Guided Nondual Meditation by Michael Taft
Welcome to guided meditation tonight with me, what’s my identify? Michael Taft.
All proper now we’re going to do guided meditation, it’s going to go on for an hour and the thought is to sit down nonetheless for an hour, okay? A few issues; flip off your cellphone if it’s on this room and also you haven’t checked flip it off, be sure it’s off, the opposite factor is; there’s a pair issues one, once more, strive to not transfer and principally you don’t must observe the steering, proper, so long as you sit nonetheless and meditate. You are able to do no matter you need in your thoughts, do no matter meditation feels good to you. We’re gonna do one thing sort of difficult tonight so in the event you’re into what I’m main then, by all means, get into it however in the event you’re like, ‘whoa, not for me,’ then simply sit and do your individual meditation and fully ignore the steering, okay?
So, the primary half, or no matter, won’t be the difficult half. So a minimum of for the primary half hour we might most likely all sit collectively however you’re by no means required to observe the steering at any half, okay? So in the event you simply wish to sit with a bunch and do your individual factor, so long as it’s silent and immobile, you’re very, very welcome to do this.
All proper, so let’s start as regular by checking in with ourselves simply how are you doing proper now? Discover the ideas within the thoughts, discover the sentiments within the physique, discover simply the final temperature and texture of your existence, and nevertheless that’s, simply let that be okay. In different phrases, there’s no state we’re attempting to attain that’s the proper state, fairly, nevertheless you are feeling is ok, nevertheless your thoughts is correct now, nevertheless your feelings are, even when it’s very chaotic, even when it’s very disagreeable, that’s the best way it’s proper now and in order that’s excellent. So simply tune in to no matter’s happening and simply let it’s nevertheless it’s. For those who simply had a large mood tantrum about not having sufficient time then that’s how you are feeling. For those who really feel deeply ashamed about that then that’s how you are feeling, proper? That’s okay. Alternatively, in the event you’re experiencing complete pleasure that’s okay too. All good.
What if we simply begin out with the perspective that there’s nothing to vary, that every thing is ok, that we’re in a position to completely settle for no matter’s occurring simply the best way it’s, even the state of not having the ability to settle for? We are able to settle for that and simply enable no matter is to be the best way it’s. Discover how totally different that is than the everyday perspective of our society which may be very aggressive in the direction of our personal expertise, very aggressive in the direction of having to vary the best way we really feel, and alter the best way we’re, and alter what’s happening with our ideas, and alter every thing. It’s very aggressive and judgmental however what if it’s all okay? Our thoughts is could be only a sewer stuffed with chaos and our feelings could be deeply upsetting and random-seeming. What if that, for now, is okay? And we simply enable the area for that to be?
And now, I need you to take the temper or perspective the bhavana to make use of the sanskrit phrase, use the temper, the bhavana, of the sky. So take the temper of the sky, being tremendously huge with out boundaries, tremendously open, tremendously accepting. Sky welcomes every thing, every thing can transfer by means of the sky, tremendously welcoming or accepting and, in a means, completely impervious, completely undamageable. The sky is ok it doesn’t matter what occurs within the sky. Planes can undergo, clouds can undergo, birds. Every part occurs within the sky however the sky is just not broken, sky stays simply effective, simply the best way it’s.
So take this temper of huge boundlessness and openness and acceptance and even centerlessness. What’s the heart of the sky? There isn’t one, it’s simply–each a part of it’s the heart. The sky is the closest factor to our personal deepest consciousness, area, openness, readability. The one variations are; the sky of the thoughts, the sky of our personal consciousness is awake, it’s cognizant, it’s gnostic, it has understanding, it’s not like a rock or a piece of cement, it has expertise. So it’s the sky and expertise, be that sky. You may’t assist however be that sky since that’s your individual deepest nature, it’s open consciousness, huge spacious consciousness.
Now, I need you to image one thing rising within the sky from the horizon and it’s a good looking full moon. For those who’re not good at picturing, then simply really feel the total moon. See this full moon, which is that stunning cool white towards darkish, darkish, darkish blue, rising–effulgent, shiny, cool, calm and clear. And simply image it, simply now, above the horizon, proper within the heart of creativeness, this excellent circle of a shiny white moon towards darkish, darkish blue background. And let’s simply stick with that for a short while collectively.
