Live Meditation Recording - No. 3

This edited live recording taken directly from one of the Live Sessions is a continued pointing back to one's inseparable awareness. This recording in particular looks at the long held belief, that we are in the world. This belief of being 'in the world' is the very basis for most, if not all personal imbalances where one is in conflict believing themselves to being a separate individual, and all else is at a distance from them.

Transcript

Once we believe we are in the world, We become subject to it, Defined by it, Conditioned by it and vulnerable to and can be conflicted by it. We spend our lives trying to survive it, Control it, Extract meaning and purpose from it. And this never works because the premise was wrong from the beginning in that we believe we are in the world. This imbalance is the foundation of duality and the separateness felt in people's lives. The distance between doing and being, Between inner and outer, And this belief, This disconnection is the cause of most mental, Physical, Emotional suffering. And the base upon which a seeker often starts their journey, Looking for that which in fact does not exist. We're trying to find ourselves in a place we were never actually located in. So that's really, Really potent and powerful. And it's a good reminder. These little things sometimes, You know, As a young monk I'd have these little aphorism cards that I'd just have around the place, I'd carry them in my wallet, I'd have them on my desk at work. I just had them in different locations and I would just, Wherever it was, I'd just pull a new card out and I'd just read it as like a little reminder, A little instant meditation. So they're very potent. And today I wanted to touch on a little bit, And I've been doing some, I like to prepare before each of these live sessions because I want to honour your time and also it's good for me to come back into presence in the particular topic because then as we go through this can become a meditation and this will become a meditation. And if that I think is appropriate, I'll then edit it and I'll put it as a guided visualisation on a track on Insight Timer. So the idea today, The inspiration, Was to talk about a little bit more about identity. And the identity that we tend to take on can be through the roles that we have in our life, Whether it's a wife, A husband, You know, A teacher, A manager, A shopkeeper, Whatever it is. That we have these roles and we tend to be identified through those roles and we tend to also identify ourself because of those roles. Identity can be based on memories and we all have a lot of memories and also different labels that maybe people place upon us. That all comes into creating a sense of personal identity. And these change quite rapidly actually. As we move through life, We have different positions, We have different jobs, We have different memories and people perceive us in different ways at different times. So they come and go quite effortlessly. Now, The awareness of all of this is, And this is something to always carry in your heart, Before any role or any memory or any label is there, We can always refer back to what is here, What is present before the label, The memory and the role. What is present? And we can just pause and reflect on that for a moment. And we've spoken before about our imperturbable awareness and the unmoving background. So this is that again. So this is the sort of awareness that we carry and it will become increasingly obvious and more of a permanent presence within your life, Wherever you might be. You'll have this developing sense of whatever it is, It's in front of us, Whatever name, Whatever position. What is there? What is here before that? And then when no story is being told, When there's no narrative anymore, What remains present before all of that? And what that is, Is not the place of a mind that creates the label of a name or a position of a title. So it's before the thinking mind and thinking mind is an appearance within that which is before the thought. So we can sit here just for a moment in reflection about what is here before the definition, Any definition. And once again, It's the unchanging background, Imperturbable awareness. And in that state of presence, Of awareness, There's nothing that needs to be adjusted, Corrected. It simply is whole unto itself. Beyond anything that the mind might want to adjust or correct or add to, It's beyond all of that. Nothing needs to be changed. It is fully present and whole and perfect in its spacious presence. So identity can continue in our life, But we now no longer believe that. We are not defined by identity. We're not defined by a label. All of these things appear within inseparable awareness. It's like having a whole lot of balloons and everything, Whatever label it may be, Whatever emotion, Whatever it is, They're all just floating away into the infinite vastness and what is here. Once all the balloons have gone, They've floated away, Is the unchanging background of imperturbable awareness. And we can also separate experience from identity. Like we can acknowledge experiences through the body, Through our sight, Through sensations of touching. And all of that is there as an appearance within inseparable awareness. The body is experienced, But all of whatever experience it might be, All of those appear within awareness. And what is aware of sensation cannot itself be a sensation. Once again, The unmoving background is still presence of being untouched. And in terms of the body, What knows tiredness? What knows warmth? What knows the stillness? All of that, All of these appear within inseparable awareness. The body is an appearance. The body and all the sensations, All are appearances, Temporary, Finite appearances. And this is that sense of lightness with the knowledge, With the