, have a drink of tea, or no matter it’s you utilize to moist your whistle on the finish of sit.
Dharma Speak
Okay, so I wish to discuss a little bit bit about consciousness itself. And typically folks speak about consciousness like, it’s a type of a factor that they’re going to have a look at. So, I’d even use language like that typically as a result of that’s simply how our language is structured, and actually, all languages are structured this manner. Some educational stuff from the Twenties and 30s about different languages that supposedly don’t do this, really that seems to be incorrect. A method they didn’t actually perceive the languages very effectively, so we at all times–our language at all times makes it sound like one factor over right here is one other factor over there. And so we will typically see, it might typically sound like the thought is, ‘oh I’m over right here and I’m going to take a look at consciousness over there and an consciousness is a factor, some type of particular factor I’m going to see,’ okay? And that’s not what’s occurring with consciousness. As a result of to be able to see something, so as to pay attention to it, of something you’ve obtained to bear in mind, proper? And so there’s a humorous round factor occurring, just like the individual over right here who thinks he’s trying on the consciousness over there may be in actual fact–that trying itself is consciousness. So for those who assume you’re over right here consciousness over there then my query is: who’s trying?
And naturally, that leads, that’s type of an inquiry query, proper? Like we did the opposite week, we get into inquiry. As a result of for those who attempt to take a look at who’s trying you’ll discover that it’s consciousness itself consciousness. And so you have got this paradox of the–prefer it looks as if perhaps consciousness is cut up into an consciousness, over right here is consciousness over there. And also you notice all of that’s not vital, or lets say all of that’s nonsense. There’s nothing over right here something over there in any respect.
Consciousness is already effortlessly conscious. Consciousness has no location so it might’t be over right here one thing over there. Or to place it in one other manner, to say it has no location is identical factor as saying it’s positioned in all places. However it has no positionality so it’s not trying a method or one other; that’s only a manner we discuss. And it’s additionally a manner that we’re used to type of encountering our personal visible expertise. Once we take into consideration positioning our head and our eyes and all that. However that place of the pinnacle, within the eyes, or that place of the ears, all of that’s totally different than consciousness itself. Consciousness itself has no place, it has no course. It’s by no means the case that I’m over right here and that particular factor known as consciousness over there. Consciousness is simply conscious of itself, proper? And if we wished to consider it, every of the sense gates solely perform due to consciousness. So even when I really feel like my physique is over right here and my eyes are pointing over there and I’m trying on the stunning after-sunset clouds that are on the market proper now, it’s getting a little bit a couple of months previous the winter solstice, proper? So it’s a little bit lighter out presently and I can see these after-sun clouds. So I’m over right here and my eyes are trying over there. All of that, the sensation of being a physique over right here, the entire perspectival take of eyes over right here which can be trying in a sure manner at clouds which can be over there; all of that perspective stuff and positionality stuff, all of that’s one thing I’m conscious of.
And so once more, all of that’s simply arising in consciousness, and consciousness is positioned in all these locations and centered in none of them. Consciousness has no middle, no edge, and no center. It’s simply all consciousness itself. So, you understand, the thought–positive my eyes are positioned someplace they usually’re a factor over there–however consciousness is in each places and in all places in between and is definitely underlying that entire course of. And so every of the sense gates might need a type of positionality, might need a type of seeming dualism. However the minute we come from consciousness and perceive that the after-sunset clouds over there and the sensation of eyes over right here, perceiving these – all of these are arising in the identical consciousness – that dualism collapses, proper?
There’s nonetheless distinction, there’s nonetheless the sensation in a single a part of consciousness and the clouds within the different a part of consciousness, and all that. So distinction will not be annihilated. We don’t wish to make it into the grey goo situation, the oatmeal situation the place every part is only one factor and there’s no distinction, due to course there’s distinction. There’s the sensation of being a physique, there’s the colours of being after-sunset clouds, proper? There’s a rainbow as an alternative of a void and every shade of the rainbow is totally different than the opposite colours. So distinction will not be annihilated and on the identical time every part is joined within the, in consciousness itself.