So the meditation object is that shiny white circle towards the infinite blue sky background. For those who lose it simply deliver it again up. Keep in mind you don’t want your bodily eyes to do that. So there’s no must pressure or attempt to focus. It’s occurring within the thoughts’s eye. If you wish to make it just a little tougher and just a little stronger of a meditative focus see in the event you can discover the curvature, the dimensionality of the sphere of the moon
in addition to the depth of the sky, so it’s not a flat visualization. Now think about that this moon is the sunshine of your individual awake consciousness and movie a beam of sunshine coming from the moon into your stomach and this beam of white mild is bringing power and playfulness and spontaneity into the physique. Filling the whole physique with this moonlight brings the whole physique into stability, brings super life power and uplift and power to the physique, regulates the physique, uplifts the physique, turning the physique into nearly like a crystal bottle crammed with mild or a tent, a white tent crammed with mild. It feels very, excellent. Pretty power that feels therapeutic and soothing and loving within the physique.
For those who really feel sleepy open your eyes. Do the meditation–even the visualization–together with your eyes open so that you keep awake. It’s necessary to remain awake. And now see a second beam of sunshine coming from this moon of consciousness into the center heart permitting it to blossom into full openness, extensive openness, feeling kindness, feeling caring, feeling pleasure, feeling love beaming into the center inflicting all of the metaphoric petals of the center to open extensive and filling the whole physique with much more of this soothing mild.
You might discover fairly a little bit of power within the physique as you do that, particularly as these optimistic feelings of pleasure and kindness and caring and love actually begin to glow within the coronary heart. Simply chill out and let that power simply beam out as mild. Clear, crystal physique lit up with mild. Actually really feel that pleasure, that love, that caring kindness radiating out from the center heart and radiating into the center, from this moon of consciousness, of your individual deepest awake consciousness.
Good and now a 3rd mild beams out from the moon into the middle of the brow and into the mind filling the whole thoughts with knowledge and readability and, most significantly, confidence, an incredible sense of confidence, which isn’t vanity however a way of understanding, knowledge, readability. Confidence within the thoughts radiating out like a shiny lamp, shiny shining mild within the thoughts filling the physique with much more mild, our personal deepest knowledge.
Now the three lights within the physique come collectively so the sunshine within the stomach strikes as much as the center. The sunshine within the thoughts strikes down into the center in order that the center turns into its personal shiny moon of awake consciousness. After which, on an in-breath, the moon within the sky comes into the center as effectively, bringing the knowledge and readability and confidence into the center, bringing the spontaneity and playfulness and power and therapeutic into the center in addition to the love and kindness and compassion and pleasure. All of those qualities shining shiny. And the type of the physique drops away so the whole physique is, as an alternative, simply the sky with the moon within the sky, nothing however sky with this moon of shiny consciousness shining inside it. Stick with that now.
Someone’s psychic powers are messing with the lights. So, that’s cool.
Now let go of the visualization and simply stick with the temper, an unlimited area crammed with this
awake consciousness or we’d simply say; an unlimited area of awake consciousness, tremendously clear, vibrant, awake, sort, joyous, playful, most significantly assured.
Simply relaxation as that sky. No visualization, the sky of consciousness is all the time there, it’s only a sense of openness and readability–completely easy, already current with none effort.
Now let go of time totally, any considered the longer term vanishes upon arising, any considered the previous vanishes upon arising. Even ideas of the current are nonetheless ideas of time they vanish upon arising and we relaxation in timelessness, which isn’t a time in any respect. We relaxation in simply openness. With out time boundlessness is a sort of spaciousness however with out the boundaries of area, timelessness with none boundaries of time. If that appears arduous to just do ask your self the query how lengthy has this awake consciousness been right here? After which look and any sense of future previous and even now will vanish into timelessness. Simply pure wakefulness in time, pure awakeness, primordial perfection, pristine primordial perfection, simply awakeness outdoors of time and area.
Now, we’re going to start doing the difficult half. So in the event you’re not feeling up for a problem then simply relaxation as this primordial consciousness. It’s a really highly effective meditation to simply proceed with. For those who really feel up for some intense tantric stuff, that’s what we’re going to do subsequent however it will likely be difficult. So if it turns into too difficult for you come again to this moon, come again to area, come again to simply resting with this useful resource area, okay? You’re all the time welcome to bail on it, again to this.
