Streamed reside on June 20, 2024
Meditation
Welcome to tonight’s meditation. Let’s begin out like we did final week, with some mani mantra. When you’re not used to doing this, that is the usual mantra of Avalokiteshvara: it’s om mani padme hum, and we’re going to do it for like 5 minutes. It’s good in the event you do it with numerous power. The entire level is to boost power, proper? Get you energized. All religious follow of any variety raises power, as a result of most of you, on a mean day, with a mean quantity of power, your thoughts is optimized to make use of all that to gas your neurosis, proper? It’s completely optimized to make use of all that up, and so to interrupt out of our neurotic thoughts into some risk of change in any respect, we have now to boost our power—no matter which means to you. I’m simply going to name it power. Non secular follow of many many many kinds raises power, and so that permits us to chop by way of the neurosis and into one thing new—minimize out of our behavior patterns. Besides, if, if you’re elevating power, and, let’s say you’re doing a mantra follow out loud—om mani padme hum—and we’re doing it, and also you’re simply nonetheless sitting there spinning in your neurosis, your neurotic programs will simply deplete, suck up all of the power, and simply make you spin quicker in your craziness.
So, bear in mind, if you’re doing the mantra, to stick with the mantra, keep along with your coronary heart. Make it possible for further power you’re creating goes in the direction of chopping by way of, not simply spinning in your bullshit, okay? So, once more, the mantra is om mani padme hum, and there’s a there’s a behavior for folks to type of say om manee podmee whom—it’s “padmay,” proper? We type of need to make these ending vowels rhyme or one thing, however they don’t rhyme.
Om mani padme hum
Now, simply resting within the power of that Mantra, staying huge open, stepping outdoors any type of entanglement with thought. Simply resting within the huge open, huge awakeness, and feeling your self breathe. Let’s do this collectively for some time right here. Not less than for a second, simply contact huge openness—even when it’s only for a second. Only a thoughts like open sky, simply completely clear, shiny, unentangled, no creativeness, no thought, simply openness.
Then, from there, let’s perform a little Tonglen, for your self, or for somebody you realize rather well who’s struggling. You breathe in all of the struggling on the in-breath, imagining it to be like black smoke that you just’re inhaling. Sizzling, dusty stuff—thick, tough. Inhaling all of the struggling, taking all of the struggling on your self, and on the out-breath, giving them any peace, any aid, any pleasure, any sweetness, any love, any gentle. So, you’re taking up their ache, giving all of them your aid. We’re doing this from the place of huge openness. That huge openness has an infinite capability to tackle this issue. It’s not prefer it’s simply our personal little character attempting to take it on—that might be an excessive amount of. We’d be overwhelmed. However, as huge openness, skylike, huge awakeness, we have now limitless capability, so we’re taking it on, taking it on, taking it on. Then making a gift of all the nice, all the enjoyment, all of the peace, all of the aid, all of the well being, all of the love, all the sweetness, to them, in order that they really feel aid.
The visualization on the out-breath is like white gentle, so that you’re respiratory on this darkish, darkish smoke of all the issue, after which respiratory out this white gentle of aid, peace, pleasure, well being, love.
Good. Then let’s develop our circle of concern, possibly to 10 or 12 folks we all know. As a result of we have now this infinite capability, we tackle all of their sufferings, and breathe out that a lot aid, that a lot pleasure, that a lot kindness, that a lot love. Don’t maintain again. Discover any worry or reticence to take it on. It’s fascinating, right here we’re not holding again, and we’re not reticent. It’s like a hearth sale on the finish of time, we’re taking all of it on, and making a gift of every thing we’ve obtained.
Excellent. Then, let’s develop our circle of concern once more, to incorporate all of the folks you’ve already been doing, after which everybody on this room. That is our Sangha, that is our follow group, and so we embody them in our giving and taking, our Tonglen follow. So embody the ache, struggling, sickness, difficulties, of everybody on this room. Discover it’s weirder with strangers. Do it anyway. Breathe it in, after which give away all the good things, all the enjoyment, all of the peace, all of the kindness, all of the satisfaction, all of the well being, all of the love, all of the belonging—give it away. Give it away, give it away.
