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Guided Nondual Meditation with Michael Taft
Okay, so we’ll do one thing we haven’t finished earlier than. Sit along with your arms like this in your thighs. Palms up. And I need you to simply breathe in by means of your arms. So the palms of your arms have holes which you could breathe by means of. Simply take large deep breaths by means of the palms of your arms for a couple of minutes. Really feel the air speeding up your arms and down into your stomach after which again up out of your stomach and out your arms.
All proper. So on the out-breath, you may put your arms again wherever you need them. And simply verify in with your self asking the query: what’s it wish to be me proper now? So simply tuning into your mind-set, your state of coronary heart, your state of physique, the state of life. What’s it wish to be inside your pores and skin on this second? And only for the time of this meditation, let that be excellent. Which means it doesn’t matter what’s happening there, let or not it’s that approach. Don’t have any agenda to alter it. Simply enable your self to be precisely the best way you’re. For as soon as letting go of the agenda to continuously make it one thing completely different, make it one thing higher, make it one thing it must be, and as an alternative simply letting or not it’s precisely what it’s.
After which into the house of being you proper now, simply enable your self to note, with none explicit focus, the rising and falling of the wave of the breath. So we’re not narrowly attending to that, we’re simply, in a totally regular approach, noticing the approaching and going of the breath, or lets say, the rising and falling of the breath wave. So your thoughts stays good and open, good and broad. Not narrowing down on something specifically, however conscious of this rising wave of breath after which the falling wave of breath. And let’s stick with that collectively for a couple of minutes right here.
Simply persevering with to permit the thoughts to be relaxed and open and easily noticing that the breath comes and goes with out doing something explicit with it, however simply sitting and enjoyable and opening.
And if it’s obtainable to you, I need you to take up a metaphor of meditation tonight as if we’re meditating like a tree. Meditate like a tree and in reality, if this works for you, think about in entrance of you a stunning tree. It may be no matter type of tree, nevertheless it’s historical and thriving, and tremendously lovely. So both really feel that or think about it or simply really feel like a tree, however this tree has roots that go down into the core of the Earth.
And so Earth vitality is rising up spreading out by means of the trunk and branches and leaves of the tree. This historical, grounded, humble vitality that’s paradoxically each humble and noble. And the branches of the tree unfold out into the huge, open sky, and the sensible heat, therapeutic, sacred gentle of the Solar is soaked up by all of the leaves of the tree and runs down the branches and into the trunk.
Bear in mind we’re staying completely immobile.
And you may think about within the heart of the tree within the trunk there’s a spot the place the daylight vitality and the earth vitality meet and mingle within the core or the center of the tree connecting the earth and the sky. And when these join the tree is stuffed with blossoms and with fruit and with birds and animals. Now both really feel that, or image that, or think about that as clearly as you may.
And when you’re doing that simply enable your self to actually let go. Let go of any rigidity in your head or face, or any in your entrance or again, your stomach or your again. Launch all rigidity out of your legs and arms and arms and ft. Permitting your self, as you type of bask within the presence of this lovely tree, to simply fully calm down and let go with none effort. Simply being within the presence permits you to merely drop now way more deeply right into a relaxed, open, nice, being with.
And wherein not solely your physique relaxes however your coronary heart loosens and opens. And on the subsequent set of breaths, you discover your self coming collectively or merging with the tree in order that the tree physique and your physique are one physique. Your roots go right down to the core of the earth. And on the in-breath, you’re feeling the daylight pouring in from above filling your complete physique. And on the out-breath, you’re feeling the earth vitality rising from under assembly within the coronary heart and opening your coronary heart increasingly fantastically, increasingly completely. Feeling the super vitality and aliveness and generativity and sweetness and style of this tree, and the concord and steadiness of the earth vitality and the sky vitality coming collectively in your coronary heart.
Now step by step permitting the thoughts to broaden upward and outward into increasingly of the sky. As a result of we’re rooted so deeply within the earth, the thoughts can broaden upward and outward and upward and outward. Naturally, simply, effortlessly rolling open just like the sky. If the thoughts begins closing down round any explicit object–grabbing on, tightening, constricting–simply calm down. Let it return to its pure easy, vastness just like the sky. Holding on to nothing, permitting all the things, totally simple and open.