However for these of you who wish to take awake consciousness for just a little spin I’m going to do this now. So the very first thing we’re going to do this can be a sort of set off apply. We’re going to be actually feeling some robust feelings and permitting these feelings to simply be on this area however we’re bringing them up on goal. So, once more, if that doesn’t sound like what you wish to do proper now don’t do it, simply preserve with this fundamental area as a result of we might be within the primordial purity like this. However now we’re going to make make an extra transfer which is transferring into spontaneous presence. That’s the type that may come up out of this consciousness. And these kinds are like rainbows, they’re actual experiences however in the event you attempt to dangle on to them there’s nothing there. It’s essential to know that out of the primordial vacancy fundamental area experiences come up however they’re additionally empty.
So right here’s the very first thing I need you to do, it’s easy, I need you to get in contact with sorrow, your deepest sorrow. And it doesn’t have to simply be one, it’s issues that deliver up super unhappiness, super damaged brokenheartedness, all of the struggling you’ve endured, all of the struggling of individuals you like, the actually unhappy issues which have occurred. I need you to deliver that up as strongly as you may after which enable that have of this unhappiness to shine like a rainbow in area. It simply shines as an expertise in area, we’re not negating it, we’re not pretending it’s not there, we’re truly amping it up and permitting it to be there, very strongly. However on the similar time noticing its dreamlike property there–however not there vivid, shiny, clear and but intangible. Don’t maintain again I need you to actually dig into the deepest sorrow you could find after which stick with it. We preserve ourselves armored away from this sorrow, attempting to maintain it at bay however now we’re going to fully open to all of it the best way. All of the considered all of the murdered kids, ravenous kids, the stupidity that causes cruelty that hurts all people not solely our personal struggling however the struggling of all beings is tremendously unhappy. Really feel that unhappiness as sharply as now you can whereas on the similar time noticing that it’s like an look within the sky, the sky of consciousness itself is just not harmed in any means. And we’re not blanking out our ideas right here. We’re actually engaged on bringing the unhappiness up on goal. Consciousness may be very assured, very courageous, and it can’t be harmed so there’s room for this unhappiness, let it break you open now.
Good, now simply spend a second again with the rainbow, let the picture of unhappiness recede and simply relaxation as this huge spacious consciousness, the primordial purity, the pristine vacancy however discover how your presence has deepened. Discover how your reference to openness has deepened. As a result of it’s armoring ourselves towards these emotions that retains us out of our personal deepest awakeness.
Good, subsequent let’s deliver up rage, anger, the photographs, the ideas that make you essentially the most enraged, all of the stuff you’d wish to smash, that sense of super power that’s there in anger. Don’t maintain again. That is the other of moving into, really feel the anger as intensely as you may, as actually as you may. What are you actually mad about right this moment? Really feel it, really feel the fad.
And see that this rage is a rainbow within the sky, its spontaneous presence, its type arising in vacancy, a vivid shiny clear type of rage and but intangible, not disturbing the sky of consciousness in any respect, and in reality, if we go proper into the white-hot core of the fad delivering us again into pristine consciousness time and again. However don’t shortcut it, really feel the fad, don’t be afraid of it. Once more, this can be a very difficult method to meditate, so if it’s an excessive amount of simply come again to simply resting because the sky. Really feel that depth of rage and spot the way it truly sharpens the readability of awake consciousness, really feel the facility of the darkish aspect,
it’s pure type arising within the huge empty area of consciousness, harming nothing in any respect, merely one other sort of power, one other colour within the rainbow.
Good, now let’s let go of that. Coming again to simply area, all type dissolving again into pristine open area. Discover that the area is simply effective. Area is unmoved and tremendously open. And see that it’s much more open than it was and simply relaxation as area for one more second.
Good, once more, take a break in the event you want a break, in any other case, I need you to deliver up into this huge area of consciousness the shape, the shimmering rainbow of worry. This may be simply all of the stuff you’re fearful about and anxious about, all of the stuff that you just don’t wish to have occur, all the best way to the truth that the earth is on fireplace and polluted and dying, all over the place is struggle, we’re all getting older, there’s a pandemic, there’s many issues to be afraid of. Faucet into that uncooked reducing fringe of worry and really feel it shining in consciousness, deliver up no matter it takes to really really feel some actual worry. What do you actually hope isn’t going to occur? Discover how tremendously energizing, fears brings numerous power into consciousness. The rainbow of worry shines shiny within the sky of consciousness. We’re not resisting it, we’re not attempting to manage it, we’re letting it shine as intensely and brightly because it desires, not holding it again. Let the true worry of worry–simply let that go and let the worry be as large and as terrifying and uncontrolled because it desires to be, don’t maintain again. The sky of consciousness is greater than large enough.All these ideas you’re afraid of getting, all these emotions you’re afraid of getting, simply let all of it occur. Don’t maintain again. This meditation is all about not holding again. Discover, regardless of how afraid you turn out to be, the sky of consciousness is unhurt, unconcerned, simply as occupied with worry as the rest, extensive open, unsleeping. However our contact with this awake consciousness might even be deeper, a lot deeper as a result of we’re not holding again, we’re not attempting to not have this expertise. Letting go.