Excellent. And now, let’s develop it another time, to incorporate each being within the universe. Not simply people, with all their struggling—and imagine me, there’s numerous it, but in addition each animal whose house is poisoned or destroyed, or kids who’re killed, or trapped in a vivisection lab someplace. All animals, all alien beings, different worldly beings, in every single place, on each planet. Breathe in all that ache, issue, struggling—actually really feel it as a type of choking black smoke. After which, on the out-breath, give away every thing you’ve obtained. Once more, due to our huge awake consciousness, there’s greater than sufficient capacity to take this all in, and provides away whole aid, soothing the phobia, respiratory peace into the fashion and grief, calming the large sorrow, therapeutic the sick, loving the unloved. And simply discover how that modifications our fundamental stance, from that temper of, effectively, I’m simply going to maintain ensuring my pile of beans is larger than your pile of beans—it’s all type of a zero-sum recreation, to simply give away all of the beans, as a result of there’s no lack of beans.
This follow isn’t about someway having a giant emotional expertise—though that may occur, however that’s probably not the purpose. Simply discover how your coronary heart turns into softer, much less defended, extra open, extra goopy. And the sense of the atomized, divided, guarded, separate, self softens, and opens, and turns into permeable, and even related—possibly even revealed to be what it really is, which is completely nonseparate.
Okay, good. Now you possibly can let go of that, and what I would like you to do is, within the very open manner, your thoughts actually relaxed, unengaged with thought. On every in-breath, really feel the breath going into the decrease dantian, into the spot a number of inches under your navel, proper within the heart of your physique. It’s like an power spot there. Simply really feel the breath going into that, and on the out-breath it flows up the central channel, out the highest of your head, and into house. The out-breath releases every thing into house. So, in-breath, only a regular in-breath—could be gradual, however doesn’t should be enormous or something, only a good breath. Really feel it filling or going into that spot under your navel, not on the pores and skin, however deep within the heart of the physique. Then on the out-breath, it goes up the central channel out the highest of your head, and your thoughts simply dissolves into house, into sky.
For some folks, having seed syllables related to this helps. So, on the in-breath, into the decrease dantian, into the under the navel chakra, we are able to say, om, om to your self, silently, as we breathe into that heart, feeling it energizing and warming. Then on the out-breath, out the highest of your head, thoughts dissolves into house, turns into simply open readability. There the seed syllable we’ll use is hre—hree. It’s actually H, R with a DOT underneath it, I, H with a DOT underneath it, however simply consider it as HREE. Your complete thoughts, all thought, all psychological constructs simply dissolve into huge open house. You possibly can let that out-breath, if you want—in fact, do what’s comfy, however you possibly can let that out-breath be fairly a bit longer than the in-breath. Simply discover how the thoughts simply turns into vapor, and dissolves into house, evaporates into sky, and also you’re simply left with shining awakeness, fully uninvolved with any thought.
On the in-breath, you are able to do it once more, silently, like, “ooooooooooooooh.” Going into that, actually energizing that chakra, actually feeling it crammed with light and heat and peace and power and readability. Then, on the out-breath, it’s HREE—every thing up and out the highest of the top. It simply evaporates within the sky. After all, don’t make any effort to reconstitute the thoughts on the in-breath. It could do this of its personal accord, but when it doesn’t, that’s positive. We’re probably not doing a visualization right here, you don’t should image any of this in creativeness. You simply type of really feel it, or turn out to be it.
Time and again, the thoughts dissolves into house, it evaporates into open, awake, skylike, consciousness. It’s not possible to have any thought there, or, if the ideas are taking place, you’re not attaching to them in any respect, not being with them in any respect. There may be simply awakeness and openness.
