Awareness Teachings
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biographical information
Lama Willa Miller is a meditation teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She has studied and practiced meditation for the last twenty years, training with Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, Venerable Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche, Lama Norlha Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche, and other teachers.
She completed two seminary trainings [three-year retreats] at Kagyu Thubten Choling in upstate New York, becoming authorized as a lama, a Buddhist minister, upon completion of her training. Before and after her retreats, she spent time in Nepal, Tibet, and India, studying Buddhism and engaging in service work.
She currently lives in Arlington, MA with her husband and two dogs, where she writes, teaches Tibetan Buddhist practice and meditation, principally with Natural Dharma Fellowship. She is also working towards a PhD at Harvard University.
Lama Willa is author of the upcoming book Everyday Dharma: Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You (2009, Quest Books), a practical guide for getting started on the spiritual path.
To follow Lama Willa on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/everydaydharma .
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A few excerpts from http://lamapalmo.googlepages.com/questionofthemonth
June 2009
Teaching excerpt :
In the space of non-conceptual emptiness,
Cut the root of conceptual mind.
Having cut, relax.
--Sukhasiddhi (10th century Tibetan female saint)
Sukhasiddhi is one of the two female founders of the Shangpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Her teachings are still practiced the world over by Tibetan Buddhists in a number of lineages. Unlike so many other previous Buddhist masters, Sukha--who lived in Kashmir-- did not begin her training as a young woman--she did not even begin practicing the spiritual path until she was 59, and she attained enlightenment at 62 years old. Age is not an issue when it comes to waking up. In the instructions above, she offers a profound pith instruction that is also a simple three-step meditation instruction. How does Sukkha recommend we meditate?First, we need to become acquainted with the space-like nature of mind, which is non-conceptual emptiness. While the expressions of mind--thoughts, sense perceptions, emotions--are deeply tied to conceptual mind, the nature of mind is naturally empty, luminous and non-conceptual. This nature of mind permeates all experience, but is altered by none. This nature is the "space of non-conceptual emptiness".
Second, we need to cut the root of conceptual mind. Does this mean we should stop thinking? The point is not to stop thinking...it would be a real challenge to stop thoughts. But we can cut our attachment and involvement with thoughts. That is what is meant by "cut the root". If we cut the root of attachment, the tree of conceptual distractions, negative emotions and obscurations cannot grow.Another way to understand this instruction is that we should continually cut off--again and again--our involvement with chains of thinking. Instead of following after our conceptual stories, what would happen if we just cut the cord on the story and let it disappear into space? This is sometimes called "the practice of the self-liberation of thoughts". If we loosen our attachment to concepts, they are naturally self-pacifying.
The third instruction is to relax. After you cut the cord of attachment to and involvement with conceptuality, the only thing left to do is relax into the spacious, luminous nature of mind. It is a great relief that meditaiton is--ultimately-- a process of relaxing, not the just the superficial relaxation of "taking it easy" but a deep "taking it easy" that allows the mind to find its own nature, its place of deepest rest. The relaxation of meditation means that you have nothing to do other than simply be. Simple presence is enough.
In these instructions, Sukkhasiddhi offers the key to a profoundly meaningful and effective meditation, which can become--over time--the cause for enlightenment. Let’s try this meditation: It can take as little as three minutes.
Sit, breathe, relax.Rest in the space-like nature of mind. This is the inner space in which all thoughts arise. You do not have to create this space—it has always been there. Without it, there would be no room for the unfolding of myriad experiences.
Relax into it. Breathe. Be cradled by your inner space-like, open, non-conceptual nature.
Cut the root: Release your attachment to and involvement with the trains of thought that present themselves. Be open to all sound, without blocking or following sounds. Be open to all thought, without blocking some thoughts and following after others. Be like a shepherd (your awareness), observing the play of her flock (your thoughts).
Finally, relax. Let yourself sink into this very present moment without needing to plan, to create, to remember, to do. Be effortless and deeply relaxed.The key to meditation is deeply letting go. Through learning to deeply let go, we begin to experience the magic of the present moment, and open the space to know the nature of mind. For beginners, this simple meditation, done a little every day, offers a taste of the real meaning of meditation. For more advanced students, this meditation reinforces the essence of all dharma practice.
December, 2008
Student question:
In the Dzogchen and Mahamudra traditions (of Tibetan Buddhism), is awareness the same as mind?
Answer:
That is a great question. Awareness is mind, in a way. But awareness is not superficial mind. It is not mind’s conceptualizing. It is not mental contrivance. The term “awareness” [and “organic awareness”] means something specific. It does not mean “awareness of”, in the sense of “I am aware of a sound”. It is not dualistic. It refers—not to mind’s form or content—but to the nature of mind. Awareness is the nature, the pervasive essence, of mind’s appearances, mind’s conceptualizing and mind’s activities. It is not thought, but it pervades thought. It’s not emotion, but it pervades emotion. It’s not sense experience, but it pervades sense experience. That pervasive quality is what is meant by “organic”. Think of milk mixed into water
What is this thing—this awareness—that pervades our mental experience? Awareness is the very simple dimension of mind that knows it’s own nature. It is the dimension of mind that is wise, in and of itself. It is the aspect of mind that is barely, nakedly, purely and reflexively aware and awake. It is mind that is untouched by the storm of thoughts and emotions that blow through us every minute of every day. Awareness is Buddha-nature. It is the deep mind behind the veil of changing thoughts and emotions.
What pure awareness is exactly is not always immediately clear. At least, it was not clear to me when I was first introduced to this idea. But in one way, it’s very accessible to beginners, even more accessible than it is to some seasoned practitioners, because it is so simple and so all-pervasive. While a beginner has access to this simplicity, seasoned meditators sometimes make awareness into something complicated, or something mystical. Seasoned meditators might sometimes need to focus more than beginners on de-mystifying and un-complicating their approach to awareness.
How can we touch it, how can we know it? It is easier than we might think. You are hearing me talk right now. And you’re thinking: putting things together and figuring out. You are processing, and following your train of though about “awareness”. Or else you might not be listeinging and are thinking about something else entirely. So for a moment now, just look inwards and say: “Who is asking this thinking, who is listening? Who is feeling?” Just the bare “who”, the naked “who”, the one who is perceiving, feeling, knowing--in the very beginning, before there’s figuring out.—that’s awareness. Before there’s figuring out, before there’s putting things together, there’s a simple, pure moment of experience. This simple pure moment of experience, before conceptual overlay, is the moment of bare awareness. It is a moment of freshness. It is a moment of sudden spaciousness, even infiniteness. Catching that moment is like catching the first wave of knowing awareness.
Do you see this as I talk about it? Do you experience it? If not, give it time. Practice looking into this moment, glancing back at the watcher, and see if you can slip into a fresh state.
The practice of knowing awareness is a practice of tuning into that pure moment of experience. It is a non-dual, non-conceptual moment before there’s a conceptual overlay or figuring out. But saying “before” is also a little misleading, because—even with all the conceptual overlay—you are experiencing awareness right now. It is not something you will unearth in the future, but rather something that you realize you have had all along. It sounds simple, and it is. But it takes some time to recognize, because we’re so caught up in the trails and trains of thought and conceptuality that follow on the heels of that pure awareness. So, the moment of awareness is always happening, and conceptuality—all your thoughts, feelings, sense experience-- is flowing out from that. Therefore, to get in touch with just that luminous, non-conceptual source of everything, is also to get in touch with this pure moment, the pureness of the moment that is always happening. In other words, to know awareness involves being in this very present moment. The more in the “now” you get, the more you will experience and become familiar with awareness.