Good, now let’s take a break once more, simply resting as pristine consciousness, simply the huge sky with nothing in it completely pure, completely pristine empty.
Okay, final one. This could be the toughest one. Once more, in the event you’re overwhelmed, simply preserve resting as sky, let the huge sky simply deliver its personal peace. However in the event you’re prepared for extra I need you to deliver up disgrace and self-loathing, all of the methods you are feeling silly, ugly, undeserving, damaged, fucked up, a nugatory piece of shit. Carry that up as actually and deeply as you may, all of the stuff you’ve finished unsuitable, that solely an fool might have finished unsuitable, all of the methods you’ve let individuals down, all of the unhealthy actions you’ve finished, that sense of actual disgrace and self-loathing, and spot that too is sort of a rainbow shining within the sky, vivid, intense, highly effective and but intangible, nearly only a reflection or a mirage and but vividly there like a scene in a mirror which you’ll be able to brightly clearly see and but by no means contact. Simply shining within the sky of consciousness, mirrored within the mirror of consciousness, and consciousness isn’t harmed, the mirror isn’t harmed by what it displays, in the identical means the sky of consciousness can expertise this deep, deep disgrace and be simply effective with it, really feel kindness and acceptance and caring in the direction of it as a result of it doesn’t hurt consciousness, this awake consciousness that we actually are always, it’s simply one other expertise.
Discover how a lot deeper that takes you into this awake consciousness since you’re not avoiding something, all of the stuff you don’t wish to really feel you’re open to feeling and it permits you to settle into the super, deep, huge, timeless, pristine consciousness.
So you may let go of this cloud within the sky of disgrace and simply come again to this lovely clear open consciousness, fully unsullied, pure, unhurt, undisturbed, huge timeless spaciousness. Discover how way more deeply you’re resting in that with none effort. That is the primordial purity, the essential awakeness, unstained, clear, and shiny. After which really feel and see once more the moon shining within the heart of the center. This sky within the coronary heart beaming out confidence and readability and knowledge, suffused with kindness and caring and love, shot by means of with vibrancy and spontaneity and power, shining shiny within the sky of consciousness, radiating out therapeutic and caring to everybody on this room, shining out knowledge and confidence and the Aristocracy to all of the beings all over the place, not simply on earth however all different planets and all different universes. Actually really feel that shining moon suffusing the entire multiverse with pleasure and love and kindness and knowledge and power
Superb, so let’s let go of the meditation now. Be at liberty to maneuver and stretch.
Dharma Speak Q & A
All proper, that was–for these of you who took half in that second a part of the meditation–that was…that’s actual meditation, that’s the great things, proper? That’s the place we aren’t merely gathering useful resource, proper? Gathering useful resource is necessary however we’re not simply solely gathering useful resource once we meditate we’re utilizing that useful resource to remodel.
And so we did some actual–that’s some very grownup industrial energy meditation, touching the magic, proper? Actually getting in there. So good on you for doing that. For those who try this in your individual apply day-after-day that might be good, proper? Actually overcoming the obstacles, overcoming our obstacles of feeling like we–there’s simply a lot we wish to keep away from, proper? However as an alternative what we’re doing right here is taking the view of awake consciousness severely, taking the view of the bodhisattva severely, taking the view of the buddha nature severely. Our awake consciousness actually is indestructible and actually is unafraid and completely assured and completely welcoming, actually welcoming of something that arises within the sky. Welcomes every thing into it and so we’re taking that at face worth after which noticing that wow, there’s all these experiences that I attempt to keep away from, there’s all these experiences which are disagreeable. And there’s such an odd alchemy to life as a result of if we preserve attempting to keep away from inside unpleasantness life will simply get smaller and smaller and smaller, and increasingly flat, and increasingly uninteresting, and increasingly concrete, and ultimately we’re primarily useless. It’s like a Princess and the Pea phenomenon, simply get increasingly delicate to what you don’t wish to really feel, and every thing simply will get smaller and extra fragile, and smaller and extra fragile, till we’re so small and so fragile we will’t do something.