Good. Then, on an in-breath, simply drop consciousness into that stomach chakra, and simply keep there, feeling the power there. Remembering we’re not projecting, we’re not imagining that we’re projecting consciousness down from the top, trying on the power heart, we’re simply inside it, feeling it from inside it. Noticing the vibratory, always altering, highly effective, sense of power there, vitality. Simply stick with that, from inside it. You might discover how, with every in-breath, it form of costs up, and with every out-breath, it radiates outward. So, we’re not doing the dissolving the thoughts outdoors, above the top, however reasonably, simply staying with this power heart. As you stick with it, you might discover it get hotter, extra energized, extra apparent.
To the perfect of your capacity, stay fully uninvolved with thought. Once more, we’re not stopping considering—it may possibly do this as a lot because it needs within the background, however simply don’t have interaction, stick with the sensation, the power feeling, within the physique. Doing this visualization, this being nonvisualization, being with the power, you might discover that your entire physique feels type of energized. It could be very simple to deal with that power, and journey it into an altered state from that. Simply do not forget that you may do this, we’re not going to try this, but it surely’s there as a risk.
As an alternative, discover what’s contained in the power heart, contained in the power. Within the power heart, what do you are feeling proper inside it? Proper within the heart—it’s huge openness, huge house, infinite house. When you’re trying on the heart, that’s onerous to see, however in the event you’re in that heart, it’s simply Infinite house—not as a visualization, not as an creativeness, however as a direct feeling. The middle of the physique is open to infinite house. Then, outdoors the physique, like we noticed after we had been doing the HREE, is open to infinite house, inside and outdoors, simply infinite house. There’s no boundary between them, there’s simply huge open, huge awakeness, completely clear and shiny, relaxed and open, together with every thing, excluding nothing. Stay disengaged with any considered any variety. Simply be with the expertise, shiny, clear, crisp, relaxed, spontaneous, openness. Awake, no boundaries of any variety.
Discover the large stillness of this open awakeness—it’s completely nonetheless, completely silent, completely boundless. Brightly, shiningly, awake. Completely nonetheless, clear, silent, openness—though it’s open like sky, the stillness is strong like a diamond, like a mountain of diamond, simply completely rock strong nonetheless. Completely silent.
Good. Now, from this house of nonetheless, silent, huge awakeness, discover the flavors of sensation and motion within the physique. They’re not nonetheless—the sentiments of power, the sentiments of standard sensations, the motion of the breath and the beating of the guts, and so forth. All of the stuff that’s not nonetheless—discover that it isn’t in any manner separate from that stillness. They’re totally different—one is shifting, and one continues to be, however they’re by no means separate. We might virtually say that the actions, the sensations, expressions of the stillness. Hear the sounds of the world round you. They’re totally different than the silence—it’s sound, it’s noise, so totally different from the silence, however by no means separate. Not in any manner separate, ever. You possibly can’t have the sound with out the silence. They arrive collectively.
Discover the actions of the thoughts, with out participating with these actions. The exercise of thought—it’s like a steady babbling brook—so totally different from the stillness, and but by no means separate. The ideas come up out of the stillness, and solely could be due to the stillness. They’re all the time collectively, they comprise the stillness.
Good. In case your eyes are open, discover the world round you—repeatedly in motion, a riot of coloration, form, type. Expression so totally different from the huge boundless, open, readability, however by no means separate from it in any manner. It’s the expression of the openness, the daughter of the house. So, noticing the stillness, the silence, the openness, the readability, and all the sentiments within the physique, all of the sensations of power, all of the thought exercise, all of the sounds, all of the sights, and every thing else—by no means separate. The one requires the opposite, and accommodates it.
Now, I would like you to have a look at what’s having this expertise—don’t give it some thought, don’t attempt to resolve it, don’t think about it, simply look. What’s having the expertise? Is it emotions and thought exercise? Is it stillness, silence, openness? Simply look. Simply look. What’s having this expertise? Look, proper now. Discover it. You possibly can’t discover it by fascinated about it, it’s important to look.
Okay. Let’s finish that there.
Q&A
When you’ve obtained any questions for me, or stuff developing, elevate your hand. Keep in mind that the Web is listening.
