The Five Aggregates

Understanding how the five aggregates; body, feeling, perception, mental formations relate to meditation can deepen mindfulness and insight into the nature of “self” and reality. This "loosens" our grip on our view of self and can invite a greater sense of clarity and freedom.

Transcript

Welcome.

Find a comfortable seated position.

Let your spine be upright,

But relaxed.

Your hands resting easily on your lap.

Close your eyes or soften your gaze.

Begin by taking a few slow,

Deep breaths.

Inhale and exhale.

Let your breath find its natural rhythm.

Feel the weight of your body grounding you to the earth.

Let go of everything that came before this moment.

And now setting a gentle intention.

May I see clearly the nature of your body and mind.

Feel the contact of your body with the seat or cushion.

The touch of clothing against the skin.

The movements of the breath rising and falling.

Noticing sensations,

Warm pressure,

Tingling.

Each sensation changes moment by moment.

There is no fixed body here.

Only sensations arising and passing away.

And silently reflecting to yourself.

This body is changing.

It is not self.

Now,

Bring awareness to feeling.

Every experience carries a tone.

Pleasant,

Unpleasant,

Or neutral.

Notice how each breath,

Each sound,

Each thought,

Has its own feeling tone.

Perhaps warmth feels pleasant.

A sound may feel unpleasant.

Some moments are simply neutral.

Observe them all without grasping or pushing away.

To yourself,

Reflecting silently.

Feelings arise and pass.

They are not self.

Become aware of perception.

Notice how the mind labels what it experiences.

Breath.

Perception organizes raw experience into meaning.

Just observing this process.

How recognition arises and fades.

Perceptions arise dependent on contact.

They are not self.

Notice what the mind is doing right now.

Observe them as natural movements of mind.

Not as me or mine.

Changes and dissolves.

Reflecting.

These thoughts and emotions are not self.

Notice how consciousness arises with its objects.

Consciousness arises and ceases.

Simply to yourself,

Affirming.

May this end.