And so this tantric temper is the other, the place we go into it–no matter is arising, we welcome and go into it and acknowledge that consciousness is large enough to deal with it, large enough to be with it, and large enough to be assured with it. That confidence is tremendously necessary. All the time sit with supreme confidence. Why? As a result of inside we’re already a buddha. Buddhas are tremendously assured. What have they got to be afraid of? And so we tackle that temper of the internal buddha and sit with confidence and
discover that no matter comes up consciousness can deal with it. That, after all, doesn’t imply we’re all the time able to do such a meditation. We would want some preparation, we would discover ourselves in a bit over our heads, which is why you all the time have the in-case-of-emergency-break-glass factor you may pull and simply come out and are available again to simply awake consciousness and don’t proceed with the apply if it’s too intense.
However over time you’ll discover an odd factor; you get excellent at dealing with the internal depth even when it’s actually disagreeable. But additionally life begins shifting, exterior life begins shifting fairly a bit. So we wish to look into our personal awake consciousness, look into our personal shining core of wakefulness. That is the one factor we all know that we’ve acquired, proper? For those who come again to first ideas like what do you truly know? There’s just one factor you truly know and that’s you’re having an expertise proper now, that’s it. That’s the solely data. The lights are on in your thoughts, you’re having an expertise, every thing else is–might be unsuitable, every thing else might be a fantasy, every thing else might be, you realize, information being pumped into the mind within the fish tank, or no matter, it might all be simply completely false. However the truth that you’re having an expertise is completely the one factor that you realize.
So look into that have proper now. That’s it. Every part else is ideas and emotions and so forth, which is ok. That’s all the shape arising, however the wakefulness itself, the expertise itself, that’s it. That’s the true data. What will we name this awakeness in Tibetan? We’d name it rigpa, proper? What does rigpa imply? Information. If we had been speaking in Sanskrit, we name it vidya. What’s vidya? Information, proper? It’s simply the one factor we all know. It doesn’t imply data like stuff out of an encyclopedia. It means Oh! The one actual factor or the one certain factor having an expertise proper now. Have a look at that proper now, that’s it.
And this isn’t to someway make the world appear insignificant. However the stuff that’s arising in expertise–experiences turns into much more fascinating, much more shiny, crisp, clear, fascinating, salient as a result of we’re seeing it as if for the primary time. It’s not all this stale, identified, predictable, quotidian mundanity that we’re simply slogging by means of. It’s the one factor that’s experiencing, being skilled proper now. It’s proper there like a lightning bolt within the darkest evening or some sort of, once more, shining rainbow proper in the course of the rain, proper? It’s as contemporary and crisp and clear as something might ever be. And that’s the attitude from which we don’t wish to maintain again, ‘oh, I wish to see that one rainbow however not the opposite one,’ or ‘I need…’
We don’t must take this concept of consciousness, or the thought of the buddha nature, as some sort of perception system or fantasy or an thought. Please don’t have it as an thought that you just, you realize, like take a look at. It’s simply this reality of your individual consciousness proper now, that’s the one reality. There it’s, take a look at it now, it’s plain. It’s the one plain factor. There it’s.
And if we take that at face worth, as a result of effectively, how else are you able to presumably take it? Then you definately’ll discover your self creating super confidence and super fearlessness and super openness. It’s not an conceited, armored confidence. It’s a wide-open, broken-hearted, loving sort of confidence that claims sure.
So once more, kudos for having gone there with that sort of meditation. That’s not the sort of meditation that tends to fill meditation halls. If we had been solely visualizing cute bunnies or no matter, which–that’s effective nothing unsuitable with visualizing cute bunny’s noses, you realize, it’s all good however that solely will get you to this point. And ultimately, we’ve to do that. So what do you–it doesn’t must be feelings, we solely labored with feelings, however what are you avoiding? And does the notice once more, look into it proper now, it’s the factor that’s awake proper now, it’s not even a factor, it’s simply awake awakeness. What’s that avoiding? Trace; it’s not avoiding something. It has the other impulse. It desires to include every thing.
Questions? Feedback? Stories?