Most of the time, we are involved in “other times”: in the past or in the future. We are caught up in being anxious about what might come, or planning for the future. Or we are ruminating on what we did, or how we could have done it better. We rarely fully and purely experience what is in front of us in this very moment: the sacred present. This is generally how we live. But, even so, I think everyone has had an experience with the sacred present. Children are more susceptible to slipping into a true moment of being fully present, as are people trained in meditation. But I’m sure each of you can recall times in your life when you felt completely at one with your present experience. Activities and mindstates that pull you past yourself, such as yoga, exercise, the mindstate of joy, are noted—even within the Buddhist tradition—to be activities that help stimulate that moment of pure awareness. At those moments when you’re totally in the moment, something happens: you lose the sense of self. There is no “you” experiencing the “now”! And yet, there is an experience, right? There’s a kind of experience without an experiencer. You are not longer “aware of”: You are simply, nakedly, purely aware. That’s what I’m gesturing at. Finding that timeless quality of the moment moves us into touch with pure awareness.
So yes, awareness is mind. But I hesitate to say mind, because we have such a particular idea of what mind is: brain, concepts, the whole package… But here, I’m gesturing to something simpler than that, and more basic.
April 2009:
Question: I have been trying to bring meditation into my workplace. Should I strive to cultivate a state of mindful awareness at all times, or is it only valuable when it arises on its own?
Answer: It is important to learn to integrate what you learn ‘on the cushion’ with daily activities ‘off the cushion’, but striving is too effortful. It is more effective to occasionally remind yourself to settle into simple, unadorned awareness, and let go of being pulled along by the conceptual mind. For most people, this is easier to do with activities that don’t involve a lot of thinking. Like doing dishes, or jogging. But, some of us just happen to have a line of work that involves a lot of thinking! What about that? Should we quit our jobs?
I don’t think that is necessary. It is fine to 'do what needs to be done' in your work. When doing conceptual work, there is a practice of 'absorption'--of getting completely immersed in it. This has parallels with the absorption experienced in meditation, so your work can potentially complement your meditation practice instead of being a distraction. In that case, it is not necessary to fight your thoughts. Instead, see what happens if you let yourself become completely absorbed in your conceptual process to the extent that you lose a sense of self. I think what makes ‘getting lost in thought’ unproductive [spiritually] is when we do not get completely lost, when we are still dualistic.
You can also try a practice of pausing in your thought process and turning inwards suddenly to see if your awareness, your simple, unadorned mind, has gone anywhere. For a moment, let yourself slip into the simple, uncontrived mind.
This is not so much a 'state' as it is the backdrop of your experience all the time. We just do not pay attention to the backdrop much of the time. The practice in this case is not trying to cultivate the experience of unadorned awareness, but rather recognizing it as already present. -
Jackson Peterson
My
journey to greater awareness began in 1966 when I began studying and
practicing Soto Zen meditation under Matsuoka Roshi for three years
along with the opportunity to practice with Suzuki Roshi and Katagiri
Roshi in 1968. In 1978 I went to China and received teachings from
Chan Master, Yen Why Shih, a direct disciple of Hsu Yun. He gave me
permission to teach other of his students Chan. Later that year I was
in Nepal where I entered the Kagyu lineage tradition of Tibetan
Buddhism under Sachyu Tulku. Later that year I received teachings from
Trungpa Rinpoche and Kalu Rinpoche in 1980. In 1985 I met my root
guru, Namkhai Norbu from whom I received the practice transmissions for
the Semde, Longde and Mengagde sections of Dzogchen. In 1986 I received
the Dzogchen thogal practice teachings from one of Dudjum Rinpoche's
Lamas for the thogal methods of the Yeshe Lama. I have also received
Mahamudra teachings from the lineage of the Dalai Lama and the gTumo
teachings from the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions. This last September
2008, I received transmissions from the head teaching Lama for the Bon
Dzogchen tradition covering the practices of trekchod and thogal.
Since 1985 I have been an active practitioner and student of Dzogchen.
It has been my goal to be able to present these teachings in a
non-sectarian, non-religious manner that would be more effective and
appealing to a Western audience. More information about Jackson Peterson can be found here - www.WayOfLight.net or www.DzogchenRetreat.net---------------In this section Jackson Peterson has writen a series of primers for those who wish to understand this incredibly beautiful teaching.Dzogchen is Tibetan meaning the Great Perfection. Dzog means perfection or completion. Chen means great.
This system of non-dual teaching goes back historically to around the 700's A.D. per several documents found in the cave library of texts discovered in Tun Huang, China on the Tibetan frontier this century. Several key texts were discovered there that are clearly source materials of what was later to become known as Dzogchen.
One of the earliest texts known to actually describe the complete Dzogchen View, in a profoundly terse and pithy text, is known as the Six Vajra Verses. All of the Dzogchen teachings are contained in just these six verses. I recommend you read and contemplate the profundity of these verses. Let the meaning reach out and speak to you personally from the enlightening intent of the earliest Dzogchen masters. These verses are a Direct Introduction to the Natural State, our Primordial Beingness.
Chogyel Namkhai Norbu and Adriano Clemente rendered the
Six Vajra Verses like this: in The Supreme Source:The nature of the variety of phenomena is non-dual
Yet each phenomena is beyond the limits of the mind
The authentic condition as it is does not become a concept
Yet it manifests totally in form, always good
All being already perfect, overcome the sickness of effort
And remain naturally in self-perfection: this is contemplation.Chogyel Namkhai Norbu's commentary divides the six verses
into three verses of two lines. The first couplet describes
the ground of being and the view, relating to the Mind Series
of instruction and to Garab Dorje's first Incisive Precept
which is introduction to the nature of mind. The second
couplet describes the path, the nature of meditation,
relating to the Space Series of instruction and Garab Dorje's
second incisive precept which is conviction of the reflexive
function of liberation. The third couplet describes the
product, which does not differ from the ground and relates
to the Secret Precept Series and to Garab Dorje's third
incisive precept which is confidence in the process.Based on Chogyel Namkhai Norbu's commentary, John Reynolds
(Vajranath), Nyingma scholar and yogi, made this discursive
translation:Even though the nature of the diversity (of all phenomena)
is without any duality,
In the terms of the individuality of the things themselves,
they are free of any conceptual elaborations.
Even though there exists no thought or conception of what
is called the state of being just as it is,
These various appearances which are created are but
manifestations of Samantabhadra.
Since everything is complete in itself, one comes to abandon
the illness of efforts
And thus one continues spontaneously in the calm
state of contemplation.Professor Samten Karmay found a version of the text
amongst the cache of material that Sir Aurel Stein found
in Tun Huang and which was concealed in the tenth century,
thus validating its age and form His rendering is this:
All the varieties of phenomenal existence as a whole
do not in reality differ one from another.
Individually also they are beyond conceptualization.
Although as "suchness" there is no mental
discursiveness (with regard to them)
Kun-tu bzang po (The All Good) shines forth in (and as) all forms.
Abandon all the malady of striving, for one has
already acquired it all.
One leaves it as it is with spontaneity.
The first Tibetan Dzogchen master, Pagor Vairotsana, received
the Six Vajra Verses in the eighth century from Shri Singha,
his Indian Guru, in the land of Uddiyana. This text was amongst
the first translations he made at King Trisong Detsen's court at
Samye in Tibet. It is considered the root transmission text of the
Mind Series of Dzogchen instruction and is the first in the list of
the eighteen transmission texts of the Mind Series tantras. The
copy of it found amongst the stash of Tun Huang manuscripts
hidden in the tenth century and recovered earlier this century,
authenticates its age and form.Here is the Tibetan text:sNa tshogs rang bzhin mi gnyis kyang
Cha shas nyid du spros dang bral.
