Guided Nondual Meditation with Michael Taft
Welcome. Okay, so now let’s start by checking in with ourselves, simply take the climate report in your being proper now. What’s it wish to be you? Go inside. What are your ideas like? What are your feelings like? What’s your physique really feel like? What’s your soul really feel like? What’s the cosmic climate inside there like? And no matter is happening let that be okay. So that you’re each checking in very, very clearly, very distinctly, with quite a lot of granularity. What’s it wish to be me proper now? However you’re additionally letting it’s that manner, not making an attempt to vary it, or management it, or reject it, or decide it. What if it was simply okay to be the way in which you’re proper now? What should you even cherished the way in which you’re proper now with none adjustments in any respect?
Okay, good. Now I would like you to think about meditating like a cloud, an extremely fluffy white cloud in opposition to a brilliant blue sky. That cloud is shining brilliant, virtually as whether it is illuminated from inside, and it’s acquired that type of factor the place it seems like a mountain of marble floating within the sky. An unlimited white marble mountain floating within the sky that’s a cloud. And simply image this cloud as clearly as you’ll be able to or really feel it should you can’t image it. Simply think about, no matter which means to you, a cloud however I’ll use visible language brilliant, brilliant white, huge like a complete mountain within the sky, and but simply floating there. Clouds can weigh hundreds and hundreds of tons and it’s simply floating there, brilliant white in opposition to a superb huge blue sky.
And also you see the cloud is slowly being pushed by the wind in direction of you, an increasing number of majestic, an increasing number of huge, an increasing number of good, shining white. And as you’re respiration out and in, simply pay very shut consideration to that lovely white cloud, fluffy white cloud, permitting your whole physique to calm down as if it had been floating like a cloud. So that you’re noticing the floatiness of the cloud, and also you’re taking over a few of that property, the sense that the physique is so gentle that it might probably float, so relaxed that it has virtually no construction in any respect, however is as an alternative only a discipline of associated particles briefly floating collectively right here. And simply discover as you retain picturing this cloud very, very clearly, tremendous brilliant, brighter and brighter in your thoughts’s eye, the sky wider and bluer, shining blue in opposition to this virtually completely white cloud.
Discover your whole physique releasing and enjoyable and letting go and opening in order that motion turns into unimaginable, every thing relaxes so deeply that it’s unimaginable to maneuver. Your eyes are relaxed so utterly that they only come to a relaxation, your jaw is relaxed in such a manner that your higher and decrease tooth should not touching however you’re feeling such a leisure occurring that there’s virtually a sensation that your lips are getting simply barely bigger due to further blood circulate. You possibly can really feel them enjoyable that a lot. And all stress goes out of your arms and palms, they grow to be identical to moist ropes, simply dangling there with zero stress, they’re unimaginable to maneuver. They may stay unimaginable to maneuver as a result of (17:21)- they’re so livering there, like a spaceship fabricated from platinum, shiny in opposition to the blue sky, permitting your whole torso to launch and calm down and let go. A lot so that you just really feel like a wave of vitality transferring via your physique as varied issues calm down and open and unlock and launch. And you’ll simply really feel that wave of vitality permitting you to calm down much more, much more deeply, much more utterly. Once more, to the purpose the place any form of movement turns into principally unimaginable since you’d must tense as much as do it, aside from respiration, it’s nonetheless straightforward to breathe. Though you might discover that changing into quieter and quieter over time as nicely.
After which really feel that lovely vitality, the enjoyable vitality, permitting your legs to launch and open, your toes to calm down. And once more the sense that your toes are tingling, or really barely hotter, as extra blood flows into your toes. And your whole physique turns into completely relaxed, so relaxed that it begins to really feel actually good to only stay very nonetheless as a result of the physique has discovered a type of full stillness and the thoughts begins aligning to that. As a substitute of the thoughts form of shoving the physique round, the stillness of the physique is now starting to be mirrored, rising stillness within the thoughts.
And the picture of the cloud begins to be mirrored within the thoughts in such a manner that the thoughts looks like a floaty cloud, very relaxed, lighter than air, tremendously good, totally awake.
