Nontwin Guided Meditation with Michael Taft
Let’s start. What I need you to do is simply, form of, settle again into your seat, your asana. I need you to only test in with your self to see what it’s prefer to be you proper now, feeling your physique and your feelings and taking the climate report in your thoughts and your entire being. No matter’s occurring simply let that be utterly okay, even when it’s actually disagreeable for now, simply let that be simply the best way it’s and that’s high quality. So we’re checking in with ourselves, seeing what it’s prefer to be you proper now, and nonetheless that’s, is good for now.
Good, and now I’d such as you to only do a slight imaginal journey with me right here and picture that you just’re sitting like an ocean, like a boundless, huge ocean. It has that stunning placidity and leisure of water, there’s zero pressure in any a part of it. It’s actually free and open. We’re not shifting in any manner anymore we’re merely resting as water, huge, open, and on this case, completely clear water. So simply faux to be sitting like an ocean no matter which means for you and see if yow will discover that sense of relaxation, that sense of leisure, and ease, and a few sense of actual openness and readability. And see that focus or focus could also be tight however consciousness itself is like this ocean.
Consciousness itself is of course relaxed and comfy, naturally broad open and easy, naturally clear. And permit consciousness to note, with out effort and with out focusing, with none consideration in any respect, simply permit this wide-open consciousness to note the rising and falling of the breath. If you wish to you might even see it as a wave within the ocean however minimally, simply let your already broad open, awake consciousness simply discover that the breath is rising and falling. Don’t put any pressure on it, no tightness, no focus, simply broad open, noticing that the breath, the wave of the breath rises and falls within the huge ocean of wide-open consciousness. It doesn’t take any effort in any respect. It’s simple and relaxed.
I need you to only hold permitting consciousness to note that breath wave, once more, with out pressure, with out focus, simply know that it’s taking place. And you’ll hold it nearly just like the heartbeat or background of the apply. And as you’re doing that I invite you to do some bodily leisure starting along with your head and face. So simply invite particularly your face to only let go of any fastened expression or tightness or pressure, not stretching or shifting, however simply permitting pressure to empty from the face and get replaced with a way of ease and peace within the face. So that you just discover your brow muscular tissues enjoyable just a little bit and feeling form of good in your eyebrows and particularly the tense muscular tissues round your eyes launch and calm down, your eyelids let go, your cheeks and mouth and lips calm down, and your jaw releases to the place the place your higher and decrease enamel should not touching. And simply discover that that already brings a deeper sense of ease, a deeper sense of letting go that you may tune into. It doesn’t require any effort, it’s only a form of letting go of effort, letting go of tightening on function, simply releasing that.
After which, let’s do the identical factor with our neck and throat, and shoulders, releasing any pressure and changing that with openness and ease, and house. Now what generally occurs is: if folks discover pressure in a spot, they’ll begin to struggle it, and attempt to do away with it and all that, and that’s not what we’re doing. It’s merely no matter you may discover that you may simply let go, simply let go and revel in that. And something that stays–desires to remain tense, then don’t struggle it, simply let it’s the best way it’s.
If you end up getting drowsy, go forward and open your eyes and sit up just a little straighter. It makes it just a little simpler. You understand there’s the muscle in your throat that when you calm down, it makes your voice deeper. It’s only a form of leisure. So when you can calm down that, go forward and try this. And simply really feel now how your face and neck and throat and shoulders are. There’s just a bit extra ease. There’s just a little extra space. And permit your arms and wrists and fingers and fingers to only go completely limp, limp like moist noodles, zero pressure. No want in any respect to do something along with your arms or fingers or fingers. And see how good that feels, you would possibly even really feel just a little additional blood stream, or some tingling in your fingers due to the comfort. And so now simply discover that the arms really feel good and the shoulders and neck and throat really feel good and the face feels good, or a minimum of just a little extra relaxed, just a little extra open. And simply tune into that as a form of basic expression of the relaxed ease and openness of your already present spacious consciousness which is sort of a huge open ocean. Simply tune into that. And drop now extra deeply into letting go, noticing the rising and falling of that breath wave with none effort, and the way good it feels to only launch and open. Unsleeping, very clear, very shiny, and really relaxed.