Ji bzhin pa zhes mi rtog kyang
rNam bar snang mdzad kun tu bzang
Zin bas rtsol ba'i nad spangs te
Lhun gyis gnas pas bzhag pa yin.OM SWASTI!Dzogchen is a non-dual path that points to what simply is already. It's theory and methods are not grounded in mentally conceived notions of attainment and one who could attain some higher state called enlightenment. It is not a system of gradual attainment nor is it a system of sudden attainment. Dzogchen points to something else, a non-alternative View of the way things are already. In Dzogchen all of reality is considered to be primordially perfect from the beginning-less beginning. This essential innate perfection is called "primordial purity" or "kadag" in Tibetan. This "kadag" nature is the same as Emptiness as described in the Mahayana texts, such as the Prajnaparamita teachings. This is also the fundamental nature of the Ground of Being, known as the Dharmakaya. The Dharmakaya is devoid of form and waves of energy in its essential nature, like unchanging space. But this space happens to be aware, not insentient voidness. It is this aware space-like Emptiness that is our true Self or Beingness. It is the unchanging Awareness present in all energy events, whether of an internal or external nature. This further means that in any psychological or emotional condition, that which experiences the feelings or thoughts is always this perfect and unchanging Awareness as who we are. This unchanging Awareness cannot be improved through study nor by methods of practice. It is never distracted nor affected by karma. When the body dies, it is completely unaffected... just as when all the clouds disappear in the sky, the sky is still the sky.The first procedure of Dzogchen is to introduce one to this 'kadag" nature of one's own being. The section of Dzogchen teaching, that relates to this "Direct Introduction" and the gaining of familiarity in its nature, is called "cutting through" or trekchod in Tibetan. This cutting through is explained to be like suddenly cutting the rope or twine that binds a bundle of twigs or branches tightly bound together. When the twine is cut the branches spread-out in a sort of relaxed manner. This relates to our tensions and stress being cut through and our being left in a totally relaxed state, called in Tibetan "lhugpa". Our sense of being a separate and constricted self is the result of solidifying our ego-self concepts resulting in our mental energy fixations appearing as a body/mind identity fixed in space and time. The entire structure is held in place by and as self-reinforcing tension. We literally "hold-tight" to who we think we are and what we have... always in fear of our possible not-being, death or loss. In the Dzogchen Direct Introduction we see our true face in the mirror of Awareness. We see non-conceptually that we are not our mind nor are we our body. All provisional and false identities are cut through and are seen to be lies and illusion. At that moment a total relaxation of body and mind occurs. That is the path of Trekchod, the first phase of Dzogchen. We then simply continue in that totally relaxed State of Being/Awareness.The central pillar of the Dzogchen teachings is contained in the term "Rigpa". Rigpa means Knowingness or Gnosis. In Sanskrit the equivalent is Vidya. The terms are opposed to "marigpa" or "avidya" both meaning "ignorance". Ignorance of what? Ignorance of one's true identity or Self-Nature. In Rigpa awareness we know who and what we are non-conceptually. In marigpa, we don't know who we are.. we think we are what we think we are. That mentally conceived identity is called "I" or "me"... meaning one's ego. This imagined self-identity, is not different from the self projected that we experience in our dreams when asleep. In Rigpa, that mentally conceived identity or ego-sense, is absent. Rigpa has the sense of being everything non-dually. Rigpa is not like being an impartially detached witness to what is experienced. There is no subject/object dichotomy in Rigpa. Rigpa is the great Oneness or Unified Field, cognizant of Itself as Itself. You are the universe and all possible realities without any partiality or separate subjective selfhood observing. There is no one "observing" of experience in Rigpa. In Rigpa you are all experience seemlessly.The purpose of the Direct Introduction is to bring you to this Self-Experience of Rigpa directly. Often this is just a taste or flash that needs to be developed through further methods associated with Trekchod.There are three streams of Dzogchen transmissions. Semde or the Mind-Series deals with a more conceptual understanding and offers practices that bring one to the experience of Rigpa. We will explain this approach soon in detail. Sem-de is all but extinct in terms of being an actively promoted practice vehicle.Next is the approach of Long-de or the Space Series. This series of teachings sees everything as manifestations of primordial Wisdom or "yeshe". The methods of Long-de involve many yogic postures that guide the psychic energy into specific channels that bring about an actual experience of Rigpa as a self-introduction through one's own practice experiences. Mastering this methodology can bring about the realization of the Rainbow Body of Light without practicing thogal. I will explain this section of theory and practices later in this series. Very few practice this series today.The most common approach used today is the Mengag-de or "whispered oral" tradition. Many have claimed that this is the most direct and powerful means to total realization. The Trekchod series of teachings is part of this section. The second phase of Mengag-de is Thogal which deals with revealing and developing the luminous nature of our Awareness.We will initially be focusing on the Trekchod phase. It is taught today that by mastering Trekchod, one will attain perfect enlightenment...but not achieve Rainbow Body while alive. However, one still can have their physical body completely dissolve into the essential atoms, and disappear.The second phase of Mengag-de deals with the luminous aspect of "Kadag". Emptiness it seems is not empty. It is luminous. This luminosity arises spontaneously. Awareness is luminous and manifests essentially as Clear Light Awareness yet radiating a five-fold interpenetrating color matrix of Light Energy which we call the Universe. More on this section later when we explain Thogal.The basic focus of our lists here is to offer many styles of Direct Introduction to Rigpa, so all may be able to "taste" this non-dual State of Awareness for themselves... without need nor recourse to a belief system nor allegiance to some cultural tradition.Next we will explain several of the skillful means employed in Trekchod in order to either directly introduce the State of Rigpa or through secondary practices to foster greater familiarity with Rigpa once realized.The entirety of Dzogchen teachings revolve around the transmission of Rigpa. In understanding what this transmission really is, we have to give up previous paradigms of "cause and effect" approaches. In all other Buddhist vehicles that promise to lead to enlightenment, there is always the model of practice and understanding that leads one to becoming more aware of ones true condition. Various obstacles to realization are removed through various skillful means. Finally, one comes to realize their true nature after the negative elements are purified that prevented enlightenment. One usually had to become a more compassionate and open person... someone free of ego. That is the common theme. But for Dzogchen the model is completely different, radically different.In Dzogchen there is no one to realize something. In Dzogchen nothing needs to be changed in one's thoughts, feelings or actions. One does not need to become more ethical nor does one need to become moredevotional or compassionate. Nor does one need faith. Also there is nothing to become certain of. Doubts don't need to be removed. There are no obstacles preventing realization that need to be addressed. There is absolutely nothing to do. There are no rules to follow. That being the case, what happens when true transmission occurs?Rigpa is your unchanging state of Being. It has always been perfect and requires no liberation. This is who you are and have always been. This doesn't change. You don't suddenly wake up to this truth. You are always this truth. You haven't become lost in suffering and samsara. Since that is the case, there is then nothing the matter. But it doesn't feel perfect and blissful in this moment, how could that be?Let me try to explain: Your current awareness is Rigpa already. Thoughts, feelings and perceptions arise in Rigpa continuously. As such, we can say the mind arises in Rigpa. Rigpa is the context or space that everything arises within. The cognizant quality is always uniquely 100% belonging to Rigpa. Rigpa is the only "knower" of experience. Everything else is what is known.Imagine a large crystal ball in which bubbles appear and disappear within. Your Awareness as Rigpa is the crystal ball. The thoughts, feelings and sensations are the bubbles arising and disappearing within the sphere spontaneously. Your sense of Being is you being the crystal sphere. The crystal ball is unchanging at all times but these various appearances just arise as experiences. This is your energy appearing as those variously appearing bubbles within. There is a particular bubble