Questioner 1: Hello. My query is about working with emotions and feelings, and realizing the house behind them, beneath. I believe it goes by way of realizing vacancy for me, that means, let’s say, if I’m working with anger, and the power of that second, I discover the house is after I spotted the vacancy. However, for another type of feelings, like anxiousness I’ve been sitting with, I discover it extra like a composite, reasonably than an easier type of an emotion…
Michael: It’s simply worry, so it’s an emotion.
Questioner 1: Yeah, proper, and I believe it’s composite as a result of there are a number of issues that I’ve to appreciate, like vacancy of self, of sensory experiences, of there’s additionally greed, there are such a lot of various things inside anxiousness. And the power behind it’s so fiery, and shifting, simply shifting from right here to there. However it’s not clear from the place to the place. It’s not even a thought, it’s simply shifting—very excessive velocity. So, what to do with composite circumstances like that, which is that there are such a lot of issues to dissolve or understand. It’s simply an excessive amount of, too many issues inside it.
Michael: Positive. There’s numerous issues that we give a single identify to, which are fabricated from composite components like that. For instance, the sense of self in any respect is a bunch of ideas and feelings and physique sensations, and reminiscences, and all that. So though we’re calling it a way of self, it’s composed of a bunch of items or components. So, if we have now a powerful sense of capacity to see vacancy, we simply see the vacancy of the entire thing without delay, as a result of even when it’s totally different items, it doesn’t matter, they’re all empty. So we simply see the vacancy . However, if that’s not accessible, then you definately simply break it up into the composite components, and go one by one. Right here’s the emotion half, see the vacancy of that. Right here’s the considering half, see the vacancy of that—like that. And, you simply do it again and again, and ultimately you possibly can see the vacancy of the composite. So, you simply have to take a seat extra, however on this case it’s not simply simply sitting there sitting. You’re being fairly deliberate about what you’re specializing in. That’s only one option to do it. As I say, the concept that there’s a factor there that’s fabricated from different issues is already a building. So, actually, you possibly can simply type of see the constructedness of the entire thing—and that’s vacancy, proper? However that’s tougher, so if that’s not accessible, then we again up and simply break it into items. Divide and conquer, proper?
Questioner 1: However then, after we have a look at the vacancy of the entire thing for anxiousness, what’s that factor? It’s simply the entire.
Michael: Simply have a look at it. Even calling it a complete factor, we’re noticing its constructedness, in order that’s already pointing in the direction of vacancy, proper? So simply the entire expertise, it’s only a psychological fantasy that has elements, however in fact we are able to undergo that one bit at a time and see the vacancy of every of these so-called elements.
Questioner 1: Yeah, I imply, I don’t prefer to undergo that.
Michael: That’s the down and soiled, pedal to the steel vipashyana manner. In any other case, you simply calm down to the expertise and see the vacancy of the entire thing. Tougher to do, however a lot simpler.
Questioner 1: Yeah, thanks.
Michael: Sure, who’s subsequent?
Questioner 2: Hey, so after we had been doing this, and sometimes once I do physique somatic stuff, I used to be feeling numerous power construct up round right here [gesturing to the forehead, brow and bridge of the nose], even when specializing in the dantian. I believe that when that occurs, typically it feels painful, probably not painful sufficient for me to need to cease sitting, however sufficient to have an impulse to repair it, or let it transfer some other place, or let it type of equalize with the dantian down decrease. I ponder, when that occurs, is it higher to actually examine it and look into that. Looking for that the house in between within the center, which type of works, or is that’s digging into that sensation, reifying it someway. Versus attempting to look out and at every thing else except for it.
