Complete Leisure – Deconstructing Your self

Guided Nondual Meditation with Michael Taft

Streamed on Dec 16, 2021

Let’s start meditating as ordinary. Let me get my timer, my meditation factor, going right here so I do know the place we’re at. What I’d such as you to do meditation followers is start by establishing your posture. Meditation posture is essential. Meditation is an embodied apply and your physique feeling good and in addition expressing the meditation is a giant a part of it, proper? So, what do I imply by feeling good? I simply imply, regardless that we’re going to take a pleasant posture with an upright again, having your backbone upright, I need it to really feel good. I don’t need you to really feel such as you’re sitting at consideration in an uncomfortable approach. It’s best to be sure that your physique is pleased with the best way you’re sitting, particularly as a result of we’re going to be nonetheless for a complete hour, proper? Once we’re doing these meditations the concept is to remain fairly nonetheless as a result of in the event you transfer the physique the thoughts begins transferring. Additionally in the event you hold the physique nonetheless, the thoughts will turn out to be nonetheless as effectively. We do, particularly originally of those sits, type of need to chill issues out a little bit bit, get the thoughts good and calm, so there’s that. 

After which additionally what’s attention-grabbing is that, in a approach, the essence of the shamatha a part of meditation is to be each alert and relaxed, and what’s attention-grabbing is that we at all times consider that as occurring–this alert leisure–we consider as occurring within the thoughts, however after all alert leisure can even happen within the physique. So the alert half is to perk up, proper? That’s the sign to the nervous system, when the backbone will get upright, that we’re alert, proper? We are able to even name it sitting at consideration, proper? We sit up, get that backbone good and upright, and that alerts–or we will say that’s the physique’s expression of alertness after which the remainder of our posture is relaxed. So we get our backbone good and upright after which we let all the things else chill out and so we’re embodying the essence of the shamatha proper there; alert leisure, the physique is definitely doing it and that’s actually attention-grabbing. That’s additionally why we keep fairly nonetheless as a result of that’s the deep peace or the deep relaxed a part of the physique. This isn’t a tense-tight or stiff-stillness. It’s the stillness of full leisure, the stillness of completely letting go. 

So, I need you to sit down up good and straight. You may wave your backbone out, wave your backbone round like a younger sapling in a contemporary breeze. It’s type of transferring in numerous instructions till you discover that spot the place the upright backbone feels completely balanced. There’s this lovely stability level. It feels good. As soon as we get that we chill out the remainder of the whole physique and, actually, tonight we’ll do for the shamatha half a progressive leisure like we do typically earlier than transferring into the remainder of the meditation. So discover that good upright spot, high of your head pulling upwards in a very nice method, chin tucked just a bit bit so the again of your neck is open. Your chest needs to be–really it’s very nice if it feels good. Once more don’t do that if it doesn’t really feel good. But when it feels good the chest is sort of open, you’re not hunched ahead in any approach, or caving the chest. It’s really; the shoulders are down and again, and the chest in a really, very, very gentle approach, not an exaggerated approach, however in a really gentle approach, feels virtually prefer it’s pulling outward and upward just a bit tiny bit. It’s obtained this sort of upward, outward, expanded mode occurring, only a very light relaxed taste of that. And, after all, the decrease again has that curve within the backbone, in order that your like hips are barely rotated ahead so the backbone type of goes up just a bit bit if you if you roll your that decrease backbone again you type of slouch and your head goes down you roll it ahead just a bit bit the entire backbone goes upright.

Okay, so we’ve obtained that good upright backbone expressing the alert a part of shamatha, after which the remainder of our complete physique is relaxed expressing the tranquility of shamatha. So, alert tranquility, alert leisure, that’s the shamatha portion. Now, earlier than we go into that totally, let’s simply in a short time recall that we’re already totally woke up beings. We’re already totally enlightened beings. On the very foundation of your being is already full awakeness, already full consciousness, already full buddhahood. There’s nothing you need to do in any respect to make it extra full, to make your self in some way extra woke up. It’s already there, proper? And all we’re doing once we sit is recognizing that reality, proper? We’re popping out of the dream of non-recognition and simply recognizing that reality. 