Good. Discover now, on this sky of consciousness, that physique sensations seem. There’s the sensation of physique and people are simply sensations flowing by means of the sky of consciousness, identical to wind within the sky. The sensations are there. They’ve numerous properties. Flowing like wind within the sky and never remaining anyplace. Consistently altering and shifting and open and free. Even tough sensations, even painful sensations merely like wind shifting by means of the sky. Discover that these physique sensations don’t have any explicit heart. They simply come up within the sky of consciousness and circulation there for some time like wind after which cross away like wind, with none explicit location.
Let’s discover one thing related about any feelings which can be arising. No matter they is perhaps. Irrespective of how sturdy or how wispy and minute, emotional sensations merely cross by means of the sky of the thoughts like wind, not sticking on something, not disturbing the sky and but there in all their complexity and element. The sky of the thoughts remaining tremendously open and straightforward, relaxed and huge. There’s room sufficient for all physique sensations. There’s room sufficient for all feelings. None are rejected, none are suppressed or denied. They’re all welcome.
And simply enable the query to come up within the sky of the thoughts: What emotion have I been making an attempt to not really feel, making an attempt to keep away from, making an attempt to suppress? And no matter that’s, simply let that come up now unimpeded. There’s greater than sufficient room within the sky of the thoughts for no matter we’ve been making an attempt to not really feel to be current. After which enable the query to come up: What feels this? after which look. What feels this? after which look.
Good. Now discover that into the huge sky of the thoughts of consciousness the winds of ideas are rising and falling. Varied ideas coming and going with no dwelling, no place they arrive from, no place they go to. The winds of the ideas don’t disturb the sky of the thoughts in any approach. Not an issue in any respect and in addition not particular, they’re simply winds.
After which into this huge, broad, open, effortlessly boundless sky of consciousness, enable the query to come up: What is aware of these ideas? What’s conscious of the winds of thought? What’s that? Look. You’ll be able to’t reply that query with extra ideas you need to look.
Now into the sky of the thoughts is arising the sensation of being you. And the sensation of being me, that sense of character and historical past and story that you just have a tendency to hold round, that’s simply arising like wind within the sky, distinctive, fascinating, blowing round like winds in an enormous, open, vibrant blue, heavenly sky, not disturbing the sky in any approach. Coming from nowhere, returning to nowhere. Mercurial zephyrs of being you swirling round.
Into the sky of the thoughts enable the query to come up: What is aware of this being? What is aware of this character? After which look, What is aware of it?
Good. Now into the huge sky of the thoughts arises the winds of this expertise meditating. Possibly with aches and pains, perhaps with tough feelings, perhaps with chaotic ideas, perhaps with a way of self that’s judgmental or harsh. Discover the winds of this second of expertise rising and falling within the sky of the thoughts. By no means the identical in a single second to the subsequent. Altering this fashion and that. Not bothering the sky in any respect and but there in all their richness and element.
And the subsequent second of the expertise arises and blows across the sky of the thoughts and the subsequent second. And a query arises: What is aware of this second? You’ll be able to’t reply that with phrases you need to look. Look now. What is aware of this second? When you assume you discovered it, look nearer. And what notices that the winds of physique sensation, and the breezes of emotion, and the Zephyrs of thought, and the varied airs and winds of being a self, and being an expertise are all a part of the sky of consciousness. Not separate in any respect. Naturally and spontaneously every of them figuring out themselves, effortlessly, with none heart and with no rim.
What is aware of that? Now look. Look. Look. Noticing that even the branches and roots and trunk of the tree and the leaves should not completely different than the sky. And feeling the sunshine, the nice and cozy, life-giving gentle of the solar flowing within the branches on the in-breath and the grounding, therapeutic, earth vitality flowing on the out-breath. And feeling the groundedness and aliveness of this tree.
And in your picture permitting the tree now to shrink down in order that it lives in your coronary heart, totally alive, tremendously lovely, burgeoning with flowers and fruit, birds and animals dwelling within the tree, the nests have infants in them and the tree glows with a light-weight of sanctity and style, blessedness. And the place will you plant the seeds of that tree? The place will they discover wealthy soil and take root?