Michael: The reply is, it relies upon. Generally, that might all be thought of a distraction from what we’re attempting to do, proper? So, in the event you can simply hold going, simply hold going, but when it’s actually turning into an issue—it hurts, or it’s an excessive amount of, then the straightforward repair that’s accessible for some folks is, you simply intend the power to maneuver down. As you get good with working in power, you possibly can intend it, and it’ll simply transfer. It follows intention. In order that’s why, for instance, in the event you’re doing a primary jhana, you possibly can transfer the piti round. It is going to simply transfer wherever your thought goes, as a result of the power follows the thought. So, you simply do the identical factor with the power in your brow—simply convey it down into the dantian, and then you definately’re golden. If none of that’s working, and also you’re getting a headache, and it’s horrible, I might simply say simply cease doing that meditation. However, if you wish to examine the factor, and primarily simply see its
vacancy reasonably than reifying it, however see its openness, its motion high quality, its spaciousness, do this.
Questioner 2: Thanks, I’ll experiment extra.
Michael: Yeah, superb. It’s actually essential usually, after we’re doing the power stuff, though it’s like, right here’s this heart, and we’re meditating on it, and also you’re doing a sound there, and all that. Attempt to not reify any of it. Let it simply be a bizarre dream you’re having. It’s not like there’s an actual heart there—you’re treating it as virtually like a dream or one thing.
Questioner 3: Hey, I’ve a query about coming from a background of vipassana follow.
Michael: What sort of vipassana follow?
Questioner 3: Began with guided meditations, eyes closed, listening to the breath, then every time you see one thing come up,
Michael: Any explicit retreats or something like that?
Questioner 3: Yeah, Spirit Rock.
Michael: Okay, obtained it.
Questioner 3: Yeah, is it sensible to select a route and go along with it? Clearly, it’s all resulting in the identical place, however when it comes to a every day follow, is it sensible to select, okay I’m gonna do that fashion or I’m gonna do that fashion, and do this day-after-day?
Michael: Assuming that you just’ve tried out the menu of types, so that you type of know what’s on the market and what you want, sure. And, it’s not all going to the identical place. Completely different faculties have totally different concepts about the place this goes, and the concepts about the place it goes matter. We had been simply speaking about this earlier than class, you discover what you’re in search of. When you don’t assume there’s one thing past that, you don’t look past that, and so forth. So, understanding the place totally different faculties assume you’re going is essential.
Questioner 3: Okay, thanks.
Michael: I bear in mind, in the event you have a look at the e-book Transformations of Consciousness from about 1985 or one thing, it’s primarily written by Ken Wilbur, however Dan Brown is in there a bit, and Dan did a very fascinating factor. He studied within the unique textual content the Visuddhimagga, so all of the vipassana stuff, after which the unique textual content of Patanjali Yoga Sutras, in order that fashion of meditation. Then—I overlook which Mahamudra textual content, however he studied it in Tibetan, and his conclusion, which I believe is fascinating and supportable, was type of the other of The Perennial Philosophy thought. Truly, every of those three completely totally different traditions had been type of boiling right down to the identical sequence of meditations, however they had been ending up in completely totally different locations, as a result of they had been aiming for various issues, so as a substitute of all paths result in one objective, it was like, all of the paths are equivalent, and the objectives are totally different. So, you may take that or go away it, but it surely’s what you’re getting your self into.
Questioner 3: So, when it comes to discovering a follow to stay to, what would you advocate? Like simply practising and seeing what works? Or, like, when it comes to trying in the direction of the top objective, and seeing is that this one thing that resonates?
Michael: That’s a much bigger query. Once more, strive the totally different practices, to see the place the cylinders are firing. You possibly can actually really feel it. Completely different folks have totally different locations of resonance with totally different practices. But additionally, be taught sufficient concerning the custom to grasp what they are saying the top objective is, after which—and that is vitally essential. That is simply my very own expertise: have a look at what the individuals who do this follow are like. Not simply one in all them, however a bunch of them, as a result of that’s what you’ll find yourself like. [Laughter]
Different stuff developing for people on the market in meditation land?
Questioner 1: So, the second strategy, which you mentioned that you’d have a look at the entire thing and understand the vacancy of it, which is tougher, however simpler. Would you agree that there’s no formulation to that? It simply both occurs or doesn’t, miraculously?