And naturally, I don’t need you to make consciousness itself into some type of object. Consciousness will not be an object, proper? It’s empty like every part else – remembering that empty doesn’t imply it’s not there. In fact, consciousness is there, you’re having an expertise of it proper now, you’re consciousness itself, in a method of it. And but that’s empty too: don’t make that into an object, don’t make that right into a factor, don’t make that into the brand new deity to worship, don’t make that into the brand new, you understand, object of need that you just’re attempting to get. Anybody who’s attempting to get consciousness doesn’t perceive what the fuck they’re doing as a result of, you understand, consciousness is on the foundation of every part, proper? The truth that you even know that you really want one thing is since you’re conscious of wanting. So there is no such thing as a particular consciousness to get, proper?
It’s not an object and neither are you. Each time you catch your self considering of your self as an object, look fastidiously, look. Who’s having the expertise proper now of considering they’re an object? And also you’ll look and proper on the core of that feeling of being ‘you’ is that this nebulous consciousness expertise of shifting and shifting physique sensations, shifting and shifting feelings, shifting and shifting ideas of assorted varieties. And it’s all type of there however type of not there; it’s very nebulous, it’s very undefined. There’s a sample to it and but it’s not a very outlined sample and so it’s empty, proper? The sensation of being a self, a separate ego, is made up of ideas and emotions and desires you to assume these ideas and emotions are strong and actual to be able to come ahead as this reified object. Properly, guess what? Reified objects get damage, reified objects undergo, reified objects actually have a troublesome time. And it’s not required that we consider ourselves as a reified object, proper?
Let go of the hypostatization that, you understand, the ‘making it actual’ that you just habitually do. And as an alternative see that on the core of, no matter we will name it: the core of your being, or deep down in your soul, or trying proper on the seeming middle of your individual expertise like a number of–and once more it’s not coming from a positionality, consciousness has no positionality–so simply pay attention to no matter appears like the middle of no matter’s occurring, like essentially the most intimate spot within the deepest, secret place in your coronary heart. Discover that that’s simply gnostic area, it’s figuring out area, it’s empty and but shiningly, blazingly conscious. And stuff is occurring, there’s ideas and emotions however that’s not, they’re all simply type of ripples in consciousness.
So it’s crucial to get this concept of how we’re seeing this, proper? That is all about ‘the view’. This sort of nondual meditation is all in regards to the view, which means all about drishti in Sanskrit. I like that phrase, ‘drishti’, which means ‘the view’. Lets say it’s a complete understanding of the place we’re coming from or a complete understanding of who we’re, or who we predict we’re or the place we predict we’re coming from. So long as you assume you’re positioned in a physique and also you’re popping out your eyes, or no matter, you’re going to have one type of expertise and it’s going to most likely be fraught with struggling. However for those who enable that to indicate its personal vacancy–the truth that it’s nebulous flowing, simply expertise–and your view is consciousness positioned nowhere, is simply conscious and it’s not a factor both, you’re gonna have a, that’s a unique viewpoint; it’s a unique perspective. You virtually can’t even name it a perspective however we’ll name it a drishti, in Sanskrit, a view. And that’s a lot much less fraught, there’s a lot much less struggling in that view so it’s very value testing.
And in addition discover that’s, you understand, that’s out there simply with none effort in any respect. Should you simply sit and loosen up and permit your self to open you’ll discover that view arising fairly naturally, fairly effortlessly, fairly spontaneously. And that there’s a type of magnificence in that and a type of the Aristocracy in that and a type of peace and readability in that that’s a lot deeper than you could have imagined. And but it’s not some type of particular state, it’s not some type of altered state, it’s not some type of factor; the thing of need that you just’re attempting to get. It’s at all times already there.
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