that arises known as the sense of self or me. It has a complete story of identity made up of many thoughts and feelings all associated with it, like a cluster of bubbles. This "me" complex can become quite strong and dominant as the central experience. It is the energy of mind manifesting as the sense of being a defined person. This is the experience of limited ego existence in the world of samsara. This who we think we are. This dream-like self entity occupies our entire field of consciousness. But at no time is this a "real" person or being. It is just a strong experience of subjectivity or self, a projection of mind, a dreamed self.If we approach practice from the view of improving this self (as me), to become more aware... we are just becoming more enmeshed in the story of me. Any effort, mental or physical only reinforces the illusion that this self can become enlightened, but it can't. It is a thought-complex floating in this sphere or crystal ball of Clear Light Awareness. You, your true and only Self-Being is the unchanging Clear Light Sphere of Awareness not its contents. So, you are still you whether all of those internal arisings are powerfully present or not.The ego-self does not come to realize something or have an insight through practice or study that leads to Rigpa. Nothing leads to Rigpa. Since you are already Rigpa, you cannot become more of Rigpa. Nothing needs to be changed or improved in your current state of unchanging Rigpa, you are already perfect. What does occur is a sudden flash of Self-Recognition that has nothing to with thinking mind or me-conscioiusness. The sphere of Awareness, the space of Being inwhich all these thoughts, ego and feelings arise, suddenly notices Itself. This is what is called Yeshe or Wisdom/Gnosis. The "me" does not have a realization. This flash of true identity is completely beyond the mind and ego-consciousness. That which becomes a follower of Dzogchen or Buddhism is this ego-self. That which reads, studies and practices a path is the ego-self in an effort to find liberation and enlightenment. But in Self-Recognition, all of the practices and study are completely meaningless as that entity never attains its goal... but is actually annihiliated in that flash of Self-Recognition. A person who has no training and has been extremely evil has the same chance of this flash or Self-Recognition occuring as one who has studied and practiced with great accumulation of virtue for many years! The evil and ignorant qualities only pertain to the ego-self. Just as the virtuous qualities and Dharma experienced practitioner is also just the ego-self. Self Recognition is beyond the condition of the ego-self and has nothing to do with the spirtual development story of "me". To Rigpa virtue and vice are identical...just equal reflections in the mirror. The self you think you are is also just a reflection in the mirror of Rigpa.Perhaps you now have gained a glimpse why Dzogchen is not dependent on study or practice. That is because the one who does the studying and practice is not the one who Self-Recognizes! Only Rigpa flashes on Rigpa! The Realization does not occur to the subjective self... the identity who you think you are! You don't realize Rigpa. You never become enlightened! Only Rigpa is in the Enlightened state and you can never become Rigpa! That's because you are already Rigpa, experiencing the sensation of being the ego-self looking for Rigpa! That is completely the reverse of your current viewpoint within the dream of being this "me". That's the shift that occurs suddenly in perception. Instead of being the me looking for Rigpa, you suddenly are in the perspective of Rigpa noticing the sense of me as just an experience...not an identity. That's transmission.The "Direct Introduction" to Rigpa is this transmission. Rigpa is recognizing Itself. In this case the master is like a mirror and the student's Rigpa notices Itself in the mirror of the Rigpa of the Guru. This is real meaning of Guru yoga.A shift occurs from there being an identity of relative self, our ordinary me with its history and story, to a Recognition of true Identity as Rigpa. But the recognition is Rigpa's alone! It does not occur to or in the mind.So even such a nice practice as "resting in Awareness", when done as a "practice" is just more ego maneuvering... because there is the ego who is trying to rest in Awareness...just more dualism. Now Rigpa just being Rigpa... is more to the point. But at no time can there be someone who rests in Rigpa! Who could this one resting in Rigpa be, if the Being is already Rigpa?For those who are following this closely you may have been led down an inescapable path of Direct Introduction. This discussion was not intended to be "about" a Direct Introduction" but to actually be a "Direct Introduction".If you intellectualize this ... the opportunity for the flash to occur fades. Just recognize your current awareness to be the cognizant Space of your experience, unchanged by all arisings, yet not separate from them: Rigpa.In conveying the essential meaning in Dzogchen transmission or Direct Introduction, various methods are used. Most often explanations are offered using examples like a mirror and its reflections or a crystal prism. But I would like to use another analogy... let's call it the "The Room of Furniture".Imagine if you will a room filled with various items of furniture. Some of the furniture is in need of repair and the furniture is itself strewn about in a disorganized fashion. In this case the furniture represents our body, our thoughts, ego, our energies, our perceptions, our actions and our karmic seeds. All the lower vehicles of Buddhism believe one needs to clean (purify) and organize the furniture. So through various practices and meditation, we clean and organize our furniture. When we get the feng shui just right... perfectly in accord and in harmony, we realize the highest attainment: the perfectly decorated room that brings eternal delight! So we work hard at getting the job done. Clean, clean... polish... shift this piece here or there... throw away the most disliked pieces of furniture and make sure we don't lose the best pieces, always keeping an attentive eye on those most special pieces. Then once we have things just right, we then need to maintain the stable condition of things so they don't get disorganized again... and we need to constantly remain vigilent that things don't get dirty again... so much to do!All the great furniture feng shui masters inspect and approve of the great job... and point out areas that still need cleaning and organizing to accord with the tenents of proper and traditional feng shui teachings. So you do your best to follow the rules and the advices offered. It seems though, you never really ever complete the job. But you keep at it... you are a real trouper!Now the Dzogchen Master of Room Space drops in for a visit one day. He is all about feeling the space of the room. He ignores the careful placement of the furniture and its polished luster. But he does notice how diligent you appear to be, but also notices how fatigued you appear to be. He explains that the perfectly decorated room that brings eternal delight, is not accomplished through the correct placement nor in the cleaning of the furniture. He says the aspect that brings eternal delight is actually contained within the space of the room not in the furniture. Because of his depth of obvious joyous delight and relaxed demeanor, you are inspired to pursue this conversation further.The Master explains that the condition of the furniture has no bearing on true eternal delight at all. He further says that you can just leave the furniture exactly as it is. Dirty or clean it makes no difference. He emphasizes that one needs to understand the unchanging space of the room and that no matter what furniture is in or not in the room, the space of the room is always unaffected. You explain that you have been told that there is another means where one could get rid of all the furniture in the room and one would then have only space in the room, and could achieve the eternal delight that way.The Master, explains that the space of the room is not affected whether the room is full or empty. You can experience the eternal delight of the space in either a full or empty room equally well. Not sure about this, you still ponder his advice but continue polishing and tidying things up while he watches on. Then you take a break and sit down in one of the chairs and begin to notice the space. But you can't really feel and see the space, this special space that could yield eternal delight. You try to "rest in the space" but somehow you still feel separate from the space. You try to think about the space but find you can't really picture space quite completely. In frustration you ask the Master to kindly assist you to really be able to get "into" the eternally delightful space of the room and he agrees to help. But he says there is nothing that he could say in words that could help , and that you had to just be the space of the room as it is.Not getting it, you just slumped down in the chair and peered into the dark space of the room intently. The Master made a motion of his hand towards the wall and told you that your looking into the space of the room was the space of room looking out through your eyes and asked if you could see it now. In that exact moment, the Master flipped on the light switch