Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace 2012 (part 23)

0:27 But whatever specific method of shamatha we follow, we invariably begin by settling the body in its natural state and the respiration in its natural rhythm. Report an error in the passage at 0:27 Highlight the passage at 0:27

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:51 And settle your mind in a quality of ease, releasing concerns about the future and past, settling in stillness in the present moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:51 Highlight the passage at 1:51

2:02 And for the time being, let your awareness clearly illuminate the whole space of the body, attending to the rhythm of the breath. Report an error in the passage at 2:02 Highlight the passage at 2:02

2:22 As a preliminary exercise, you may, if you wish, Count 21 breaths. Now Report an error in the passage at 2:22 Highlight the passage at 2:22

· · · silence, 4 minutes

6:45 as a preparation for the main practice, let's continue to focus the mindfulness on the space of the body and whatever tactile sensations arise within this domain of experience. Report an error in the passage at 6:45 Highlight the passage at 6:45

7:02 So this includes sensations of solidity and firmness, which we call the earth element, experience of fluidity, moisture, the water element, Report an error in the passage at 7:02 Highlight the passage at 7:02

7:19 the gradient from cold to hot, Report an error in the passage at 7:19 Highlight the passage at 7:19

7:26 all kinds of movement within the body, including tingling, vibration. Report an error in the passage at 7:26 Highlight the passage at 7:26

7:40 Sustain a flow of mindfulness focused on the body and these tactile events arising within that domain. Report an error in the passage at 7:40 Highlight the passage at 7:40

7:50 Sustain the flow of mindfulness without distraction, without wandering elsewhere, without grasping, which is to say simply attend to, one could say with bare attention, the arising of these tactile events from moment to moment, but without labeling them, without judging them, as much as possible without liking or disliking, hoping or fearing, Report an error in the passage at 7:50 Highlight the passage at 7:50

8:23 conceptually superimposing. Anything upon these sheer appearances. Report an error in the passage at 8:23 Highlight the passage at 8:23

· · · silence, 4 minutes

12:02 Now let your eyes be at least partially open and vacantly rest your gaze in the space in front of you, keeping your eyes soft, your forehead spacious. Report an error in the passage at 12:02 Highlight the passage at 12:02

12:20 Direct the same quality or the same kind of mindfulness now to the domain of the mind, the domain of experience wherein discursive thoughts, mental images and all other types of mental events arise. Report an error in the passage at 12:20 Highlight the passage at 12:20

12:47 If you're new to the practice, it might be helpful at the beginning to give yourself a target. And that is to deliberately generate a discursive thought such as this is the mind. Generate that thought syllable by syllable and as you do so, single-pointedly focus your mindfulness upon it. Report an error in the passage at 12:47 Highlight the passage at 12:47

13:20 Allow that thought to vanish into the space of the mind and keep your attention directed right where it was. Report an error in the passage at 13:20 Highlight the passage at 13:20

13:31 In focusing your awareness upon the thought, you focused it in the domain of the mind. Keep it there. Ready to observe the next thought. The next mental image that arises of its own accord. If Report an error in the passage at 13:31 Highlight the passage at 13:31

· · · silence, 2 minutes

15:52 you find yourself just spacing out, deliberately generate a thought again, any thought you like. Focus your attention clearly and then sustain that focus. Report an error in the passage at 15:52 Highlight the passage at 15:52

16:08 So that as soon as the next thought or image arises, you immediately detect it. And whatever arises within the space of the mind, simply observe its nature, Report an error in the passage at 16:08 Highlight the passage at 16:08

16:20 modify it without judging it or labeling it, without desire or aversion. Report an error in the passage at 16:20 Highlight the passage at 16:20

16:31 Without superposing any mental construct, Report an error in the passage at 16:31 Highlight the passage at 16:31

16:37 any conceptual category, Report an error in the passage at 16:37 Highlight the passage at 16:37

16:42 just be present with it. Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