Questioner 1: Report. That was highly effective shit.
Michael: That’s highly effective shit. That’s true.
Questioner 1: So, I used to be struck by the final emotion that you just had, disgrace.
Michael: That’s not an issue for any of us.
Questioner 1: It felt so constricting. I simply felt like there was this power round me that was simply squeezing me down and there wasn’t a rainbow of any kind in anyway.
I seen the type of tremendous high-profile teeny little rainbow, I feel it was in rage or anger, however this one simply felt like this robust highly effective factor and it was simply, I used to be simply in that place. After which I stayed with it and I used to be simply feeling it, I used to be in it. And you then stated, ‘okay, now it’s time to return to the openness,’ and I felt misplaced. I didn’t know the place I used to be and thank goodness you stated ‘the moon,’ and I used to be in a position to return to that open place. And I simply…there was no sense of…I simply dropped into it like the underside went out. I used to be like, what the fuck simply occurred? I’m nonetheless in that open place.
Michael: That’s proper. What the fuck did simply occur? So once more, that is–once we strive to not really feel that on a regular basis, and it’s a characteristic of our society, it’s not the characteristic of all societies. It’s a characteristic of our society that there’s this core layer of disgrace and self-loathing that will get embedded. And so, if we’re all the time attempting to not really feel that, there’s an entire a part of like there’s a backside on expertise, we’re constrained. However once we enable that in, it could be very intense, proper, very intense, however then a breakthrough will happen. It doesn’t imply it went away, you realize. It’s nonetheless there. We’re not–this isn’t like, oh
all of it goes away and you then really feel like a cheerful bunny perpetually. The purpose is that each one of these items might be skilled and that openness simply will get extra open, and as you discover that it’s like the underside went out, proper?
So if you wish to like, in the event you really feel caught in your apply or I’ve been meditating for thus lengthy and I simply don’t appear to get any additional, or it’s sort of like there’s some sort of bizarre magnetic power discipline holding me again, it’s not a bizarre power discipline. It’s the constriction. It’s the will to not really feel one thing. There’s one thing that we’re holding again from and the sky of consciousness doesn’t maintain again, proper? So we search for the horrible factor, search for the horrible factor in there, the factor that you just actually don’t wish to discover inside, and it’s going to really feel unhealthy, it doesn’t–it’s not prefer it magically feels good.There’s a purpose you’re avoiding it, you realize. It looks like shit.
Nevertheless, when you enable it, once more, when you’ve got sufficient useful resource. You don’t wish to do that from an unresourced place, or in the event you’re already feeling overwhelmed, however below the proper situations you go into that and expose it to this sky of consciousness. After which, such as you stated, out of the blue it’s like open extensive and we drop into a very deeper stage of our apply as a result of we aren’t avoiding that anymore.
Am I simply saying the identical factor each week? Okay, yeah I’ll get this, you realize, these items are available in waves, so that is the month of non-avoidance.
Different questions or reviews? That’s fucking fabulous by the best way.
Questioner 2: What I discovered actually fascinating was simply noticing the totally different means
every of these 4 circulate by means of me. I felt nearly no constriction round sorrow it was similar to oh that is simply flowing, after which I seen with anger and with disgrace I seen a variety of the constriction. There I used to be like, oh these two, I like sorrow I’m like letting circulate, and these two I’m probably not desirous to be there as a lot. After which I additionally seen, actually apparently, with worry that the issues that I’m most scared of, after I invite them and are simply a lot much less intense than after I’m resisting them. And so it was fascinating that that one truly wasn’t as like–it was like extra scary off the cushion than on the cushion as a result of I used to be similar to, all proper, I’m going to consider all of the issues, pull in all of the issues that make me essentially the most afraid after which they’re simply there.
Michael: That is the key to working with worry, proper? Many of the worry is the worry of worry. So we let it in after which out of the blue it’s not that massive of a deal. Yeah, that’s superior.
Different reviews or questions? What’s s in your thoughts right here about this?
Questioner 3: I’ve a query. I suppose my query since now lots of people are speaking about yeah like recession and in addition like two years of Covid how would you
juxtapose this type of meditation with stoicism? That’s extremely popular proper now in sure circles or simply generally.