So for only a second right here originally of the meditation I’d such as you to image in entrance of you–immediately we’re going to make use of the visualization of a rose, the flower, a rose, proper?  Simply think about probably the most attractive, open, purple rose. Okay. I really could make it any shade you need however I’ll do it a purple rose and it’s like that type of rose in a tacky {photograph} the place it’s even obtained some little water droplets on the petals and stuff. It appears totally contemporary. Think about that rose scent and actually see in your thoughts’s eye, a rose in entrance of you.

Okay. That is simply the visualization we’re utilizing tonight.Generally we use a bodhisattva being, typically we use a solar, or no matter. Tonight I simply really feel impressed to have or not it’s this lovely rose. Okay. This rose is an emblem or an exterior–regardless that we’re doing it internally in our creativeness we’re projecting it externally as an emblem–of our personal already current awakening, our personal already current enlightenment, our personal already current buddhahood. And that’s why this rose is so lovely, and so good, and contemporary. It’s representing our personal woke up thoughts, which is already current. And so what I need you to do now’s enable that rose to present forth the scent of knowledge. Usually we use gentle. Tonight it’s going to be a scent of knowledge, proper? Simply that rose scent wakes up the deep enlightened knowledge, the deep buddha knowledge within the thoughts. Okay. And simply really feel your thoughts clearing and opening with that rose scent. Clearly simply an creativeness train and but as a result of the buddha awakening, the enlightened woke up totally realized thoughts is definitely there already, this creativeness or visualization train really has a strong impact of serving to us to acknowledge our personal indwelling awakening. 

So, we have now that scent of knowledge that opens the thoughts, opens the knowledge thoughts, after which one other scent pours forth from the rose, and we really feel our coronary heart of affection, compassion, and pleasure opening. Blossoming, unfolding like a gap rose with this sense of affection, this sense of pleasure, this sense of kindness. After which a 3rd scent arises from this rose and we really feel in our stomach the vitality of life, the vitality of playfulness and spontaneity filling our our bodies, simply pure life vitality, the scent of pure life vitality. And we all know there’s a number of Buddhist scriptures and Hindu scriptures the place there are beings of scent, beings manufactured from scent, and in reality, complete universes manufactured from fantastic scents. One among them known as Sarvagandha Sugandha. That’s the identify of the universe: Sarvagandha Sugandha, and in Sanskrit which means “all the things good smelling.” It’s a universe composed of fantastic scents. In order that’s what we’re tuning into right here, the scents of knowledge, the scent of compassion, and pleasure, the scent of this playful, spontaneous, lovely life power that’s flowing via our physique. 

So simply really feel that now, after which carry on this rose of knowledge, this rose of awakening, this rose of your individual Buddhahood into the guts the place it totally blossoms and offers forth this perfume to the whole world. It’s beaming out the perfume of knowledge, beaming out the perfume of compassion, bringing it, beaming out–or effulgently giving forth radiant spontaneity and life power. So really feel that now. And it’s simply filling your complete physique, filling the entire thoughts, filling the entire being with this glorious scent of awakening, proper? Scent of awakening, after which let that rose imaginative and prescient simply dissolve into this pure, radiant, vacancy of knowledge, readability, compassion, love, pleasure, spontaneous, playful vigor, and life power. And simply really feel that essence of awakening coursing via the physique, thoughts, via the guts, and beaming out to the whole world.

Okay. In order that’s only the start, that’s our opening visualization and simply if you wish to you possibly can then simply let that complete visualization vanish like a scent on the wind. After which it’s simply huge spacious consciousness, simply open empty consciousness and from this place, I’d love to do as I promised a progressive leisure to get us into the true relaxed a part of shamatha, deep, deep, deep into the relief a part of shamatha. However keep in mind that’s solely half in order we’re doing this leisure we additionally need to bear in mind to remain very alert, very awake. The notice is vivid and crisp and clear. Bear in mind the phrase Buddha means awake, proper? Not asleep, not dreaming. Awake, it actually means awake. So the Buddha’s title isn’t like ‘god,’ or ‘the holy one,’ or one thing, it simply means ‘the woke up one,’ ‘the one who’s not asleep.’