Excellent. Now, with me, collectively let’s chant Om mani padme hum very loudly, very resonantly just a few occasions, like perhaps 9 occasions.
Om mani padme hum, Om mani padme hum Om mani padme hum…
Good. Let’s finish the meditation there. Be at liberty to maneuver and stretch.
Dharma Speak, Q&A
Om Mani Padme Hum is the mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion known as Avalokiteshvara often which suggests she who hears the sad cries of the world. She who listens to the cries of the world. And Om is after all Om, the common Mantra. After which on the finish we’ve acquired Hum. Typically I hear individuals say Om mani padme om. It’s Om mani padme hum. That hum or hung, relying on the way you’re announcing your Sanskrit, is the seed syllable of Mahakala, this tremendous intense protecting deity, tantric type of Shiva. So Mahakala. After which in between we’ve acquired the Mani Padme which accurately means Jewel Lotus. And so you may hear translations prefer it means the jewel is within the lotus, however after all that’s not there linguistically, nevertheless it’s actually simply saying to the Jeweled Lotus. So most likely we’re calling Avalokiteshvara by one other title like a Bodhisattva title Jewel Lotus, like a fairly title. So Om to the Jewel Lotus Hum. It’s type of an open-source Mantra. You don’t need to have any initiations or no matter to make use of. I like that one.
So discover what it’s wish to be you proper now. We did a complete bunch of testing stuff, what it felt wish to really feel your physique and really feel your feelings and permit ideas to simply be there. And even: What it was like to permit character to easily come up? Or this expertise of this second to come up? So discover now’s it completely different in any approach from once we began? And what’s that like? And it’s type of paradoxical as a result of I stated take a look at what it’s wish to be you proper every now and then don’t change it, or don’t really feel like you need to change it in any approach after which we mainly spend an hour altering it, however not with any agenda, however merely that it’s at all times altering anyway. So you may simply kind of undergo these steps and as an experiment and see what occurs, not as some type of mechanistic sequence of change.
So what’s it wish to be you proper now? And way more importantly, who is aware of it? Or what’s figuring out that? Actually usually you’ll hear a solution to that query however actually you may’t reply it with phrases and you’ll’t reply it with reminiscences and you’ll’t reply it with rationalization you may’t reply it with, at the very least you may, however you may’t do it actually simply from fascinated with it. You need to look. In order I’m at all times saying, it’s like a the place’s Waldo puzzle, you may’t determine that out, you simply look.
So after I say, what is aware of this? It’s not, Oh I acquired to determine that out or I do know the reply to that, it’s no, look, proper now, look. So do it proper now. Look. What’s figuring out this second? Can you discover it? And what’s so fascinating is, if you discover you may’t discover it, trace, you may’t, that it is rather simple to begin saying, Oh that’s the particular separate factor that is aware of, despite the fact that I can’t discover it, it’s just like the house of the factor that’s conscious. After which the ideas and physique sensations and emotion and sense of self and all that may be a type of like taking place inside that or that’s like fish within the water of consciousness or one thing. And it’s not that that’s not true nevertheless it’s like that’s solely half true.
It’s solely half true as a result of all these issues are, in a way, not any completely different than consciousness. They’re the expressions of consciousness. They’re the waves on the ocean or no matter. In order that it’s not the case that we’ve this particular consciousness that is aware of expertise and expertise is one thing else. If something it’s the expertise. We’re the expertise or at the very least aren’t separate in any approach from the expertise. We might nearly say the expertise is the decoration of consciousness. So even your type of most darkish, judgy, contracted, shitty thought continues to be a pure expression of this figuring out, completely completely pure, as pure as anything.
So the arising of this room proper now and everybody and all the things in it and all of your most intimate inner sensations and feelings and reminiscences are like this effulgent expression of figuring out.
So I’m curious if that’s touchdown for you? Or for those who had a meditation expertise you’d wish to share? Or if some burning query is arising that you just really feel like throwing at me. Though why I’d know the reply, who is aware of, but when one thing’s arising for you that you just’d wish to share, increase your hand and I’ll name on you and be at liberty to share it. We at all times need to type of break the floor rigidity right here. There’s like the primary goer. So in a minute, I’ll simply name on some random sufferer until someone’s courageous sufficient to share their expertise or ask a query or critique me intensely that is perhaps enjoyable.