When you can simply launch any pressure in your diaphragm, in your stomach, let that calm down and be comfy. Your decrease again area to round your kidneys simply opens up, takes half within the respiration, lets go just a little bit. After which discover, within the pelvic area, any pressure there enjoyable and opening, and your hips–your hip joints–releasing. Perhaps your legs fall, simply naturally fall open, simply barely extra and your legs themselves grow to be limp like moist rags, no pressure of any sort.
And also you discover how this type of relaxed, tension-free openness brings you to a spot of sitting nonetheless with none pressure in any respect. That is the sitting nonetheless of letting go and releasing.
And see how, as your physique turns into extra spacious feeling and open and releases and lets go, the core of your thoughts can simply form of calm down and nearly soften, possibly simply soften into the ocean. In order that the core of the thoughts itself is spacious and comfy grabbing onto nothing, holding on to nothing, releasing and opening, and letting be.
And let’s simply sit with that collectively, awake, shiny and clear, an enormous ocean of consciousness noticing the wave of the breath rising and falling with none effort. When you discover the thoughts grabbing onto one thing, simply calm down permit it to fall again open with none effort. And no matter it was grabbing onto simply toddles off. Every time the thoughts grabs on, simply calm down, let that open, and let no matter it grabbed onto simply go on its merry manner.
The thoughts right here is sort of a huge spacious open ocean, grabbing onto, hanging onto nothing in any respect, merely noticing the rising and falling of the breath with none pressure or consideration. Good, excellent, now let go of even noticing that breath wave and simply permit consciousness itself to relaxation in itself, noticing the large openness and ease of consciousness. It’s already there, there’s nothing to do, it’s already current but in addition it’s large stability. If, for no matter cause, that’s too difficult, simply hold noticing the breath wave. In any other case, we are able to use consciousness itself as its personal meditation object, merely resting in consciousness of itself with none effort, it’s already conscious, nothing to do.
Now, if I used to be a standard instructor, I’d yell actually loud proper now however as a substitute, I’m simply going to ring this bell. We’re going to proceed meditating however I’m simply going to ring the bell as soon as simply to form of brighten issues up in right here a bit. So bell’s coming. Let’s take heed to that bell.
Good. Now we’re going to do one thing barely extra energetic. I need you to easily discover no matter feelings are arising, if any are arising, and spot that these feelings which might be arising are empty. That means: they’re there, you may really feel the emotion but it surely’s additionally form of not there, it’s like a mirrored image in a mirror, or like a rainbow or a cloud. There’s a sense tone of emotion that’s there and on the identical time, it’s received a sure form of nebulosity, which we historically name vacancy. And if there aren’t any feelings there, then discover that feeling of emotional peace or relaxation, and spot the vacancy of that as properly. So every time emotion arises of any kind, regardless of how small, we’re simply noticing its vacancy, very simply, very naturally. It’s not one thing you might seize and hold on to. It’s not one thing you might put in a field. It’s not one thing you might label and place in a show case, it’s repeatedly shifting, altering, and in a manner, nearly like a mirrored image of an emotion–there and never there. Though you’re feeling issues, you may by no means actually outline it or pinpoint it or decide on a closing description. It’s repeatedly shifting and altering and nebulous. Discover that property of any feelings or moods or emotions which might be arising. In our conceptual thoughts we need to make them into distinct issues but when we’re permitting consciousness to contact it freely and brazenly and instantly we discover it’s not a factor.
Good. Now persevering with to try this, discover the identical factor about any considering that’s occurring, any form of considering. Ideas are arising, however we are able to’t inform the place they’re coming from, they’re staying for a short time, however repeatedly altering after which they vanish and we don’t know the place they went. So, similar to with the sentiments, with the feelings, it’s very arduous to say {that a} thought is a factor or one thing we are able to seize onto. And particularly when you’re utilizing thought constructs to attempt to information your meditation, or do it proper, or decide your self about it, all of that’s simply the identical factor; simply the arising and passing of a way of motion within the thoughts however nothing you may hold on to. It’s possible you’ll attempt to hold on to it, you could attempt to relaxation in it but it surely by no means rests, it’s not dependable like that, it’s empty. Ideas are like shining projections on nothing, simply there, but in addition form of not there.