Okay, so I would like you simply to note the respiration now. On every in-breath you’re feeling nice, enjoyable, therapeutic, clarifying vitality coming into the physique. The physique likes to breathe, that in-breath is like consuming meals with all its oxygen. In order that turns into very nice on the in-breath. And on the out-breath the thoughts flows out the nostrils and turns into only a cloud, simply vapor within the sky. And that is simply the thoughts returning to its pure state. Noticing now, as you proceed to breathe on this nurturing air after which respiration out as a type of vapor, that the cloud disperses. And all that’s left is sky in order that with every out-breath the thoughts returns merely and naturally to its authentic skylight high quality with none effort.
Inhaling, in such a nice manner, feeling the relief the pleasure, the pleasantness, the readability, the vitality flowing via the physique. And on the out-breath, the thoughts simply flows out to return to its pure state of skylike vastness and openness.
So let’s proceed that for a couple of minutes collectively right here.
Permitting every in-breath to be nurturing, every out-breath to return the thoughts to area, completely huge, open, uncongealed area. If it needs to re-congeal, okay, it might probably occur on the in-breath with the nurturing high quality, however then, on the out-breath, once more it simply falls open to grow to be the sky with none effort in any respect, zero effort to try this.
Okay, the physique changing into an increasing number of wholesome, an increasing number of relaxed, extra and
extra nonetheless, super stillness descending with this actual sense of ease and pleasantness and openness and being nurtured, and the thoughts, in an analogous manner, simply enjoyable and changing into an increasing number of huge and open, an increasing number of relaxed and relaxed, tremendously awake, tremendously relaxed.
Now simply let the physique dissolve too. On the out-breath, the physique turns into sky as nicely, not merely the thoughts, the physique too. All ideas grow to be sky, all feelings grow to be sky, all common physique sensations grow to be sky on the out-breath, sky.
In the meantime, on the in-breath, discover the sensuous contact of the air inside the physique, the pleasantness of sitting this fashion. Discover no matter feelings are arising in all their element.
Enable the ideas to be completely current in all their vivid show in the event that they’re visible or sonic. Symphony-like high quality in the event that they’re verbal. All the pieces there in all its magnificence on the in-breath after which on the out-breath it simply all dissolves into sky.
So relaxed you’ll be able to’t transfer. Discover any tingling high quality within the physique on the in-breath, that sense of vitality within the physique, or Prana, a way of chi, sense of piti, sense of vibrant life vitality within the physique on the in-breath. And really feel its varied rhythms, its patterns, the locations the place it’s stronger or weaker, the locations the place it’s scrumptious, possibly different locations the place it’s extra atonal. On the in-breath all that’s current after which the out-breath that simply disappears into sky.
Letting go of it totally till it returns on the in-breath, coming again to sky, huge expanse, broad open on each out-breath, completely with out effort. It simply falls again open on the in-breath. You could discover maybe ideas are occurring. In the event that they’re visible discover all the brilliant colours and shapes, in the event that they’re verbal discover all of the burbling sound. However it might even be the case that due to coming again to the sky so typically possibly not a lot thought is occurring. It virtually can’t occur. It’s not an issue if it does simply observe its magnificence but when it’s not there simply observe the fantastic thing about the silence and stillness earlier than returning as soon as once more to huge, open sky-like high quality of thoughts.
Occasionally, you might discover that you’ve got already merely dropped right into a a lot deeper state of relaxed openness, the sky even wider and extra boundless. So that nearly a type of forgetting happens the place we overlook for there to be time, forgot the boundaries of the physique.
Once more, if feelings are current, really feel each element of that within the physique, no matter qualities that emotion has on the in-breath actually really feel it very clearly, very deeply. It’s a physique sensation, someplace in your face, your throat, your torso, someplace, your stomach. After which on the out-breath all of it simply dissolves into–and vanishes–into vastness. After which possibly it’s there once more on the in-breath and we see its magnificence but once more. Even when it’s a really troublesome emotion discover no matter is gorgeous concerning the sensation just like the phenomenology of it might probably nonetheless be stunning.