and instantly the room became filled with light. In total amazement and with a feeling of eternal delight you told the Master that yes, you now could see the space of the room and that your seeing the space and the space of the room were one and the same, as now seen clearly in the flash of unexpected light.As the Master left the room, you noticed yourself to indeed be the space of eternal delight... and most amazing of all was the fact that this moment had absolutely nothing to do with the furniture, their state of cleanliness nor its proper arrangement! How amazing that all this time that you focused on the furniture, that thereby you missed the obvious presence of the unchanging and most delightful space!An interesting story to be sure. But I am pointing to the fact that not unlike space, our Awareness is always right in front of our eyes, but it is also that which is seeing out of our eyes. It has no relation to thoughts, ego, feelings, conduct, compassionate activities or non-virtuous, perceptions, practices or study. In this way you may now see how ridiculous the notion of cleaning the furniture is or arranging the furniture as having some impact on the space of the room! Likewise, ego, mental events, worldy events... nothing has any connection with Awareness being already what it is. You are not a piece of furniture...you are only Awareness, and Awareness has never changed identities.As you peer into the Space of Awareness, if the Seeing is like looking into darkness, just turn on the Light. In Dzogchen the "flipping the switch" to turn on the Light is the Direct Introduction as the Light of Transmission. This path has nothing to do with the condition of mind, ego or body and hence no need for practice and study. They are just the furniture.This would be a good time to listen to Harada Roshi's teaching on the Natural State.We conceive that Rigpa or awakened Awareness is some magnificent and unbelievable state of consciousness. In fact it is absolutely simple and ordinary. It is simply aware of what is happening. It has no thoughts about anything nor any opinions nor preferences. In a certain fashion it is like a video camera that records the sights and sounds exactly as they are experienced. The video camera does not have the capacity to analyze what it is recording... everything is just left as it is. Rigpa is just like this. It is not a way of being or some special way of relating to one's world of experience. It is just noticing and observing what is manifesting exactly as it manifests.What then is the Natural State, which is another name for Rigpa or primordial Awareness? In the chair that you are actually sitting in, notice the room. If there is a window, look out the window...notice what you see. Just notice it. Look at your hands... just notice them. Look at the computer monitor... just notice without assessment or evaluation. Again now, look out the window...just look without labelling what is perceived. Move your head and slowly just look around the room that you are in. Without thinking about anything, totally topic free... just be in that moment of simply observing the room.That simple observingness is the Natural State of primordial Awareness. It is not more elaborate or more profound. It just the observing of what is there. This observing, aware quality of consciousness is Rigpa. How easy! When we just stay with that effortless watching without agenda, that is Rigpa in its Natural State. When engaged in our thinking and evaluating what is perceived, that is the functioning of mind... the arising of the the make-believe world of labels and opinions. That is an unnecessary activity added to the basic condition of just being...just observing. This thinking "about" what is observed is samsara. When we just are in naked observing we are in Nirvana. Since our observational awareness is functioning in this moment... how can you say you can't grasp Rigpa or the Natural State? This simpe observingness is not the result of practice, intellectualizing or study. You are already observing whatever you are observing. That is Rigpa or the Buddha Mind in its most Natural State. When we say relax into Rigpa or Awareness, that is what is relaxed into...just simple noticing-ness or perceivingness.In this there is nothing to maintian as you are always observing, you can't help but observing. This observing quality of consciousness is there by default... isn't it? You are either observing thoughts, feelings, sensations or external perceptions. But the observingness never changes, only the experience. There is absolutely nothing to understand or grasp in this perceivingness. It never knows itself and has no understanding of anything... it just is observing like a big eyeball. That is what you are: just a big eye ball observing, seeing, looking...so to speak. This observing doesn't think or evaluate ...it just is pure being and pure being is always observing. If you really don't get this please let me know... we are so close! We have covered all the angles... nothing is left!Abandon the "thinking mind" and just be the observing... it is the Absolute as it is. The "thinkiing mind" is just an unnecessary add-on, the genus and dimension of imaginary existence, which is what samsara is created from. No thought... no samsara. The space of room is just there without any need to improve it nor need to try to maintain it. The same with Awareness, our everyday, ordinary awareness... -
So now it is the time to see that it needn’t be seen in this
way. No matter how complicated it is, the practice is very
simple. This is where we need a lot of patience, because
when we’re very complicated, we often times lack
patience with ourselves. We’ve got clever minds, we think
very quickly and we have strong passions and it’s easy
to get lost in all of this. It’s very confusing for us because
we don’t know how, we don’t have any way out of it, we
don’t know a way to transcend or to see it in perspective.
So in pointing to this centre point, to this still point, to
the here-and-now, I’m pointing to the way of
transcendence or the escape from it. Not escape by
running away out of fear, but the escape hatch that allows
us to get perspective on the mess, on the confusion, onthe complicated self that we have created and identify
with.
It’s very simple and it’s not complicated, but if you
start thinking about it, then you can make it very
complicated, with such thoughts as, “Oh, I don’t know
if I can do that...” But that’s where this trust comes in:
if you’re aware that “Oh, I don’t know...” is a perception
in the present; “I don’t think I could ever realise
Nibbàna (freedom from attachments),” is a perception
in the present — trust in that awareness. That’s all
you need to know. It is what it is. We’re not even judging
that perception. We’re not saying, “What a stupid
perception.” We’re not adding anything. And that
awareness of it, that’s what I’m pointing to, the
awareness. Learn to trust in that awareness rather than
in what the perception is saying. The perception might
even be common sense in a way, but the attachment
to it is where you get lost in it. “We should practise
meditation. We should not be selfish and we should
learn to be more disciplined and more responsible
for our lives.“ That’s very good advice, but if I attach to
that, what happens? I go back to thinking: “I’m not
responsible enough, I’ve got to become more
responsible and I shouldn’t be selfish. I’m too selfish
and I shouldn’t be,” and I’m back onto the turning
wheel again. One gets intimidated even by the best
advice. What to do? Trust in the awareness of it. “I
should be responsible” — it is seen and one’s
relationship to it is no longer that of grasping it. Maybe
if that resonates as something to do, then be more
responsible. It’s not a matter of denying, blotting out,
condemning or believing but of trusting in the attitudeof attention and awareness rather than endlessly
trying to sort it out on the turning wheel with all its
complicated thoughts and habits, where you just get
dizzy and totally confused.
The still point gives you perspective on the conditions,
on the turning wheel, on the confusion, on the mess.
It puts you into a relationship to it, that is knowing it
for what it is, rather than some kind of personal identity
with it. Then you can see that your true nature is this
knowing, this pure state, pure consciousness, pure
awareness. You are learning to remember that, to be
that — your real home — what you really are rather
than what you think you are according to the
conditioning of your mind.~ Ajahn Sumedho, Intuitive Awareness ( http://www.amaravati.org/abm/english/documents/intuitive_Awareness.pdf )
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Adam West:
Hey guys!
Inspired by Dave's amazingly interesting thread - the phenomenological fruits of practice - and a convo with another member of this forum on tips on daily practice - I thought we could each post tips that we have personally found valuable in generating real-world phenomenological fruits of the path. Perhaps tips our future selves would give our present self.
Some basic cursory tips and context is as follows:
Over-thinking is just a habit whose tyranny may be broken as so many others; habits are subtle, common and promoted by our culture. The essential point is, being lost in mind is merely a habit of mind, as such, can be ‘cut through’ like all habitual preoccupations of mind with the below tips.