Discover that now. It’s nearly like on this huge open ocean of shiny clear consciousness that could be very awake there are simply ripples of thought and ripples of feeling, nonetheless simply extra ocean, not one way or the other completely different, nothing to hold onto. Now let’s do the identical factor with any concrete seeming physique sensations, all that discomfort in your legs, or some feeling in your again, or no matter is occurring merely arising in consciousness like ripples within the water, not one way or the other completely different than the water, not one way or the other capable of injure the water or hurt the water, there however not there. Ideas, feelings, physique sensations all merely like desires, like clouds, like reflections within the water, there but in addition not there. Simply let go, don’t hold on, there’s nothing to hold on to. If it’s tightening, simply calm down. Discover that the huge house of consciousness, the ocean of consciousness is undisturbed, it’s completely comfy, open and restful no matter what’s arising. Feelings are empty, ideas are empty, physique sensations are empty.
Now discover that even that sense of being you has that very same high quality, it’s like a mirrored image in a mirror, there however not there. That entire story of you; likes and dislikes, your historical past, the what you’re like, and the place you’re coming from all of that’s merely a mirrored image within the mirror of consciousness. It’s positively there, it’s simply additionally form of not there. It’s like a dream, desires are there however whenever you get up the place are they? Discover that that entire sense of self is sort of a dream. Don’t be the sense of self. Be what notices it. Discover that even the concept you’re doing a meditation, am I doing it proper? am I doing it flawed? how am I doing this? its going properly, this isn’t going properly, that’s all simply empty ideas, just a few passing thought and feeling, like ripples within the ocean of consciousness, completely empty, completely to not be held onto.
And once we lastly really discover our personal already current, completely easeful, open awakeness it’s all the time been there since beginningless time, we discover that that’s simply high quality, that’s at peace. But it surely’s additionally playful and spontaneous and really alive, not caught up in a narrative, recent and current and pure. It’s by no means not been there, it’s by no means not been the bottom of your individual being, nothing to repair, nothing to vary, broad open, completely current.
When consciousness acknowledges itself, acknowledges what it’s all the time been it feels a form of pleasure. It’s simply the enjoyment of openness, the enjoyment of no constriction, and in addition the enjoyment of connection. There’s no lack of connection and togetherness. Simply discover that kindness and pleasure and connection radiating out in all instructions, bringing aid in all instructions to everybody in all places. Kindness, peace, and ease to all beings in all places.
Good. Go forward and let go of the apply. Be at liberty to maneuver and stretch.
Dharma Speak
You may additionally discover that the spaciousness, the openness, the wakefulness, the notice doesn’t go away, didn’t go anyplace. It’s nonetheless there as a result of we’re not producing it, or one way or the other by getting in simply the proper spot of meditation making it occur, or one thing like that. It’s all the time there. We’re simply getting nonetheless sufficient to note that. Whenever you tune into that over and over, as a result of it’s all the time there to tune into, finally, as a substitute of the concept of you tuning into it, you kind of understand that you just’re simply returning to the place you’re already at, or form of recognizing what’s already there. The extra that occurs the extra it’s form of a humorous factor.
I believe I used to be mentioning this verse from Rumi Jalaluddin the opposite day. It’s fairly well-known and I gained’t quote the poem appropriately however the poem is describing the anguish and angst and energy of knocking on the door and knocking on the door attempting to get inside after which realizing, oh, I’m knocking from the within, already there. All of that was simply form of like a mistake or a humorous sport, I’m already right here there was nothing to do and that’s the sensation. That’s the sensation once we acknowledge our personal awakeness. It’s such as you’ve been attempting to do the meditation proper, and also you’ve been attempting to get concentrated, and also you’ve been, , you’re warring with distraction, otherwise you’re warring along with your kleshas, otherwise you’re warring with you are feeling too drained otherwise you really feel too–what’s the correct time period I’m on the lookout for right here? the phrase that’s arising is feisty that’s not the precise phrase I’m on the lookout for. Flighty, just a little flighty, , simply form of an excessive amount of velocity in your head so that you’re attempting to vary that, otherwise you’re simply always combating with the system to love get it proper. Received to get it proper.