So our already current Buddha nature is of the character of wakefulness, alertness, readability. So even whereas our physique turns into increasingly relaxed, we wish our thoughts to be vivid. And even the physique in leisure is vivid, proper? There’s vitality there. It’s not uninteresting. It’s very up and alert. And but, like cat muscle tissue, simply completely–you understand how a cat relaxes the entire physique. It’s simply obtained that goopy fantastic sense of deep, deep, deep core leisure, proper? On the skeletal stage. So let’s go into that now. And I need you to start together with your brow and eyebrows, and also you let that chill out. And the meditation object right here is to really feel that leisure taking place there. Now if one thing doesn’t need to chill out, one thing is tight, one thing feels prefer it desires to remain tight in your physique for no matter motive, don’t power it in any respect. Let it do no matter it desires. 

So that is simply an invite to leisure and I need you to get targeted on the components that do chill out, and the components that do open, the components that do really feel ease and delicate and open. Don’t give attention to the stuff that’s tight, and get all concerned in it, and, “why is it tight? And now I’ve obtained to chill out it.” Nothing like that in any respect, it’s the other, I need you to double down, triple down, quadruple down on the components of the physique that really feel relaxed. So really feel your brow enjoyable, and your eyebrows enjoyable, and actually really feel that deeply. Take it in. Breathe it in. Discover how good that leisure feels, even in that tiny space of the face. After which subsequent enable your eye eyelids to chill out, and your eye muscle tissue to chill out in such a approach we will shut our eyes throughout this shamatha meditation. Permit your eyes to chill out in such a approach which you could’t open them even in the event you attempt, as a result of with a purpose to open them you’d must put pressure again into the muscle tissue to make use of them. And so the eyes are so relaxed, the attention muscle tissue are so relaxed that you simply really can’t open them with out getting tense once more. And identical factor your cheeks, chill out your mouth and lips, chill out your complete jaw. Let go. And the scalp and the entire remainder of the top simply experiences this sort of deep nice letting go. And I need you to simply tune into that proper now for a second and simply really feel how good that feels.

Good. Now persevering with to tune into that leisure and simply really feel the letting go, really feel the discharge, really feel the aid in that. Let’s tune into our throat, neck, and shoulders the place we launch and chill out and let go. Now you’re protecting your head upright, however once more, we discovered that place the place the backbone simply feels so good, so balanced that there’s type of a minimal pressure or minimal effort required to maintain your head upright, and apart from that the entire space turns into relaxed, open, and launched, together with the throat. When your throat relaxes it’s that muscle that retains your, regulates your vocal cords to be tighter or looser, so it’s the factor you do if you decrease your voice. That’s enjoyable the throat. Chill out the throat all the best way, and to speak regular, I’ll put a little bit little bit of pressure again in my throat, however you retain doing the enjoyable of the throat, and letting the shoulders launch. 

After which, that is the vital half, feeling that launch, feeling the strain fading away, and the softness, and the openness, and the pleasantness, and ease coming into these areas. And actually specializing in that, and respiration that in, and taking it in, and permitting your self to take pleasure in it. In order that’s what we’re doing with this progressive leisure kind of shamatha. And so your face and head are relaxed, your neck and throat and shoulders are relaxed, and now we’ll simply enable the arms to let go of all of the doing, all the strain, all of the tightness, all of the busyness of the day. We use our arms and our arms to take action a lot, proper? We’re thumb typing, or we’re keyboard typing, and swiping on screens, and swiping on trackpads, and all of that retains your arms very tight and so we wish them to be free. We would like our arms, our elbows, our wrists, our palms, our fingers to simply launch all that pressure and really feel the strain draining out, really feel the strain draining away. And moreover really feel the arms and arms getting as limp as moist rags. So there’s not even that background pressure the place you’re protecting your arms prepared to maneuver regardless that they’re nonetheless. Generally we hold them prepared to maneuver. I need them to shift out of readiness to maneuver mode into full non-readiness to maneuver, the place they’re simply limp like moist noodles, and really feel the limp like moist noodles in your arms, and in your arms, and in every of your fingers. Actually really feel that. Spend a while taking place the suitable arm, and taking place the left arm, and feeling that leisure, and tuning into it, and permitting your thoughts to be inside it and resonate with it, and open, open, open. 