When I notice any mental habit pattern, I just notice ‘it’ (with it being a place marker for whatever IT is – name your ‘apparent’ problem) and upon noticing it, let it rest of its own accord - no big deal - nothing is a big deal in this context. It is we who make something a 'big' deal, and WE who let it go - all habits of mind - reactions to some 'It'!
Practice is ongoing and has its ups and downs, as I fall back into distraction - out of relaxed, 'uncontrived', natural present moment awareness - I simply notice it, and back into present moment awareness - so simple; no big deal!
The practice is this: just do the above. Be natural at all times; mindful of the present – naturally aware. Mindful of habitually trying to ‘do’, or ‘not to do’, which is by definition, contrived, and not natural present moment awareness. Rest in that natural open spaciousness. Thing is, we ARE it naturally; so DOING or TRYING is ego. Notice the doing of ego, and relax that - let ego dissolve, which by definition, leaves natural pristine cognizance which sees and knows all phenomena as it is. Simple! :-) This is heart advice for on the cushion and off.Augment the above non-dual practice with practicing Jhana meditation. Jhana has two benifets: it relaxes the mind and ego, making it easier to be spontaneously happy and natural, which sets up conditions which make it easier to let go of the habit of ego ‘doership’ and practice natural, uncontrived, present moment awareness – perhaps going to 4th Jhana (through Shamatha) and then moving to natural, uncontrived, present moment awareness (non-shamatha vipassana - clear seeing of what is); and (2), Jhana has a transformative effect on said body/mind and consciousness through awakening and transforming chi and kundalini energy; leading in a circular fashion back to (1).
Processing of unconscious material will likely result. Refer to previous tips on habits of mind.
The thing is, Rigpa is none other than natural present moment awareness - the intrinsic pristine clarity of reality itself - however, being trapped in ego - as a habit patern - which is both a view and an energetic state of body/mind/consciousness, we fail to experientially notice our natural state here and now - natural present moment awareness. :-)
Simple. Both easy and very difficult to do. ;-P
Oh, a final tip. The more time spent on the cushion in practice that you do, the easier it will be. At least half hour per sitting, twice a day. Optimally, three, one hour sittings will be noticed to have a profound effect on your well-being, happiness and ability to let the ego ‘habit’ dissolve and directly notice Rigpa. I mean this literally. Practice does bring results!Notice that habit patterns needn't necessarily cease in and of themselves, and yet they spontaneously come go - naturally self-liberate - so thinking, emoting and any other display may be ongoing, and we are just mindful of this in an uncontrived manner, in present moment awareness; however, falling into distraction - getting lost in the display, and thus, lost in the elaboration - no longer naturally aware in the pristine clarity of present moment awareness is the source of our suffering - hence, non-dual practice in the natural state.
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http://innerrave.org/meditation.html
Meditation
Here is a more formal introduction to meditation, including a variety of exercises. Try them for yourself and see which ones work for you.
The definition of meditation is "to be undistracted". The question then becomes "undistracted from what?"
We possess six senses. The traditional five are sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. In addition we have the mental faculty of awareness which perceives objects of the five sense fields as well as mental objects such as thoughts, memories and emotions.
The following exercises are all "non blocking awareness" exercises. Non blocking means that we are not blocking any of the sense fields and we are not blocking our thoughts. This is very important to understand. We keep our eyes open and we stay open to all sensations and our environment. We will never experience freshness by avoiding what is.
Fresh awareness is the result of being undistracted and open to what is. These exercises are training in freshness.
Visual Awareness
Visual awareness of an object has two parts. First, our eyes have to be looking at it. Second, our mind needs to be aware of it. If our mind is wandering and thinking about something else then we are not aware of the visual object even if our eyes are focused on it. That is called being distracted.
Pick a visual object in your field of view and look at it with your eyes and at the same time be aware of it with your mind. Do not overfocus on it, concentrate, or try to block out any of the other senses or suppress your thoughts. If your eyes play tricks on you such as seeing double pay no attention to that and continue looking at the object while being aware of the object.
Do not label, judge or think about what you are seeing. Just the bare awareness of the visual object itself. Keep your eyes on the object. Keep your mind merely aware of the object. If your attention wanders off simply bring it back.
That is meditation! Nothing more to it. You are being undistractedly aware of a visual object, and that is training your mind to be in the present moment, to be undistracted.
The essence of sight is luminosity-emptiness, always fresh, never fixated. Rest wide awake in that recognition.
Awareness of Sound
If there is a continuous sound in your environment you can pay attention to that, or simply be aware aware of all sounds as they arise. No need to focus your ear organs since they are always on. If you find that your mind is no longer aware of the sound bring yourself back to bare awareness of the sound or sounds.
Do not think about what is making the sound or judge the sound as good or bad. Just hear the actual sound itself without any conceptual filter.
The essence of sound is communication-emptiness, always fresh, never fixated. Rest wide awake in that recognition.
Awareness of Sensation
Sit upright with your eyes open. Place you mind in awareness of the sensations of your breathing in and out. Your feel your chest and stomach move. You can feel the air moving in and out of your nose. If your mind wanders off, bring it back to undistracted awareness of the breathing process.
Do not overfocus in the breathing. As an antidote for that, pay attention to the sensation of the outbreath and just relax during the inbreath. Pay attention and relax, pay attention and relax.
Do not attempt to suppress your thoughts or block out the other sense fields. Simple bare awareness of the breath.
The essence of sensation is presence-emptiness, always fresh, never fixated. Rest wide awake in that recognition.
Thats it! Very easy and excellent awareness training using your sense fields. You can make up your own exercises for taste and smell if you like. I use chocolate and freshly roasted coffee beans :-)
While dancing leave the sense fields wide open. Dance keenly aware and relaxed within the flow of sensation.
Awareness of Thoughts
Just about every meditator, myself included, gets confused about what meditation is really about. For example we might think "Since I regularly get distracted from nowness by getting lost in thoughts, therefore the solution is to stop thinking." Not! We will never stop thinking. Attempting to suppress our thoughts is like a futile attempt to stop the wind itself from blowing.
Why is attempting to stop thoughts futile? Because the thought "I must stop thinking" is a thought. The more we think that thought the more thoughts arise. By fighting with them we are actually feeding them. We end up with hundreds of thoughts and we feel defeated, like we are bad failed meditators.
Whenever we have thoughts in meditation we should welcome them with open arms! We say to ourselves: "I will notice every single thought the instant that it arises and I will recognize every single thought as being just a thought, nothing more, nothing less."
The moment that we recognize that "this thought is just a thought" we are instantly liberated from this thought! Since this is just a thought there is no need to follow it. Since this is just a thought there is no need to get rid of it! This thought becomes the expression of present awareness. This thought loses its power to absorb us and fades by itself.
The very next moment another thought may arise and we can recognize that this new thought is just a thought. One by one we are liberated from every single thought that arises. Pretty soon all thoughts lose their power to entrap us. They are all expressions of lucid wakefulness and no longer distract us from awareness.
There is a famous saying "Seen by merely looking, freed by merely seeing." It really is just that easy.
The essence of thought is awareness-emptiness, always fresh, never fixated. Rest wide awake in that recognition.
People often try to escape from their obsessive thinking by way of alcohol and drugs. That kind of relief is temporary and incomplete. While dancing liberate thoughts by recognizing them as simply thoughts.
Awareness Without Focus
Once we have mastered undistracted awareness of the senses and learned to liberate all thoughts it is time to meditate without any focus at all.
The act of focusing on nowness is a subtle manipulation, a kind of holding on to something. We can let go of that effort and rest in wakeful awareness without any focus at all. Nothing to meditate on, yet not distracted from open awareness.