Identical factor with common physique sensations, possibly you’re noticing some numbness in your legs or one thing, actually discover what’s stunning about that; the main points of it, the beautiful textures and contours of that on the in-breath. Once more, even an disagreeable bodily sensation can have a fantastic phenomenology after which it simply falls into open sky on the out-breath. Noticing maybe, much more vitality on the in-breath, much more awakeness, much more readability, however particularly that tingly, buzzy vitality. A really nice frequency out there within the palms of your palms, the soles of your toes, maybe in your smile. After which dissolving on the out-breath into simply sky once more, at all times again to only huge openness.
Even ache within the physique changing into simply sky on the out-breath. After which on the in-breath, we don’t resist the ache in any respect, not in any manner. We let it’s there solely in its full expression with none holding again and spot what’s stunning about it.
The breath turns into much more attention-grabbing as a result of on the in-breath the room round us turns into very clear, very brilliant, stuffed with colour, form, type, texture, sample, tremendously stunning. And on the out-breath, it simply dissolves into boundless area nonetheless there and but boundless area. And the sounds of the room round us varied hums and buzzes and breathings and stirrings, swallowings, shiftings, all of the sounds are stunning on the in-breath. And on the out-breath it simply turns into boundless, timeless area, unsleeping, totally relaxed.
Then we begin to get this very humorous sense, this very odd instinct, that within the depths of the readability of our personal exact wisdom-seeing of this, the in-breath and out-breath aren’t any totally different. And the fantastic thing about all these phenomena is not any totally different than the open area. The 2 are collectively as one factor huge, open sky completely dissolved into nothing. And this beautiful expression of all that’s showing, it has no middle and no boundary, it has no floor, and but, there’s nowhere to fall to.
And we notice that the meditation is simply doing itself, the respiration is simply doing itself, and all this beautiful expertise is simply doing itself, even the sense of me doing something is simply one other look that dissolves into sky after which seems once more after which dissolves within the sky, till the sky and the looks should not any totally different, not any totally different…or, if there’s a distinction, they’re merely two sides of the identical coin.
In order that we see that each look, our emotions, our ideas, our physique sensations, the others round us, the room round us, the sounds, the sights, it’s each extremely stunning, totally beautiful, and completely spacious and awake on the similar time. Floating on air like a cloud.
And we start to note that every look has a spot,all of the appearances, all the various appearances in each second has its proper place.The troublesome ones, nice ones, every has their very own good spot, their proper place on this second. And so they’re all balanced in such a manner that the entire look and awakeness is gorgeous and balanced and complete. Each half belongs with nothing neglected or left over.
It takes every bit of this second to finish the puzzle of every second, nothing neglected, nothing doesn’t belong, every thing instead, totally beautiful and totally sky on the similar time.Tremendously stunning and floating like a cloud, on empty air on the similar time. Unsleeping and on the similar time totally relaxed. You possibly can’t make this second extra good than it already is.
Good, now be a part of me in chanting the Prajnaparamita mantra
gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha
gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha
gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha
Let’s finish the meditation there.
Dharma Speak, Q&A
So, the Paradox is that every thing is current and in addition type of not current on the similar time. And it’s very–like I used to be saying final week–it’s quite common that we actually, particularly as starting practitioners, emphasize that not current half, that vastness, that openness, that readability. Whenever you actually get a style for it, it begins to be tremendous scrumptious to search out this form of vacancy, vacancy, vacancy. However as I used to be saying final week that’s actually simply midway there. And even lower than midway there. It’s vital and it’s an enormous benefit over being caught up in stuff. You be taught to be uncaught up in stuff. After which simply see openness, openness, openness, simply the sky, simply the sky, simply the sky, simply the sky. And it’s virtually just like the issues of the world appear to fade or dissolve or disappear time and again and over and time and again.
