Embracing The "I Am"

Based on the teachings of Adyashanti, this practice can be used alone or as a companion to his writings on "the direct way" of awakening. This particular practice draws from his teachings on "I AM: Your True Identity," in which you connect "Being" with your fundamental sense of "I am," in other words, the conscious, spacious presence of formless awareness that you are. The invitation here is to be attentive not to conceptual ideas, but only to your own direct experience and perception. I hope you enjoy.

Transcript

Begin by relaxing into your seat,

Relaxing into your body,

Relaxing into your breath,

Inviting a sense of ease into the body,

A sense of ease into the mind.

Eckhart Tolle makes a distinction between what he calls the little me and the deep I.

In this meditation,

We're going to spend some time with the deep I,

And we're going to set aside the little me for a bit.

So I invite you to put onto a shelf your ideas about yourself,

Your age,

Your gender,

Your name,

Where you're from,

Just about everything you can think of that you believe identifies you.

Just put it on a shelf for a bit.

Don't worry,

It'll still be there when we're done.

And we do this so that we can relax into a deeper aspect of ourselves,

The essence of ourselves,

A chance to get in touch with your being.

And I invite you to say to yourself,

I am,

Not I am this or I am that,

Simply I am.

And if it helps,

You can sync it with your breath.

Rest as the background awareness,

Spacious awareness,

I am-ness.

If the words I am don't work for you,

Simply rest as the background,

Spacious,

Present awareness.

The true I am is awareness recognizing itself as awareness.

Not I am this or I am that,

Simply I am.

Feel the open,

Quiet space,

Your own being.

Be well,

My friend.