Michael: I wouldn’t say it like that. I might simply say, as I discussed, it’s your facility with recognizing vacancy. That facility is educated, identical to you possibly can be taught to see a sign inside noise, however totally different folks have totally different talents there, primary. Then, quantity two, how a lot coaching have you ever had in seeing the sign within the noise. Over time, that will get simpler and simpler and simpler, the popularity will get clearer and extra apparent, clearer and extra apparent. So it’s not only a random issue, it’s a trainable factor of recognition.
Questioner 1: Okay.
Questioner 4: Yeah, whats up. I’ve a query about need. From awake consciousness, there’s type of an fascinating factor round pleasure, this language of effulgence from awake consciousness, you realize, the place you’ve obtained Shakti because the expression of the enjoyment of the goddess, and vacancy. You possibly can really feel that radiant like a mountain fabricated from diamond. Effectively, you didn’t say a mountain fabricated from like metal or stone, it’s shining shiny, intense, radiant diamond. I’m type of curious concerning the emergence of upper order non-emotions. We’ve talked concerning the need of the Goddess, Shakti. Are you able to speak concerning the manifestation of need from the view—like needs and wishes?
Michael: It’s an fascinating factor. If we’re working within the tantric mode or the Vajrayanic mode, need isn’t one thing to do away with, however neither is it one thing to get all caught in. Relatively, discover that even, as I saved saying, the stillness and the exercise are by no means separate. The exercise comes from the stillness. The stillness is contained by the exercise. In one other manner, they they want one another, and so we are able to get on this transcendent mode of considering that, oh, there’s simply this sort of excellent stillness that wishes nothing, and that’s the perfect factor, however that’s not it, as a result of the right stillness really is pregnant with every thing. All that—every thing, busts out of there, due to need, yeah, but it surely’s not egoic need, it’s the need of the void. I don’t know how you can put it. It’s totally different, it’s very easy to combine up, and it’s very easy to think about that my little worldly wishes actually are the need of goddess, or one thing, which is basically one thing to look out for. However, it’s not like there’s simply this flat land of desirelessness. This all is right here due to need.
Questioner 4: Okay, yeah, thanks.
Questioner 5: I conceptually appreciated the instruction that was like, if you’re visualizing the power form of at your heart, to not visualize, or not even to visualise it, however to not visualize it from the place that we have now our notion of consciousness, which is form of like in our head, which is an creativeness. And so, I appreciated that, however I felt actually caught when that instruction was given. I discovered it very tough to separate from that imagined location. So, I used to be questioning in the event you had any recommendation round getting nearer to that, or how you can break that down a bit of.
Michael: Are you able to discover that the sense that your consciousness is positioned in your head is an creativeness? Are you able to discover that proper now? Is that accessible?
Questioner 5: I believe so.
Michael: So long as you’re clear that it’s imaginary, then you definately don’t should let go of it, or do away with it. It’s only a image in your head. Now, come into the sensation, and you’ll be with it. So don’t attempt to battle that, however in the event you can’t discover that it’s imaginary, then the work is to maintain working with psychological photos till you understand the delicate ones actually matter. The actually wispy delicate psychological photos which are so unconscious we have now a tough time noticing them at first, turn out to be aware sufficient that you just understand—oh, once I shut my eyes, and I think about there’s a room there, that’s imaginary. I imply, I’m not saying there’s not a room, however there’s an image in your head. Identical factor with the concept that consciousness is positioned in my head. That’s a psychological picture, and so in the event you can, it’s important to work on with the ability to discover that, so that you by no means actually should separate them, as a result of it’s not actual. However, distinguishing, which is possibly what you meant by separating, sure. After which, you simply really feel your stomach, and let go of the type of psychological picture that there’s a highlight of consciousness in your head that’s beaming down on some chakra in your stomach. Noticing that it’s all simply in the best way, all of that’s simply further mind power wasted. So, we let go of all that and are available into the stomach. May take some time to be taught to do it, but it surely’s not studying to do one thing new, it’s simply distinguishing.
Questioner 5: Okay. Thanks.
Michael: Okay, thanks in your questions all people, and for meditating with me, and we’ll see you subsequent week.
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