And there’s an actual launch, and an actual letting go, and an actual satisfaction and reduction that comes with every of these letting go’s. However finally, that turns into its personal type of place to cover. It turns into its personal type of useless finish as a result of then the remainder of your life is simply chasing this deeper and deeper nothing that you just simply type of need to retreat to discovering. , I’m going to maintain going to only an increasing number of nonetheless bodily areas with fewer and fewer individuals with much less and fewer occurring, so I can simply try this. After which, you simply type of–that’s it. If that’s your path, or no matter, cool. Go forward and try this however so far as I’m involved–once more that’s higher than, I don’t know voting to remove individuals’s liberty, or no matter. So it’s a very good factor on that degree however it’s nonetheless solely partially there so far as I’m involved as a result of what about every thing? What about every thing? , what concerning the feeling of your physique? And the way in which feelings run via you? And what concerning the ideas? And what concerning the world round you? And the others round you? And the colours and lights and sounds? And all that?
Is that each one that simply there to be nothing? Or is it, worse but, is it like some type of deluded fantasy that’s pulling you away out of your scrumptious nothing and it’s really type of evil? Which is actually widespread viewpoint. Or do you see that it’s by no means separate from that sky of vacancy? It’s by no means ever, ever even for a millisecond totally different. Or whether it is totally different, it’s totally different as a result of it’s this, you realize, effulgent, radically stunning show and the opposite factor is form of non-display. However they’re arising collectively. They’re by no means aside and that–seeing that factor–is beginning to come again round to wholeness once more.
It’s not simply that we shut ourselves in a cave after which see nothing eternally. We come again out. However we come again out remodeled. I imply the nothingness, the vacancy, the sky is extremely vital as a result of then you definitely see the world and your self because it actually is it’s like hanging like a dream in vastitude, proper? Each a part of it’s exquisitely stunning. Each a part of it’s precisely in its proper place for that second. And the subsequent second it may be in one other place. However each a part of it’s essential to fill the puzzle of the second. For those who took any of it away it will be incomplete. So it’s like good, good, good, good, even whereas constantly altering. Every second is good. And it’s good not as a result of it’s void, though that’s there, however as a result of even all the looks is–it’s acquired a spot, so to talk, within the mandala, proper? It’s positioned. And all of them are mandatory. And so that’s–that’s coming again round to fullness. We don’t simply need vacancy we need to come again round, all the way in which again round to fullness and full expression.
In any other case, I imply to place it in type of a humorous manner, what are you even doing right here? Why’d you even get born if it was simply to enter nothingness? You would have accomplished that with out a physique. And that’s one other factor that arises with this that’s so attention-grabbing–is even there’s the sense that even–not solely are you your self in the suitable place however every a part of you is in its proper place on this second, though that may change within the subsequent second and so there’s a type of stunning bouquet of selfhood that’s there simply the way in which it’s, even when a number of the flowers are useless or dried or strewn on the ground or it’s a bizarre association. On this second that’s precisely the suitable association. It’s complete. It’s full. There’s nothing lacking. There’s nothing to vary in that second.
I’m going to learn a quote, a really unusual quote, which is I’ve to learn from this piece of paper and besides for many who I used to be speaking to this afternoon, if anybody can guess who that is or you realize who it’s, even higher, I’ll be impressed.
“I need to be taught an increasing number of to see as stunning what is important in issues; then I shall be a type of who make issues stunning. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I don’t need to wage conflict in opposition to what’s ugly. I don’t need to accuse; I don’t even need to accuse those that accuse. Trying away shall be my solely negation. And all in all and on the entire: sometime I want to be solely a Sure-sayer.”
Michael: Does anybody know who that’s?
Questioner 1: Marcus Aurelius?
Michael: As a result of I exploit the phrase amor fati, you’re simply guessing. Yeah, no it’s Nietzsche really. However speaking about amor fati that every thing, you realize, that our destiny the fati half is, in essence, not solely one thing that we settle for, I’m gonna settle for my destiny, proper? No. It’s one thing that we really love and see the fantastic thing about. And that that stance is out there to us it doesn’t matter what our situation. And in order that’s simply humorous. That’s written in just like the 1860s however he’s speaking about what we’re practising right here tonight in a really direct manner simply noticing that each one that’s arising is strictly instead it doesn’t matter what it’s, there’s a type of perfection to the second. And that we don’t merely type of grudgingly settle for it, oh that’s you realize that’s my lot however quite discover it stunning and even adore it.
I feel maybe he’s speaking about one thing just a little extra, type of, cognitive. However nonetheless, the temper is there of like understanding the well-platedness of every thing in every second and in addition the truth that it’s acquired this cosmic depth to it, the vastness is at all times there.