And that’s the identical factor, I’m knocking and knocking and knocking, and you then understand you’re knocking from the within. There was nothing to get proper there as a result of it’s the notice that’s already there, that’s already steady, that’s already clear, that’s already awake, that’s already utterly free and joyous. There’s nothing to vary about it. And unexpectedly, you may simply calm down, it’s okay. The notice is already awake. After which, you tighten up and neglect that once more, however simply calm down and acknowledge once more, after which calm down and acknowledge once more. When you acknowledge that even just a little bit, and you then get form of assured, oh yeah, I’m recognizing it.
You may’t ever neglect what that’s as a result of it’s simply–it’s such an uncommon factor. Have you ever ever learn in A Stranger in a Unusual Land they speak about how Michael Valentine Smith pushes folks 90 levels to all the pieces. It simply disappears them on this kind of magic manner within the ebook, said as a form of geometry. Like there’s a spot 90 levels from all the pieces and that’s kind of what it seems like the notice permeates all the pieces however in one other humorous manner it’s 90 levels from all the pieces that we’ve been taught to concentrate to, like emotion, and naturally, emotion is extraordinarily necessary, useful lovely, helpful, deep, wealthy, generally disturbing, upsetting, life-wrecking, generally an important factor and most therapeutic factor.
And so, there’s no sense wherein I’m saying that’s not necessary or not there. But in addition it’s completely different than we predict it’s as a result of it’s a mirrored image or arising in consciousness. When you didn’t comprehend it was there, that’s completely different. Identical factor with ideas and for many of us both our ideas or our feelings are going to be form of central to gluing our sense of self collectively, often each. However a few of us are extra like form of psychological assemble folks, a few of us are extra, , deep emoters, however everybody’s received each of these occurring. However within the case of ideas, it’s very easy to only glom onto these and seize onto them and never–I don’t simply imply phrases, it’s not simply phrases, like we have a tendency to consider ideas as just like the sentences in our heads, but it surely’s additionally simply the general buildings, the ideas, the frames that we’re setting issues in, and the perspective. I don’t imply visible
viewpoint, I imply form of our sense of the place we’re in comparison with them. All that’s coming beneath the phrase thought or let’s imagine thought assemble, or ideas and all in the identical manner because the feelings, that’s there. We are able to construct an airplane utilizing that and it’ll fly and the stuff is beneficial but it surely’s additionally completely different than what we predict it’s. It’s reflecting, it’s an arising in consciousness, like a ripple in an ocean and it’s not separate from the ocean. It’s not one thing to seize onto.
Identical to feelings, you may’t hold your hat on it, you may’t relaxation on it, you may’t try to be that. And that’s all we do is try to be these issues. And once we try to be these issues, we discover time and again, that you may’t really try this and that’s irritating. So we attempt to repeatedly wrestle to make these one way or the other steady, one way or the other a spot to relaxation, one way or the other one thing to be. And so they by no means may be that. And there wasn’t a millisecond in your whole life the place you’ve been that. That’s like believing you’re the avatar in your online game. It’s there, you may see it, however that’s not one thing you may be. However what’s noticing that? How do you even comprehend it’s there?
Once more, the notice is central. It’s how there’s a thought assemble there in any respect, or what the thought assemble is. And so, the sport right here is to to not do it proper, or to not be the right thought assemble, or to not have the right emotion, or to one way or the other stabilize these, or one way or the other make these all come into focus good, however slightly to only cease grabbing on to any of that lengthy sufficient to only discover the factor that’s all the time there.