This is called "undistracted nonmeditation". Start your session by saying "I will not be distracted. I will not meditate." By nonmeditation we mean no focus, no effort, no manipulation, no modification of anything. Really, seriously, don't meditate at all. Leave things just as they are!
When thoughts arise welcome them with open arms as explained above. When thoughts do not arise simply rest wide awake without doing anything at all.
Do not modify your state of mind in the slightest. Accept it just as it is right now without any alteration. It is impossible to improve on nonconceptual awareness wisdom so don't bother trying!
Just rest completely relaxed and vividly awake without holding any thought or concept in your mind. Be undistracted from holding nothing whatsoever in mind. This is the wisdom of unfixated open awareness which is always with us whether we recognize it or not.
Rest easily, keenly aware, without any focus or effort. This is the awakened state. Nothing more, nothing less. Anyone who composes themselves in the awakened state on a regular basis is quickly becoming enlightened.
The essence of awareness is wisdom-emptiness, always fresh, never fixated. Rest wide awake in that recognition.
Dance in the awakened state, spontaneous, joyful and free. Dance and meditation are one.
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http://innerrave.org/books.html
Tsoknyi Rinpoche:
For a beginner in this practice, in the first moment we notice that we are carried away, that we are distracted. The second moment is to remind oneself to recognize the essence. In the third moment one arrives back in the innate state. That is the moment of recognizing.
Sometimes it is possible to arrive in the state of rigpa while walking, sometimes while eating. All of a sudden we are wide awake, in the state of rigpa. Nowhere is it written that you can only recognize the nature of your mind while sitting on your meditation cushion! For some people it may be easier to recognize mind essence while walking. Rigpa is something which is possible to acknowledge at any moment, in any situation. How can it happen at any time, in any situation? When there's a gap between two thoughts, the intrinsic nature is revealed as self-existing awareness. When the past thought has ceased and the future thought hasn't occurred yet there's a gap, and in that gap you can discover your intrinsic nature. But this gap is not necessarily very long.
That's why it is said "short moments, many times." From this angle, then, within one meditation session it's fine to repeat the recognition of mind essence many times - twenty times, thirty times, whatever. First you recognize mind essence. You let be. You allow it to last a while. Then you lose track, you get distracted. Then again at some point you remind yourself. Again, let the meditation state last for a while. In this way you alternate between meditating and being distracted. You meditate, the meditation gets destroyed, you try again, it gets destroyed, you try again. Like that.
Getting really good at this meditation involves growing used to, getting accustomed to, rather than doing, because its not a meditation on some "thing". As a matter of fact, recognizing self-existing awareness totally destroys the act of meditating. Just let it be. Immediately. Be sharp. Direct. Let be.
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Natural Radiance [Paperback] (Lama Surya Das) Awakening to Your Great Perfection: Integrated CD Learning
Extract :
SkyGazing Meditation
When I dissolve into that vast expanse— empty and clear—without end, without limits— There is no diffèrence between mind and sky.
—LAMA SHABKAR
SkyGazing is the core practical application of Dzogchen meditation. It is how we learn to relax, let go, and let be in the natural state of things, just as they are. It is my favorite form of trekchod practice and natural meditation.
Through this practice of natural meditative awareness, our innate wakefulness completely unfurls and reveals itself. We gradually release our small, narrow, egotistical, dualistic minds into the nondual, skylike, infinite buddha mind, while meditating on the expansive, inclusive nature of rigpa: our natural wisdom-mind and innate wakefulness. In this practice, we merge the finite, thinking heart-mind with the absolute, unconditional infinity of essential buddha-like being.
The sky—which represents the element of expansive space in this meditation practice—is without shape or color. No one can say exactly where it begins or where it ends. It just is. This makes it an ideal subject or metaphor for Dzogchen meditation. SkyGazing meditation leads us into a way of being that is in perfect harmony, attunement, and oneness with nature, including everything and everyone around us—and with our own true nature, too. In SkyGazing meditation, we dissolve into the infinite by becoming one with the open sky.
There are three stages to SkyGazing meditation:
• Arriving
• Intensifying
• Allowing
ARRIVING
Sit on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair. Your back should be erect, but not rigid. Rest your arms on your thighs, wherever they naturally fall. Your eyes remain open for this meditation.
INTENSIFYING
Bring your awareness to the out-breath. Do not change the rhythm or depth of your breathing—just notice how the air feels as it leaves your body. Your out-breath takes you outside of your small self and connects you with everything that is. Let the in-breath occur naturally, but without placing any special attention on it. Rest your gaze softly on your surroundings. About half of your attention should be on your breath, while the other half is aware of the sky.
ALLOWING
Lean back slightly and raise your gaze until the sky fills your field of vision. Open your senses to the elements. As thoughts, feelings, and perceptions arise—as they inevitably will—release them gently, without judgment. Neither follow nor suppress them. Just be a flow of pure energy in the infinite vastness of space.
It is important to keep in mind that there is no way to do this meditation “wrong.” Whatever you feel, whatever you are aware of, is simply what is. Your practice is to keep letting go of the speedy, judgmental, reactive everyday mind and return to this restful, innate awareness. If you find your mind wandering or your body tensing, stop and relax. Take a break, take a deep breath, chant “AH,” and start again—refreshed, vivid, wakeful. How long you manage to remain aware is not important: it is the quality of awareness not the quantity that counts. There need not be a struggle involved. You can start again every moment, every second. What is important is the quality of your experience. It might take a while to get used to this, but try to relax into it and let go of ordinary ideas about meditation and habitual reference points.
There is a guided session of SkyGazing meditation included as Track 5 on the enclosed CD. After you have learned the basic practice, I encourage you to practice on your own, gradually extending the periods of silent awareness, yet without forcing anything. Let the buddha within—your internal buddha nature—be your guide.
LISTEN TO TRACK 5 SkyGazing Meditation
INFORMAL SKYGAZING
SkyGazing means opening up and decontracting, space-mingling, dissolving in the infinite. You can practice it at any time: while resting at home, taking a break at work, or during transitions in your day. At these times, simply gaze into the sky or any undifferentiated expanse of space—such as a ceiling (if you are lying in bed), a blank wall, or a green lawn. Use this infinite panorama of emptiness as a metaphor for openness and awareness, release your fixations and preoccupations, breathe out—and simply let go into it.
PRACTICING SKYGAZING ON YOUR OWN
SkyGazing meditation can be done indoors or outdoors. You begin by taking your meditation seat. Close your eyes, rest your hands wherever comfortable, take a deep breath, and then let it out. Then take another breath and relax. Let go. Drop everything, settle naturally, and rest at ease. Let any thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations pass by like waves in the sea or like clouds in the sky, while simply observing their transparent, rainbow like nature. Be still and rest in the present moment, in nowness. When you find your thoughts drifting off, gently return to open awareness. For just this moment, relax into a feeling that there is nothing to do right now, nothing to figure out, understand, or achieve. Simply be present, attentive, aware.
Breathe in and out, deeply and slowly, letting go a little bit more with each out-breath. Let everything quiet down naturally, by itself. Let the body settle naturally in its own place, in its own time. Let the mind also settle naturally, in its own way, in its own time. Let everything go; let be. The three essential components of this first part of the SkyGazing meditation are to breathe, smile, and relax.
When you have settled down and feel a sense of alertness, calmness, and present awareness, open your eyes and raise your gaze to the sky. Gaze evenly into space with a soft focus. Do not force a stare; just rest your eyes on and in the vast and undifferentiated spacious expanse before you. Space, like mind, has no beginning or end, no inside or outside, no actual form, no color, no size, no shape. Mingle your gaze with this space; merge yourself and your mind with infinite, empty space. Dissolve into space until you become spacious awareness itself. As you exhale, exhale into space, following your out-breath into external space. Allow all of your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and emotions to come and go freely, letting everything that enters your awareness dissolve into vast space, and experience the radiant transparency of free-flowing present awareness.