And really feel that leisure in your arms and your neck and your head simply type of permeating consciousness. Good. Now let the entrance of your chest chill out, your pectoral muscle tissue, and the entire   higher a part of your chest, and in addition in again round your shoulder blades and lats, and so forth. Let your complete higher chest area in entrance on the perimeters and again simply launch and chill out and let go. And really feel all the strain drain away, drains out, and it’s changed by virtually like aid and leisure, and openness, and gentleness simply virtually descends into the higher chest. You are feeling it, increase, land there and simply enable the entire space to simply chill out, and launch, and open, and let go of all pressure, let go of all cares, let go of all fear within the physique, all tightness within the physique, and all of it simply drains out. Once more, not combating something, not transferring, actually not stretching in any approach, however simply permitting pure intention, and pure care to permit the physique to launch. And really feel how good that feels now that your complete higher chest, and higher again, and your arms, and arms, and your neck, and throat, and face, and head have all relaxed?

 I’m tuning in, ingesting and savoring that leisure in a very open, easeful, nice, playful method. I need you to simply discover that that feels so good, that feels so relaxed, that it permits your thoughts now to simply sink down right into a deeper, deeper leisure the place the entire higher physique, and the entire physique, and even the thoughts simply type of drops now right into a a lot deeper sense of openness, a lot deeper sense of undefendedness, a a lot deeper sense of leisure. So simply tune into that now. Spend a while with it.

Good. Now, on this a lot deeper mode of leisure, enable your diaphragm to launch and open, and really feel how good it feels when the diaphragm releases and opens, relaxes, finds settledness and peace. After which the stomach releases and opens, the perimeters of the stomach, and in again within the kidney space all chill out and open. And simply really feel how good that feels. We typically hold a number of pressure in our stomach. It’s quite common spot for nervousness, pressure and so simply noticing that the precise muscle tissue within the entrance of the stomach may be very very relaxed, letting go of all that pressure, simply letting the stomach flap out. With a sigh, you discover your self changing into way more relaxed at this level.

After which the entire pelvic area releases and relaxes and lets go.  Your hip joints really feel so good after they launch and let go and are crammed with a way of easefulness and openness. The perineal area can chill out and open. After which simply enable the whole legs and toes once more to do the moist noodle factor. They only turn out to be fully like moist rags. There’s no sense that you simply’re gonna do something together with your legs proper now. They’re simply fully allowed to flop and so that you discover the massive muscle tissue within the quads and the glutes all releasing, and enjoyable, and opening, letting go. These are large enough muscle tissue which you could actually really feel that after they chill out. The entire physique relaxes additional after which your knees launch and open, and the calves and shins chill out and open, and the ankle joints chill out and open, and the toes chill out and open, soles of the toes open, tops of the toes open, and the toes chill out, and even between the toes relaxes and opens.

So if you really feel now the diaphragm and the stomach area, and the pelvic area, and the hips, and the legs, and the toes releasing and opening.  Becoming a member of the chest and again, that are launched and open, and the arms and arms, that are completely, completely relaxed and open. Really feel how your palms now are extensive open, the backs of the arms extensive open, the throat extensive open, face extensive open. All the things relaxed and launched, calm and tranquil and but energized and alive, not asleep, not powering down into sleep, however reasonably feeling a type of energized launch, energized openness. Simply really feel that now. Tune into that now as you drop into a good deeper, much more profound, much more fully enjoyable depth of openness and launch and tranquility. Let’s simply be with this now for a couple of minutes, respiration collectively, feeling how good the physique feels to be this relaxed. Noticing how the core of the thoughts–that pressure on the core of the thoughts–additionally relaxes, additionally melts, additionally releases and opens, in order that because the physique relaxes and opens, the core of the thoughts releases and opens, and there’s a way of deep tranquility and but great alertness, great awakeness. So let’s sit with that collectively now.

Really feel how with every in-breath we turn out to be extra awake, extra energized, extra alert. And with every out-breath we turn out to be extra relaxed, extra at peace, extra open and delicate and delicate.