The noticing itself. The noticing itself. And that’s what I imply, it’s form of 90 levels to all the pieces as a result of we’ve by no means been skilled to try this. It’s actually really fairly simple however as a result of we’ve by no means been skilled to do it, it feels just like the weirdest factor on the planet. And the usual formulation, the usual form of like–when you get into kind of the traditions and the scriptures and stuff what they are going to say is that it’s–I’ll neglect the total checklist–however that it’s like really easy you simply can’t consider you’re doing it proper. And it’s so apparent that you may’t consider that that’s what persons are attempting to get you to see, and it’s so good you may’t consider that that’s actually it. There’s yet another, I can’t bear in mind what it’s proper now, but it surely’s like actually that simple, and actually that apparent, and actually that good. When you form of get the hold of what we’re attempting to get you to note, which is the noticing.
In a bunch of my lessons, we’ve been going via this lovely translation of a poem a Sixteenth-century Tibetan poet and grasp, Jigmé Lingpa. The ebook is translated by Ken McCleod, it’s referred to as A Trackless Path. However in there, he says one thing actually fascinating, which is: as a substitute of glomming onto the arising, be what is aware of the arising, be what notices it. And he has a very fascinating metaphor for that, he says that’s like being an oak peg within the arduous floor. It’s a really odd metaphor when you consider it. All these traditions speak about house and openness and ease and there’s nothing to hold onto however he’s saying that sense of coming from consciousness itself, openness, not a thought assemble, not any form of assemble, however simply consciousness, even consciousness, not as a assemble not as a factor, that has this property of being like an oak peg within the arduous floor.
And though it too is empty, it does have this fascinating sense of being tremendous steady and really unruffled, though plenty of issues are altering. It has this sense it’s all the time been there, it’s by no means been completely different. And so forth now we’re not deifying that or refining that into the one everlasting factor, it’s nonetheless empty as I’m saying however nonetheless it has this property of–in comparison with
the constructs–of being like an oak peg within the arduous floor. It’s very fascinating once we study to meditate by, let’s say, specializing in the breath, which is a fantastic factor to do, I imply please try this, it’s an amazing meditation. We’re form of borrowing the soundness of the breath to stabilize our thoughts, proper? Or let’s say, you’re meditating on a cushion in entrance of you, we’re form of borrowing the soundness of that visible presentation to nonetheless our thoughts. However finally, as you try this form of meditation an increasing number of and extra you understand the factor itself is just not steady in any respect, it was simply comparatively steady.
However the extra you discover it the extra–relying on the way you’re doing the meditation–you would possibly see it flip right into a form of like buzzy tremendous vibratory static or simply instantly see its vacancy, which is like only a reflection. And so the factor that you’re utilizing to stabilize the thoughts, finally, you see is totally unstable and what’s really steady is what’s like Thoughts with a capital M. The notice itself is tremendously steady and the objects of consciousness should not. And so, we are able to permit what’s already there nothing particular, simply the truth that you’re awake, proper, now to be its personal stability.
It’s very fascinating, it’s very highly effective, it’s form of liberating, or I might say radically liberating.
Particularly the extra you discover that that’s all the time obtainable, all the time obtainable and that’s whenever you’re like, oh I’ve been knocking and knocking to get inside to the nice place however I’m knocking from inside, the nice place I completely received it like I’m already there. It’s already there, I didn’t must make it, I didn’t have to love crawl my manner there. It’s already there. So good, that’s my raving for this night. Any questions or feedback and even stories from you all?
Questioner 1: What’s the perform of this not shifting within the meditation?
Michael: Complete leisure.
Questioner 1: What in regards to the ache that’s increase?
Michael: Yeah, so if ache is increase then primary be happy subsequent time to sit down within the wiggle room and never expertise that ache, that’s nice. However as you get an increasing number of used to sitting like this, you’ll discover that the ache doesn’t come up as a result of your physique simply will get used to sitting nonetheless, or if it does, that turns into one other object to note the vacancy of and means that you can join extra deeply with the notice that’s noticing. It’s really actually, actually useful to sit down nonetheless however you don’t need to do it earlier than you’re prepared as a result of then it’s form of simply agony, which is why we kindly present the opposite house. Ultimately although, you’ll discover that whenever you calm down sufficient your physique simply–that’s what I used to be saying we don’t keep nonetheless rigidly, we’re not holding ourselves nonetheless right here, you’re enjoyable to the purpose the place you may’t transfer as a result of when you have been to attempt to transfer you’d must tense again up. And When you get used to doing that and also you sit such as you’re sitting in a manner that you just’re used to sitting, your physique will discover this spot the place it might probably sit, the place it simply feels good the entire time.