knowing, Sorry, Rather the knowledge with the knowing of that imperturbable awareness as the background to all. Immediately that is that sense of detachment, Not ignoring, But actually more aware because we're not held by, If you like, The claws of the ego. We're not reactive. We're far more discerning. We have the space. We have the stillness to perceive everything from. And from that ability to stand back is where the wisdom can be spontaneous. That's where whatever is needed in the moment, If it's appropriate for you to say something or do something, You will know intuitively when it is to come into that space. And also when it's appropriate to let somebody else come into that space rather than yourself. So this is all, It's just nice to be able to, You know, Look at this in a little bit more detail. It's all very relevant. It's like the day-to-day stuff in our awareness world. So let's just stop for a moment. We can pause. We can just take a nice long deep breath. And let the breath land where it will. Let your awareness be wherever it is. And just rest here. It doesn't have to look like anything. It doesn't have to feel any way special. It's not meant to be exciting. Whatever it is, Your awareness, It simply is. And that is-ness is perfect. It can't be compared. It's not open for discussion. It's sacred. It's the highest communion you can have. All falsehoods have fallen away. We've stepped back from the mind. Mind can be busy doing its thing, But we're not caught. And in that self-recognition there can be such a joy. And a lightness felt. What we perhaps used to perceive as real or precious in our life or what may have been meaningful at some point, Now with clear seeing, It may no longer carry the same significance. Because we now see it for what it actually is. It doesn't mean to say what it was or was wrong. It just is. And here we completely relax. It doesn't have to make you feel happy. It doesn't have to make you feel anything. It just is. It's a stillness of no labels, No identifications of any particular. It just is. But if it does make you feel happy, That's perfect. If it does give you more energy, Perfect. If it doesn't give you more energy, It's perfect. But also know that this is the base for extraordinary things to happen in your life. If there are extraordinary things meant to happen and we don't have to give that a label, We don't have to give that a label either. Whatever happens, Happens. Everybody receives this in their own way. Everybody recognizes this in their own way. But all are united in this one presence or awareness. True oneness. Unconditional oneness. That can manifest in so many different ways. Or it can be just quietly received and held sacred in the heart. Without any fanfare. It is so precious that if you have any demonstration of it for some feels perhaps that it will take away from its potency. Whatever it is, It doesn't matter. You know your own wisdom presence. This can be a creative center. Not that there is a center. This can be a field of creativity. Whatever it is, Is perfect. And your connection to it your oneness with it can vary in intensity. Whatever it is, However you perceive it in the moment, All is perfect. Sometimes you'll recognize it within a split second of coming into your meditation practice. Other times it might take a bit longer. It's okay. It's this discipline that is the key to being the full presence of inseparable awareness. Of taking the time every day. And I've mentioned before meditate for short periods many times each day. For short periods many times each day. This is wonderful discipline for the mind. So we can just take a nice long deep breath. Just hold it for a moment. And then exhale. I'll just read you some aphorisms that have come into my awareness in the last 24 hours. And this continue in your meditative awareness. Just remain still and present. And treat each of these as another, If you like, Recognition of your own personal awareness. To want solitude is very normal when the truth of being is sought. Solitude is not withdrawal. It is the stillness, Clarity, Recognition of one's abiding, Pristine presence. Whatever arises appears in awareness. Sounds, Emotions, Feelings, Experiences. These emotions and feelings are not in the world. They are within one's awareness. For the world is within one's awareness. A mind that seeks more will never rest. One's truth is found in not more but in simply being in stillness, Silence. Right where you are. And just speaking on that, This is habitual in 99. 99% of the population to be doing more. We're not even conscious of the fact that we're doing more. It just motors on, Wants something else and something else and something else. And that's why the mind is so powerful because it's always looking for something more. The mind is obsessed with content and variety. So to have the discipline, To develop the discipline to come back into awareness to step back from the thoughts this is where it is so powerful. And this is where that permanent sense of presence comes into your life and remains there no matter what is happening on an outer level. What one is chasing can never be found. For self-awareness, Self-recognition requires no doing or effort. We fill every silence with noise for noise is more comfortable than facing ourselves in silence. In the mirror when no one else is watching is the true reflection of being. Yet we turn away for purity is uncomfortable. One's truth can be frightening to mind. And there is the final breath of ego control when all identity belief is destroyed. Mind will seek answers for that which is unknowable and indefinable.

Reviews

Nice to have this to listen to as often as I like. I was a part of this live session. I have been looking for a non-duality teacher on Insight Timer for years. I am grateful I found you. Thanks for being on this platform.