Questioner 1: It was the primary time the place I felt like I used to be in a position to meditate and it was very particular.
Michael: What did it really feel wish to meditate for the primary time?
Questioner 1: It felt like I took a step away from myself. I went into one other room of like a really wholesome distance.
Michael: So you bought to type of have a bit little bit of perspective on your self.
Questioner 1: Yeah, it felt like watching a film the place I used to be a personality
Michael: Yeah, and that felt impactful.
Questioner 1: Yeah, I feel I’m a bit uninterested in myself.
Michael: Aren’t all of us, proper? This may very well be an actual aid. Wonderful thanks for sharing and letting me simply name on you. Who else has one thing to share earlier than I simply begin calling on you? You are feeling the rising rigidity…
Questioner 2: Okay, selecting your journey. My query is why, what’s the purpose of doing this? What’s the purpose of doing something?
Michael: That’s two questions and do you imply them to be expansions one of many different or would you like it to actually be two questions?
Questioner 2: The second query is a broadening of the primary query as your studying recommended.
Michael: Okay so that you’re type of asking me what’s the that means of life proper? Would you say that’s …
Questioner 2: Within the context of the stuff that about that I gained’t go into nice element. I’m kind of having a tough time and the best way wherein I’m having a tough time with one thing that I had practiced for a number of years within the hopes of not having occur to me, and provided that that did occur to me, I kind of don’t know why I ought to present as much as the religious apply in addition to issues prefer it feels good and it’s enjoyable.
Michael: Okay
Questioner 2: That’s why I stated you selected your journey.
Michael: No, yeah, I’m down for it. So, to begin with, it feels good and is enjoyable. That’s already one thing. That’s already a cause and for those who fully shrug these off, then the remainder of the explanations will most likely be shrug-off-able as nicely, however I’d say there’s one thing about greeting our destiny with grace and with acceptance and perhaps even with love that’s the that means of knowledge as a result of each life goes to come across actually tough shitty stuff. Even perhaps the very issues that particular person dreaded probably the most and but all of us need to work with that.
One thing that we will–I nearly by no means do that, you guys know I don’t do that–however okay, so traditional Buddhist story… That is when the historic Buddha was strolling round in India and a girl got here to him with a… whose toddler baby had not too long ago died and he or she was in abject grief after all and the Buddha comforted her and was very sort and so forth. And but she stored asking why? So it wasn’t nearly being comforted, there was this query of why. And so he stated we’re in such and such a village right here. I need you to knock on the door of each home on this village and ask them if they’ve had any misfortunes or grief. And so she goes from home to accommodate and naturally, each considered one of them have additionally had family members die, have additionally had horrible issues occur to them, have additionally seen their worst fears come true, have additionally suffered.
And the purpose there wasn’t type of the dickish transfer of making an attempt to reduce her struggling in any respect, it was about that query why and to level out that this befalls everybody and the that means of knowledge is to reply gracefully and maybe even fantastically to that have. And that in a profound approach we’re not picked out for particular punishment, irrespective of how a lot it feels that approach or irrespective of how painful it really is and it’s painful, however each human and doubtless each being experiences that grief, that ache, that sorrow and ask themselves why.
I bear in mind one time after I was like perhaps 5 I acquired actually excited concerning the pasta that was cooking and grabbed the pot of boiling water with one hand, type of unintentionally, and I can nonetheless really feel the spot of my hand there. I simply burned myself so badly and I’m like sobbing and I used to be actually little, and I simply stored asking “however Mommy why, why did that occur to me? why did that occur to me?” and naturally, my mother is crying. And I imply it comes with having a stomach button, proper? I imply that’s life. Nevertheless it’s not that’s life in type of a callous, Buck up Buttercup type of approach, it’s a why can we do that? We do that in order that we will reply with grace and with magnificence and perhaps even meaning-making to tragedy, in addition to rejoice and create and be generative and provides thanks for all the things.