Okay. Good. Now persevering with to remain alert and relaxed, I need you to note that on this stomach area the place we had been speaking concerning the life power, the vitality, centered slightly below the navel, just a few inches beneath the navel, and again in, you possibly can really feel, in the event you verify in that area, you’ll really feel a type of heart of–it simply seems like a spot the place the vitality is centered. I don’t know the way else to explain it. And I need you to simply think about now, in a really relaxed, light, alert approach, that the life power vitality in that spot, the playful, spontaneous, vivacious life power vitality in that spot turns into tremendously extra harmonious, regulated, open and wholesome, robust and common, and wholesome and harmonious. And simply on the in-breath really feel that heart filling with vitality after which the out-breath really feel that heart changing into extra completely patterned, completely harmonious, completely wholesome and powerful, completely tuned. So on the in-breath that heart will get extra energized, on the out breath it turns into extra harmonious. We really feel the results radiating via our complete physique. The entire physique feels more healthy, stronger, extra alive. It’s purring like a kitten. It’s extra completely tuned as that heart turns into crammed with increasingly vitality. Breathe in. We really feel the vitality in that heart. We breathe out. We really feel this great concord radiating via the entire physique. So let’s do this collectively now.

Discover how good that feels. Superb. Okay. Now as much as the brow. Really feel within the heart of the mind, on the stage of the brow, within the heart of your head, really feel, on the in-breath, the thoughts changing into increasingly alert, increasingly awake, increasingly clear. Really feel the thoughts filling with readability and in addition, once more with a way of knowledge on the in-breath, and on the out breath let this readability and knowledge radiate via the entire physique, proper? Our physique has knowledge and it shares that with the thoughts. So let this readability and awakeness and knowledge that we really feel filling the thoughts on the in-breath then radiate out to the entire physique and thoughts on the out-breath. A type of good tuning of the thoughts itself.

Good. And now transferring between the 2, within the coronary heart heart on the in-breath, taking in a way of affection, feeling a way of pleasure and kindness, and love rising robust within the coronary heart. After which, actually tuning in on the out-breath, simply permitting that love and kindness to move via the whole physique, knowledge of affection and kindness and caring move via the whole physique, which is already, once more, tuned and wholesome, and already sensible and clear, and now this vitality of affection and compassion is simply transferring via the whole physique. So on the in-breath we’re taking in additional of that feeling, the vitality and the guts rising, then within the out-breath that love, and kindness, and caring, and pleasure transfer into each tissue within the physique. 

Now from this place of great readability, and aliveness, and compassion, and love simply come to resting in open consciousness, within the huge house of consciousness. You don’t make consciousness house huge. It’s already extensive open by itself, so simply carry this sense of complete leisure, complete openness, complete awakeness and aliveness into the sense of huge spacious consciousness. And this huge spacious consciousness is just resting, it’s clear, it’s vivid, it’s awake and but it’s completely relaxed. It’s completely relaxed. It’s simply resting in itself. And permit this consciousness to simply merely relaxation in itself, uninvolved with something, probably not meditating in any respect on something. It’s already fully awake. It’s already fully a Buddha. There’s nothing to do. There’s completely nothing in any respect that must be accomplished, nothing wants to vary. There’s simply resting on this awakeness. Let’s do this collectively now.

If you end up concerned with pondering in any respect, simply drop it, come again to simply resting in openness, resting as huge spacious consciousness. The notice doesn’t become involved with any thought. That doesn’t imply ideas cease however we’re not getting concerned in any psychological content material. We’re resting as huge spacious consciousness.

Okay. Good. Now enable that knowledge vitality to collect within the coronary heart, and that life power vitality to collect within the coronary heart, along with the love and pleasure and compassion that’s already current within the coronary heart, and permit that to radiate–not solely out to your individual physique and thoughts however–out to the entire world round you, everybody round you, everybody in the entire world, and in reality everybody in all of the worlds and all of the universes all over the place, together with Sarvagandha Sugandha. Let that love vitality, the compassion, the kindness, the knowledge, the readability, and the enjoyment, and the playfulness, and spontaneity, let that vitality radiate out, radiate out powerfully in all instructions. Think about it really impacting the minds, the hearts, the beings of all of the folks, all of the animals, all of the beings round you and on this planet, and in reality, all over the place.

So simply let that radiate out. Let that vitality beam out, pour forth, pour forth out of your coronary heart to the entire universe.