Continue gazing freely into vast space, into the open sky, with the crystal clarity of naked awareness, and let everything go. Breathe the sky in and Out, and breathe and dissolve into the sky with your out-breath. Follow the out-breath all the way out into space. Mingle with the sky, and slowly dissolve totally into the spacious ,joy of meditation. When a thought arises, watch it come, and watch it go. ‘When a feeling presents itself, watch as it passes away by itself, without interference or manipulation. ‘When you become aware that the quality of your attention is fading, see if you can bring it back by returning your attention to the natural in-and-out motion of the breath, focusing your attention on following your out-breath and letting everything dissolve with it. Continue this process until you are resting evenly in luminous centerless emptiness. -
http://www.kiloby.com/writings.php?offset=0&writingid=150
NEW-A Windy Metaphor
There is a prevailing belief in spiritual talk that we have to get rid of thoughts or that thought is bad. Thoughts appear to create suffering, seeking, and conflict only when they are mistakenly taken to be appearing to a "me." But in the recognition that your real identity is like space, this belief is seen to be unnecessary. What you are is like space, emptiness, or awareness. Pick any of those words. The word is pointing to a thought-free, non-conceptual being that sits there looking at THESE WORDS. Let the word and all words fall away gently right now and simply recognize that which sees everything in the room. It sees objects appearing "externally" like "clock," "wall," and "door." And it sees objects appearing "internally" like "thoughts," "emotions," and "sensations." But the seeing itself is not any of those objects. So it isn't an "it." It isn't a thing. And the objects seen are not separately existing "objects." They are concepts appearing within the objectless awareness. By emphasizing concepts rather than recognizing the awareness that sees all concepts, you believe that life is made of separately existing things and that you are one of those things.
But don't trust what is being said here. See for yourself. Take one moment and let all thought drop away gently until you recognize a pure, non-conceptual seeing (or being) as what you are. In that moment, there is no name, no word for what you are. And there is no name or word for anything else either. Yet what you are, whatever that is, is still here even when no word or name comes to it. In that moment of looking as non-conceptual awareness, there is no way to know that something exists separately from something else. It is only conceptual thinking that makes separation appear. Your real identity cannot be found in any concept because you are the aware space that sees all concepts come and go. Only an idea like "I'm Joe" or "I'm a person" would give the appearance that you exist separately from the rest of life.
This aware space is what you are and all appearances come and go inseparably within it. All appearances, no matter what they are, come and go. That includes every thought, emotion, state, experience, and event. These are all registered by the cognizing space that is experienced directly when you drop all thought. That cognizing space does not leave when thought is dropped. And it does not leave when thought is happening. Therefore, ultimately, it doesn't matter whether there is thinking or not. What you are never leaves. That space has never gone anywhere. It doesn’t move through time. The story of you (and every thought you have about yourself) is a set of thoughts appearing and disappearing in the timeless space that sees these words right now. Time itself does not arise until thought arises. Because the "me" is a story in time, the "me" story does not appear until thought appears. Others don't exist in the way you think they do either. Others are also thoughts. See for yourself. You can only know that there is a person existing separately from life when you think their name into existence or imagine them with a thought. When those thoughts are not appearing, life doesn't go away. It's still here. This is revealing that life is not conceptual. And it's revealing that separation is not ultimately real. It is a product of conceptualization.
But this doesn't mean we have to get rid of thought. Only another thought would say that anyway.
The analogy of space and wind is helpful. These words, and all words and thoughts, are like movements of wind. They appear and disappear in what you are—space. No movement of wind can harm space or define it. Space is simply present and formless. It is not any object. It is not any appearance. It is what sees all objects and appearances. And without the space, no object or appearance can be seen. This is why it is said that awareness (or space) is inseparable from what appears within space (i.e., appearances, words, objects, thoughts, emotions). Without this cognizing space, nothing can be thought, felt, known, or experienced. But the space itself is not a thing. It is never experienced as an object. It is the cognizing, timeless awareness that has always been right here in the present moment regardless of the many, many thoughts and other obejcts that seem to have moved through the space in what you call “your life," which is just a story.
In this recognition, thought is seen to not be the enemy. It is not anything to get rid of. Does a movement of wind harm space? The movement of wind is not separate from the space. The movement never happens outside of space. In other words, no thought has ever appeared outside of the awareness that is looking right now. So the awareness is what you are and the thoughts come and go within what you are. But when this is really seen, fully, nothing that comes through awareness is held onto. It is all seen as totally fleeting. So in one moment, you may be having an argument with your spouse because, in that moment, a thought comes through and you mistake your identity as space for this movement of thought coming through (this opinion). But in simply recognizing yourself as the space in which the thought is coming through, there is a recognition of awareness. Then you see that the thoughts that are coming through are appearances in what you are. They are not what you are. You are the space. And so the argument with your spouse is not made into a problem. And neither are the emotions that came through during the arguments. They were just movements of wind appearing and disappearing in the unmovable space that you are. It's not about getting rid of any of those movements. It's just about seeing your real identity as awareness and noticing that awareness doesn't have an agenda to be rid of anything. This is total acceptance.
You may continue arguing with your spouse or you may apologize. Who knows? These pointers are not about doing or not doing something. They are pointing to seeing that everything, even an apology, is a movement of wind appearing and disappearing within space. This is perfect freedom and total forgiveness of each moment, and each conversation. Everything appears, disappears, and leaves no trace. The "me" could be said to be a collection of breezes. It's the energy that tries to own or identify with whatever breeze is coming through. In recognizing that you are the space in which every breeze comes through and that you could not and are not any breeze (because what you are does not come and go), then breeze "collecting" stops. That doesn't mean that thought stops necessarily. It means that there is seen to be no center, no "you" there that needs to cling to or identify with any breeze coming through. And there is no center, no "you," trying to keep breezes from coming through. No "you" trying to control anything because there is NO YOU. Everything is seen to be appearing just as it is, exactly as it is.
In spiritual teachings, you often hear that, in recognizing that you are this space (or being, or awareness), your mind will go quiet. It is said that thought will stop appearing. Maybe and maybe not. That's not really the point, is it? Space has never been at war with the breezes that pass through it. Space has no agenda to get rid of the movements of wind. Only a "me" that likes to cling to a particular experience (like a quiet mind or a busy mind) will have a preference for whether there is thinking or no thinking. Do you see the freedom in this? It means there is no state (including a quiet mind) that you have to achieve. All states are just more breezes. This means that, in recognizing you are this timeless space, right here, right now, nothing can harm you. Nothing can define you. Nothing can touch you. You remain perfectly stable no matter whether there is thinking or no thinking, feeling or no feeling, this state or that state, this argument or no argument, this belief or no belief. In this seeing, knowledge, opinions, views, and everything else within the so-called conceptual realm are allowed to be totally. There is no war with thought in this seeing. Like a transparent hologram in which space is seen to permeate every form, thought is seen to be none other than space itself. Just as a breeze is inseparable from space, thought is seen to be inseparable from awareness. The two are inseparable. They are "not two." This ends the idea that thought is bad or that non-dual realization or spiritual awakening is about some dualistic notion of thinking v. not thinking. Only a person clings to either view. Only a "me." In the recognition of awareness, all ideas are allowed to be but none of them are held onto. Space does not collect breezes.