So right here’s the experiment; are you able to, for the subsequent 24 hours, see each single factor in your life not as one thing to vary and attempt to do away with, or one thing to attempt to maintain on to, or one thing that you just’re ashamed of, or one thing that you just want was totally different? Oh my God, I’m within the flawed marriage, oh my God, I’ve a silly job, oh my God, oh my God–the countless litany of the way it ought to all be totally different. However moreover, not the type of nihilistic despair of, nicely it’s not going to ever be totally different so I higher simply buck up and settle for it or kill myself. However what’s past these issues? Are you able to see its precise magnificence simply the way in which it’s? After which, even adore it simply the way in which it’s? Doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t change it, doesn’t imply you’re locked in. However in every second let it’s simply what it’s.
For most individuals that, at first, sounds actually dangerous like, oh my God I’m trapped, after which I’ll be, you realize, I’ll surrender and by no means change something. However what’s bizarre is you’ve already given up and aren’t altering something since you’re caught within the mode of pondering every thing should change on a regular basis, I’ve to work actually arduous to make, to hold onto good issues, and do away with dangerous issues, by no means recognizing that that’s countless. There isn’t any ending that, or successful that. That’s everlasting incarceration.
And so, simply as an experiment, it received’t flip you right into a vegetable, it received’t flip you into, you realize, some type of agency-less sufferer, I promise, however you don’t must–simply attempt it for a short time. What if it’s all good? And even altering it’s good however the temper is; it’s stunning, and I even adore it. And it’s not an concept. I can see that it’s stunning, and I actually do adore it.
The type of meditation we did is one strategy to discover that since you see this complete area that’s there and the whole vibrant show and completely placed-ness of the looks placidness nevertheless we are saying that, so try this. And see if it turns you into an agency-less sufferer or should you really begin to type of really feel higher.
So questions or feedback? Or simply stories about your meditation? Questions on different issues? Simply opening up the ground right here.
Questioner 2: I’m unsure if I’m correctly distinguishing between the formless jhanas and samatha with out an object. Okay I feel possibly I used to be doing samatha with out an object and pondering that it’s jhana.
Michael: Positive, they’re carefully associated clearly fifth jhana is Infinite area, sixth jhana infinite consciousness. We’re type of doing them on the similar time consciousness and area. I’d say that they’re not fairly the identical factor as a result of normally a jhana is type of dualistic, form of me over right here trying on the Infinite area, me over right here trying on the infinite consciousness. And after we do it this different manner the place it’s not break up up like that–now possibly some individuals do apply them within the different extra non-dualistic manner, it simply is dependent upon the way it’s taught, and so forth however in one other manner it’s like, high quality they’re related.
Good, you’ll be able to even have you realize a temper the place the area will flip to love a degree of nothingness, identical to the seventh jhana, though we’re not making an attempt to make that occur. And also you type of must–you’ll need to maintain that if it was a jhana. And if it simply happens in non-dual meditation you simply–if it’s there, it’s there and if it goes away, it goes away, proper? So we’re not making an attempt to do a scientific transferring via, nor does it result in these different, you realize, essentially to nothingness or to non-perception and notion or these sorts of different phases, proper? So I’d simply say they’ve some similarities for certain and many individuals suppose that–keep in mind initially they’re not referred to as jhanas, they’re referred to as ayatanas, which suggests realms. And so, some individuals suppose that each one of–they speculate–that Mahayana Buddhism comes out of this concept of realms, so individuals doing not simply the unique Buddha ayatanas however type of spreading out from there as a result of when you uncover ayatanas you could find a complete bunch of them, and so forth, and so forth. So it’s attention-grabbing, proper? Rather more attention-grabbing than saying nicely are these precisely the identical or not I don’t know we’re type of doing one thing totally different however actually a number of the territory we’re crossing over there’s fairly related, proper? Yeah, it’s cool, proper?
What else? How was that meditation for you? What’s in your thoughts? Are you a clean cloud floating in an open sky? I really feel like I’ve succeeded. I’ve pummeled you all into silence, I at all times be ok with that.
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