Transform Your Mind & Change Your Life Retreat - 7-Point Mind Training from Atisha (part 4)

0:02 So I'd like to turn now to a practice of a particular mode of practicing mindfulness of breathing, as I mentioned in the Dzogchen tradition. So we'll continue on that and see if we can explore that in some depth over the next couple of days. And so we'll return to that now. We'll initially settle body, speech and mind in the natural state and then just practice. But this time we'll approach it more quickly with fewer words for the initial settling. Report an error in the passage at 0:02 Highlight the passage at 0:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

0:57 So with fewer words, I invite you at the beginning of each session. Let your awareness descend into the body right down to the ground. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:10 Feel the whole space of your body mindfully present throughout. And Report an error in the passage at 1:10 Highlight the passage at 1:10

1:27 in the supine position, while you deeply relax the body and you keep it very still, psychologically adopt a psychological posture of vigilance, of clarity, using that posture only for meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27

1:44 So set your body at ease, relaxed, loose. For the duration of the session, let your body be as still as possible with no unnecessary movement. Report an error in the passage at 1:44 Highlight the passage at 1:44

2:05 Settle your body then in this state of dynamic equilibrium, relaxed, still and vigilant. Report an error in the passage at 2:05 Highlight the passage at 2:05

· · · silence, 1 minute

3:01 Then we take on the subtler challenge of allowing the breath to flow in its natural rhythm, which means while attending closely to the rhythm of the breath, which we can very easily modify or influence, not do so. Report an error in the passage at 3:01 Highlight the passage at 3:01

3:19 But breathe ego-lessly, relinquishing all control over the respiration, letting the body breathe without interference, without regulation, Report an error in the passage at 3:19 Highlight the passage at 3:19

3:40 effortlessly letting the breath flow in and letting the body establish its own rhythm without our intervention. Then Report an error in the passage at 3:40 Highlight the passage at 3:40

4:08 the subtlest challenge, certainly among the body, speech and mind, is settling the mind in its natural state, deeply setting the mind at ease, releasing all our cares, hopes and fears. All thoughts pertaining to the past and the future. Report an error in the passage at 4:08 Highlight the passage at 4:08

4:34 The freedom to come to rest in stillness. Report an error in the passage at 4:34 Highlight the passage at 4:34

4:57 Awareness resting in its own place without being focused here or there. Without being directed outwards or inwards and upon the mind. Just resting. But fully cognizant, clear, discerning, highly present. Not just sitting with a blank mind. Report an error in the passage at 4:57 Highlight the passage at 4:57

· · · silence, 1 minute

6:37 As awareness rests in its own place without doing anything. But simply being aware in the present moment, Report an error in the passage at 6:37 Highlight the passage at 6:37

6:47 you will become more and more explicitly aware, clearly aware, that you are aware. The awareness of being aware will be the awareness of awareness itself. Rest there in that flow of cognizance, the knowing of knowing. It's Report an error in the passage at 6:47 Highlight the passage at 6:47

7:28 not a matter of thinking about consciousness or imagining or visualizing anything. Report an error in the passage at 7:28 Highlight the passage at 7:28

7:36 You're stripping your mind back to the essential, simply awareness. The awareness of awareness and resting in that flow moment to moment. Report an error in the passage at 7:36 Highlight the passage at 7:36

· · · silence, 1 minute

8:46 But even as you rest there without specifically directing your attention elsewhere, effortlessly, you may easily be aware simply of the rhythm of the breath. When the breath is flowing in, when it's flowing out, Report an error in the passage at 8:46 Highlight the passage at 8:46

9:19 sustain that flow of cognizance, that awareness of the rhythm. When the in-breath is long, note that it is long. When the out-breath is long, note that it is long. Report an error in the passage at 9:19 Highlight the passage at 9:19

9:37 And on occasion the in-breath may be short, in which case note that it is short. The out-breath may be short. Note that it is short. Report an error in the passage at 9:37 Highlight the passage at 9:37

9:52 Marily, centrally, let your awareness rest right where it is. Still, clear, non-conceptual, unmoving. Report an error in the passage at 9:52 Highlight the passage at 9:52

10:06 So be aware of the stillness of your awareness. Report an error in the passage at 10:06 Highlight the passage at 10:06

10:19 Stillness in the midst of movement will be a theme that recurs throughout this whole teaching. It Report an error in the passage at 10:19 Highlight the passage at 10:19

· · · silence, 3 minutes

13:41 helps sustain the continuity of the flow of your mindfulness Report an error in the passage at 13:41 Highlight the passage at 13:41

13:47 of awareness resting right where it is. Report an error in the passage at 13:47 Highlight the passage at 13:47

13:53 Being aware of the rhythm of the breath. You may find it helpful to initiate an oscillation in the flow of your attention. Report an error in the passage at 13:53 Highlight the passage at 13:53

14:04 As the breath flows in, arouse, focus, concentrate your awareness right in upon itself, vividly, aware of being aware. Report an error in the passage at 14:04 Highlight the passage at 14:04

14:17 As the breath flows out, profoundly relax. Relax your body, release the breath, release any thoughts that may have come to mind. Deeply, more and more deeply, set your mind at ease. Report an error in the passage at 14:17 Highlight the passage at 14:17

14:38 Focus your awareness. Right in upon itself. Report an error in the passage at 14:38 Highlight the passage at 14:38