Dharma Speak

Okay. Good. Let’s finish the meditation there. So simply enable your self now to maneuver, and stretch, and perhaps have a drink of water, or one thing. And simply carry your physique now into motion and a unique type of ease. I discover it actually fascinating as a result of, you understand, the shamatha model meditation–once more the phrase shamatha means resting in a single spot, it’s like peaceable or restful staying, proper? And but so many people carry a type of tense, yang, doership vitality to this apply, like we’re gonna meditate our butts off. Virtually the other temper, proper? A type of striving graspy acquisitive or aggressive vitality to this apply after which surprise why we don’t get very far with it. You realize you possibly can type of muscle your method to some stage of shamatha however at a sure level you simply can’t do it by power. You simply can’t do it by getting tighter or extra motivated as a result of–and also you particularly can’t do it by getting extra aggressive and pumped as much as do it, you understand. That’s simply not the temper in any respect. 

As an alternative, once more, bear in mind the identify is peaceable abiding or tranquil resting and so the primary temper is opening, and softening, and ease, and leisure, and application. We’re nonetheless alert. We’re not falling asleep and, actually, we don’t need to get sleepy whereas we’re doing it. That’s going too far within the different course. We need to be alert and relaxed. And so, that type of like curling up like a cat on a sofa within the sunshine–that vitality– like, “oh, I’m simply so cozy. I’m gonna curl up,” that’s going too far, proper? That’s going too far into the relief half. We need to be alert and relaxed however at first I discover people who find themselves actually motivated to meditate and need to do their meditation and particularly in the event that they’re like, “I need to get enlightened,” and all that type of stuff. There may be this sort of power vitality in there in depth and simply–I don’t know, competitiveness and it’s simply the unsuitable temper to carry to this if you wish to go deeper into the apply, proper? And so in our leisure we need to discover leisure, we need to discover peacefulness, and openness, and ease, and have that type of pressure launch from our our bodies. 

It’s actually fascinating. I’ve talked about this earlier than, you understand within the West, particularly in America, however within the West usually, we type of consider a very intense and in addition tense tight state as joyous. Like, “yeah, I’m feeling nice,” you understand as your neck muscle tissue bulge, “I’m feeling actually good. I’m tremendous excited.” We actually type of suppose happiness and pleasure are synonyms, you understand, however in a approach that type of intense Yeah! vitality, I imply, it’s obtained its place in our lives, however that’s not essentially what pleasure and happiness and openness are about. They will have a really totally different expression that’s actually upbeat and has vitality however is easy and open very–once more like that type of cat vitality the place regardless of how a lot they’re doing there could be a second of pressure nevertheless it’s primarily ease and smoothness and leisure even after they’re doing one thing actually bodily demanding that type of looseness and wateriness and openness is there, proper? 

So we wish that in our apply each in our physique and even in our thoughts, the place the thoughts is relaxed, the thoughts is open, the thoughts is relaxed. As I typically put it, you understand, I mentioned it tonight, the core of your thoughts relaxes. There may be that tight core within the heart of your head the place it’s like; I’m directing, and I’m taking motion, and I’m doing this, and I’m not doing that, and I’m actually clear about… and it’s like… That’s not precisely what we imply by readability. You realize, readability is totally different than that. That may be a type of tight stable seeming aggressive thoughts. And what we need to do is have that core of the thoughts launch and open, and chill out, and turn out to be virtually like a pool of liquid mercury reflecting the world with complete readability and consciousness and but completely relaxed, completely relaxed, completely at peace, proper? 

So keep in mind that coming to this and permitting your self to be relaxed is a giant a part of this. And so once we do the type of meditation we did tonight, a progressive leisure, that’s actually serving to us to seek out that ease. Generally due to espresso, and due to nervousness, and due to work stuff, and life stuff we will come to our meditation actually amped up, and actually tight. And so typically it’s obligatory to simply take the time to do that complete progressive leisure, progressive opening with a purpose to discover extra ease, to seek out extra openness, to seek out extra peacefulness, to seek out extra tranquility. And often, as a result of if we’re beginning out amped up, often the awakeness, the attention, the readability of thoughts is already going to be there. In order that’s how we do this. 

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