So it simply takes just a little getting used to, however when you’re used to it, it’s like there’s form of a BING! You simply need to simply be so relaxed and open that you just simply, form of, can’t transfer. So it’s actually finally very, very good.
After I was first studying to sit down this fashion it was like jail and oh I simply gotta make it via it, and that may be helpful. Really, plenty of traditions work with that but it surely’s okay to not push it additional than you may push it proper now. However finally, you’ll discover–it’d take months or years or no matter–however finally, you simply sit there and it simply feels good to only actually calm down. As a result of on a regular basis you’re prepared to maneuver–that is the humorous factor–readiness to maneuver is like 15-20 p.c pressure within the muscular tissues. That’s what readiness is. And so when you let go of that, actually let go of it, you agree right into a form of stillness that could be very, very nice after which your thoughts will begin to calm down. So the physique and thoughts are one factor, proper? In order that large leisure fashion stillness within the bodily physique begins to induce relaxed open stillness within the thoughts, whereas if we’re retaining the physique actually tense and that’s like we’re attempting to maintain the thoughts tense. Typically we attempt to get thought-free by retaining the thoughts tense. That doesn’t assist. It completely doesn’t work. Or , if we’re simply always fidgeting and scratching and altering our hair and zipping and unzipping our garments, or no matter, our thoughts simply will do the identical factor. So finally, we simply study that actually, , that is even the key of jhana. The key of jhana is just not one way or the other excessive focus, it’s really studying the best way to calm down, actually calm down. As a result of once we actually calm down the physique, the thoughts actually relaxes, and as a substitute of being some form of tight management that’s the true actual focus, the thoughts is simply completely nonetheless. And it comes from opening, releasing, letting go, liberating pressure, proper? In order that’s why we’re sitting nonetheless, okay?
Yeah however, , one factor I’ll say is typically it feels along with your legs like in the event that they go to sleep they’re gonna–you’re gonna be performed meditating and your proper leg from the knee down will simply snap off or one thing and that’s not gonna occur. They simply get just a little numb generally as a result of the nerve is simply barely pressed just a bit bit and so long as you stand up sluggish they’ll be utterly high quality. Nice query although, thanks. What else?
Questioner 2: Is there some extent past which we are able to’t go? Is there some extent that’s really invisible once we attempt to focus the notice? In different phrases, I used to be stunned how a lot I might really feel that occuring however mentally I’m considering I want to have the ability to decide the factor up and take a look at it which implies you’re separate from it.
Michael: Yeah, and in order that’s coming from idea, proper? That’s coming from the concept: there’s me over right here consciousness over there and so naturally such as you’re saying, you get that feeling of–I’ve received to have the ability to decide it up and take a look at it or maintain it or deal with it. However you may let go of each little bit of that and since consciousness is conscious it doesn’t require any focus. You don’t have to have a look at it with tight consideration in any manner, it’s already conscious of itself. It’s not a factor that you just’re placing into focus, it’s already there. In any other case, you’d be useless or unconscious or one thing. Is there an expertise taking place proper now?
Questioner 2: There’s a consciousness…
Michael: No, reply the query. Is there an expertise taking place?
Questioner 2: Yeah
Michael: That’s it. You simply did it, you don’t must tighten it in any respect to have a look at it in some particular manner. That’s what I imply. It’s really easy that you may’t consider it. It’s simply that nakedness of the truth that there’s expertise. So something you’re doing to attempt to get an angle on it or flip round to have a look at, all of that’s simply nonsense. And I did it for years, so I completely relate to why you’re doing it but it surely’ll be fairly literal, throw it out, simply come again to it’s already conscious of itself. It’s that simple.
Okay. does that make sense to you? Are you able to do it proper now? Yeah? No?
Questioner 2: Sure.