Michael: I imply all these items share some stuff in widespread, proper? I feel the primary factor with that is that we’re open to life, proper? I imply we’re actually trying on the true terror of being alive and the truth that, you realize, we’re falling by means of area, and who is aware of what the fuck? And all we’ve acquired is awakeness. That’s it and nothing goes to save lots of you. We’re nonetheless all going to get outdated, we’re all going to get–I imply in the event you’re fortunate you get outdated–we’re gonna get sick. Horrible shit is gonna occur to us and to individuals we love. And, you realize, on an excellent day you then die.
So that is the scenario by which we discover ourselves, proper? For those who’re fortunate, you simply croak. However who is aware of? Does the notice truly go away? We don’t know. So that is the scenario by which we discover ourselves and it’s odd as a result of someway that sounds pessimistic or like actually morbid however it’s similar to a fundamental reality. Like nobody’s ever imagined to say this however it’s only a fundamental reality. You can not deny it. So let’s begin from the essential reality. Begin with consciousness itself, which is the one fundamental reality, after which begin partaking with life from the understanding that that is an intense expertise.That is actually intense.And but it’s actually fascinating how the notice itself is into it. The attention itself loves it. The intenser the higher, you realize when it comes to the setup. It’s simply as into peace as it’s to depth. However what I imply is the truth that there are sort of no ensures is nice for awake consciousness.
So I’m probably not answering your query however that is what’s coming to thoughts. I imply I’m not gonna sit there and evaluate it level by level with stoicism or one thing. However I really feel like that is the tantric temper. The tantric temper–go into it. No matter the issue is, go immediately into it. And it’s actually superb apply and it’s not simply emotional, it’s issues in life. What’s the toughest factor you must do proper now? Go into it. What’s the factor you’re essentially the most afraid of doing? Do it.
That’s the temper and it begins to strip away the layers of mummification and necrotic, you realize, cement-mind and full checked-outness that we have a tendency to collect to attempt to insulate ourselves from the essential reality.
You discover that you just did that to really feel snug however the extra snug you
really feel in that one explicit means the extra useless you might be. It’s like a nasty commerce and but every thing tells us to do this, like that’s the good factor to do and, the truth is, I’ll promote you some stuff that’ll aid you try this higher. That’s our complete society. and so we’re simply unraveling that. Throw off the mattresses that we coated ourselves with, throw away the numbness of the necrotic flesh, and are available again into vibrant awakeness and consciousness proper now. I don’t know what else to say. Some other angle on the query?
Questioner 3: No, I imply that was lovely commentary and really, I had an analogous
expertise with going deep into disgrace and sort of falling means too deep into it. After I simply didn’t know what to do and it felt like being thrown out of the helicopter with
no parachute or a parachute that didn’t…
Michael: That’s the proper feeling. That’s tantric.
Questioner 3: Yeah after which I noticed that there isn’t a floor, so then the worry like you realize falling and dying disappeared as a result of there isn’t a floor. There’s no means for me to die as a result of I’m simply endlessly falling. However then if I’m truthfully falling am I truly falling? Or simply suspended in place?
Michael: So then, how did that really feel?
Questioner 3: It felt excellent. It felt empty and impartial.
Michael: Proper, then simply come again to that sky, tremendous shiny clear sky. The error, moreover avoidance, that individuals make is to solely go into the vacancy, proper? Such as you gotta begin out going into the vacancy as a result of it’s a distinction to being hooked up to every thing on the planet, and so it’s like a giant miracle to search out the vacancy. And that’s very, very cool however the mistake individuals make is simply to remain there. I’m simply going to maintain going into voidic cessation. That feels nice however then that’s one other entice like now you simply acquired to go sit in a meditation cave for the remainder of your life as a result of that’s the place you’re discovering. You’re in your groove.
So as soon as we’ve acquired the sky of pure awakeness then we discover the spontaneous presence,
the stuff that arises in expertise. It’s most likely even the case that we are inclined to make an object out of that pure consciousness, however it’s not an object, proper? It’s empty similar to the rest however moreover, it most likely doesn’t exist with out the stuff that’s arising. It’s most likely like that the awakeness and this perceptive stuff, the perceived stuff, the spontaneous presence, the rainbows, the peacock tails cauda pavonis right here in our alembic, that stuff is all simply co-arising with the notice. They want one another. They invite one another. They arrive collectively and, the truth is, consciousness is empty, the stuff that’s arising is empty however the notion is empty too. However that’s what’s actually happening. That’s all there’s. So we don’t keep in our void. We come into being and are available into expertise and are available into what’s occurring within the fullness of it, okay?
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