In order that’s at the very least a number of the causes to do stuff. And spot we’re all right here collectively. You aren’t alone. See if yow will discover somebody on this room who hasn’t suffered one thing horrible and hasn’t felt alone and like a particular punching bag of God or no matter. Inform me for those who discover somebody as a result of everyone knows that and with our open hearts and camaraderie we will
meet you there. That’s one more reason we do that. Okay? I’m glad you got here tonight.
The rest? Different questions, feedback?
Questioner 3: I discover the prospect of turning into extra clever and sleek very motivating and but to date, I assume by means of apply, I’ve seen ways in which I perhaps don’t seize so onerous on expertise.
Michael: That’s already wiser and extra sleek. Discover that once we’re tense and contracted and grabby that’s graceless and in addition tends to harm.
Questioner 3: There’s part of me that’s curious if alongside that, I assume absence of clutching or absence of greedy, I observed that at finest to date it’s like I can type of gently see that I’m flailing or rejecting my expertise. It’s like I’m extra gently rejecting my expertise.
Michael: Wonderful or reject it intensely however simply discover it clearly.
Questioner 3: I discover there’s curiosity whether or not continued apply results in a supply of motion that feels wiser as nicely, extra attuned to what the second wants someplace, or what would add to the second in a approach that will be wiser and extra sleek?
Michael: I like the query. I feel you may’t assist it. It’s not apply such as you’re gonna beat your self into that or one way or the other file your self into that. It’s simply by enjoyable and opening and perhaps simply by giving thanks that type of responsiveness begins to occur extra simply and extra usually. It is perhaps the case like I used to be saying final week, that simply saying sure to no matter is arising is perhaps the entire thing. Irrespective of how onerous that’s. Proper? Thanks.
Questioner 4: Reflecting from the final two questions, I feel for me both accepting or discovering a solution to take care of tough occasions feels extra pure or nearly the factor that feels safer to simply accept that that’s what’s gonna be the longer term and be prepared for it. Then get pleasure from issues and even have the or the prospect of it may very well be dangerous nevertheless it is also wonderful, the wonderful aspect of it within the second and after I even envision the longer term, that half feels more durable. It doesn’t come naturally. So I nearly really feel like I’m simply attending to this degree of peace and contentment, however pleasure appears a lot more durable.
Michael: So that you’re saying the concept of discovering pleasure in no matter could come up is more durable.
Questioner 4: To permit myself to benefit from the second or to permit myself to assume that life may very well be good. It’s simpler for me to be like, Oh life may very well be very dangerous, I’m gonna nonetheless be pleased even when issues go dangerous however the considered issues being good…
Michael: Is extra terrifying. How come? What can be the draw back of all the things going nicely?
Questioner 4: It’s uh, I don’t know why, I can’t think about it as a lot, however I assume it comes right down to concern that I’d relatively not even have the hope of it as a result of then I’ll be dissatisfied.
Michael: Proper, if somebody got here to you, let’s say you had a youthful sister. Do you might have a youthful sister? Okay, so good, so pure creativeness. You may have a youthful sister and he or she got here to you and stated, “I’m so in love with this particular person, however I can’t inform them and I don’t need to do something about it as a result of I’m so afraid that it’ll go away.” What would you say to your sister? Would you say “Don’t try this, provide yourself with protection and go be secure?”
Questioner 4: I wouldn’t say that, however I’d actually battle saying go for it.
Michael: Wow yeah, okay.
Questioner 4: It’s deep.
Michael: It’s deep and but you see that for those who stored saying that what would life turn into?
Questioner 4: Lame.
Michael: Lame, yeah extraordinarily lame and nonetheless dangerous issues would occur. So that you get solely the dangerous aspect proper.
Questioner 4: Properly that’s why I introduced this up.
Michael: However you already know the reply. You need to do it anyway. We don’t get born right here as a result of it’s secure. If you need ‘secure,’ this isn’t the planet.
Questioner 4: What’s stopping me? How do I get previous it?
Michael: Simply see the concern for what it’s and acknowledge, like I’ve been saying, like dangerous stuff will occur too however that’s okay. Good things occurs and I imply you need to get pleasure from and rejoice the good things, in any other case why even hassle?
Questioner 4: It’s a lot more durable accepting the nice.
Michael: Yeah nicely, there you go there’s your work.
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Thanks, thanks in your questions and feedback everybody.
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