Michael: Okay, proper. It’s proper there, no focus vital. So isn’t it fascinating, we form of make what I’d name like a cartesian theater in our head, like okay there’s a me over right here and I gotta put it up that factor over there. All of that’s simply including stuff in that doesn’t must be there.
So simply each time you discover your self doing that, simply drop it, it’s only a waste of time.
Okay, superior, nice query. Other people?
Questioner 3: You mentioned one thing just a little bit earlier that the place you have been form of speaking about thought and movement and my query is how do you are feeling as if thought and movement aren’t completely different from one another and the way the perform of them is completely different?
Michael: It’s an advanced query as a result of it’s like on many alternative layers, proper? And so within the context of this dialogue, I’ll simply reply briefly though there’s extra to it. I’d say in essentially the most form of childlike common manner we discover that ideas are both sounds or photos, proper? They’re going to be speak speak speak or photos or even when they’re deep ideas they’re going to have that form of construction, whereas feelings are going to be a physique sensation mainly, we would have concepts in regards to the emotion however that comes again to ideas. The feelings themselves really feel like a form of motion within the physique. So to place it in kind of an experiential however possibly childlike manner; ideas are going to be sounds and photos, and feelings are going to be emotions in your physique, okay? So what’s fascinating is as we go deeper and deeper with these all of them begin seeming like a form of motion and finally they kind of come collectively into one factor, proper, and it’s simply stuff shifting. After which finally you acknowledge it’s simply consciousness shifting, it’s not even a factor, it’s like an empty phantom in consciousness.
And but once more, once we say empty it feels like I imply nothing however I don’t imply nothing, there’s an expertise there. However as we go deeper and deeper into what we might name the thoughts sense, proper, it appears to only be an increasing number of motion, no matter which means. After which the motion–like I used to be saying, like ripples on the ocean of consciousness–are simply fabricated from extra consciousness. You understand that the ideas and emotions and physique sensations and even the world round you, it’s not fabricated from something however consciousness. Though it’s not fabricated from it but it surely’s not completely different than it did anyway so however to get into the perform and all that, that’s an entire different…
I’ll say I don’t know. Does that reply your query in any respect?
Questioner 3: Yeah.
Michael: Okay. Good. Sure?
Questioner 4: So that you’re speaking about consciousness as a part of the self and to me…
Michael: I by no means mentioned that.
Questioner 4: Okay, are you speaking about consciousness? However what in regards to the will? Is the desire assumed beneath consciousness or is it a separate factor? Or is it…
Michael: Whenever you say the desire what do you imply?
Questioner 4: I don’t merely have the sense that I’m conscious, I even have the sense that I can do issues. I can do no matter I need.
Michael: The place does that come from? How have you learnt what you need?
Questioner 4: I select it.
Michael: How have you learnt what to decide on? Like so that you select to, I don’t know, go to the lavatory?
Questioner 4: It’s a mix between figuring out and selecting, kind of.
Michael: All I’d say is look actually carefully on the concept of will and inform me the place it comes from and when you determined it. Simply in your individual expertise look actually carefully. As a result of I can sit right here and say I believe it’s this or that however I don’t know the reality of the universe, I simply invite you to see if that factor of like properly…
Questioner 4: I simply do it as a result of I need to.
Michael: Okay, properly look into the wanting actually how do you even know you need that? The place does that come from? It’s an fascinating factor to look deeply at.
Questioner 4: The wanting is just not the necessary factor, I didn’t will something even one thing I don’t need to I can watch nothing and I’ve 5 choices in entrance of me I simply will this one.
Michael: Okay, discover that second of keen then. The place does that come from? Look actually carefully. When does it–is there a second earlier than the keen? What’s there earlier than the keen? And what’s modified as soon as, proper in that second, when that sense of keen it seems? And the place did it come from? Test it out. I assure that will likely be fascinating.
Questioner 4: Okay
Michael: It’s extra necessary than my concepts about this or that. Simply look into your individual expertise.
Okay, superior. Time smart I ought to go right here. I really would like to hold speaking and actually get pleasure from being privileged to hang around with you guys and listen to your questions and stuff.