· · · silence, 1 minute

18:03 As a first step, simply note when the mind is in motion, when it's still, when there are thoughts coming and going, images arising and vanishing, and Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03

18:21 when there's stillness. Report an error in the passage at 18:21 Highlight the passage at 18:21

· · · silence, 3 minutes

21:39 Quintessential instruction for this practice is to sustain the flow of mindfulness on the space of the mind and its contents, without distraction and without grasping. Report an error in the passage at 21:39 Highlight the passage at 21:39

21:53 Without grasping means also without superimposing even the sense of I or mine, but simply observe mental events as mental events for what they are. Report an error in the passage at 21:53 Highlight the passage at 21:53

· · · silence, 6 minutes

28:01 Let your body in its natural state, still and vigilant, and your respiration in its natural rhythm. Report an error in the passage at 28:01 Highlight the passage at 28:01

· · · silence, 1 minute

29:06 And set your mind at ease in stillness and in its own natural clarity. Report an error in the passage at 29:06 Highlight the passage at 29:06

29:16 And as a preliminary exercise, count the breaths to make the mind serviceable. Report an error in the passage at 29:16 Highlight the passage at 29:16

· · · silence, 3 minutes

32:48 Preparation, focus, mindfulness on the space of the body. And whatever tactile events arise within that field, quietly attend to them in this purely witnessing mode, without labeling, categorizing, sustaining the flow of mindfulness without distraction, without grasping, without preference. Report an error in the passage at 32:48 Highlight the passage at 32:48

· · · silence, 3 minutes

35:53 And let your eyes be at least partially open, your gaze vacantly resting in the space in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 35:53 Highlight the passage at 35:53

36:12 And once again, if you find it helpful, you may give yourself a target. This time, let's say, a mental image of anything familiar, a person, place, a thing. Report an error in the passage at 36:12 Highlight the passage at 36:12

36:23 Generate the image, focus single-pointedly upon it, Report an error in the passage at 36:23 Highlight the passage at 36:23

36:32 let it fade out, and keep your attention right where it was, ready to observe the next image or thought or any other kind of mental event that arises within this domain of experience. Report an error in the passage at 36:32 Highlight the passage at 36:32

36:46 This is not choiceless awareness or open presence, this is selective attention, shamatha practice, where we are focusing mindfulness on this one domain of experience, mental, and withdrawing the attention and the interest from all of the five physical senses. Report an error in the passage at 36:46 Highlight the passage at 36:46

37:09 Of course, appearances continue to arise, sounds and so forth, but we don't deliberately give any attention to them, but focus all of our interest, all of our attention, on the space of the mind and whatever mental events arise within this domain. And Report an error in the passage at 37:09 Highlight the passage at 37:09

· · · silence, 2 minutes

39:38 whatever arises in the mind, just let it be, without trying to modify it in any way. Observe its nature and sustain the flow of mindfulness without distraction, without grasping. Report an error in the passage at 39:38 Highlight the passage at 39:38

· · · silence, 3 minutes

42:35 Immediately as possible, maintain the flow of mindfulness with your awareness unmoving. Not caught up in thoughts, but observing whatever thoughts and images arise. Report an error in the passage at 42:35 Highlight the passage at 42:35

42:50 Let your awareness hold its own ground, remaining in its own place. Awareness Report an error in the passage at 42:50 Highlight the passage at 42:50

43:02 like space, unmoving, but illuminating all the events that arise within the domain of the mind, Report an error in the passage at 43:02 Highlight the passage at 43:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

44:18 while maintaining the continuity of mindfulness to the best of your ability. As always, intermittently apply introspection, periodically checking up on your posture, Report an error in the passage at 44:18 Highlight the passage at 44:18

44:35 including the flow of the breath. To see that it's effortless. But primarily noting the flow of mindfulness, recognizing the occurrence of laxity or excitation, Report an error in the passage at 44:35 Highlight the passage at 44:35

44:49 buying the same remedies as before. Report an error in the passage at 44:49 Highlight the passage at 44:49