Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace 2012 (part 39)

0:27 The very first thing we do in the meditation is something familiar, soothing, comfortable. That your awareness fill the space of the body, set your body at ease, in stillness and with a sense of vigilance. Report an error in the passage at 0:27 Highlight the passage at 0:27

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:21 And utterly release the breath, the whole flow of the respiration, just let it be. As you mindfully attend to the sensations related to the breath throughout the body. Report an error in the passage at 1:21 Highlight the passage at 1:21

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:45 And for a little while just set your mind at ease, gently attending to the in and out flow of the breath. Using any of the three methods that you like. Report an error in the passage at 2:45 Highlight the passage at 2:45

· · · silence, 2 minutes

5:04 Then let your eyes be at least partially open. Rest your awareness evenly in the space in front of you without taking anything as an object, without doing anything. Report an error in the passage at 5:04 Highlight the passage at 5:04

5:16 Just be present without distraction, without grasping. Report an error in the passage at 5:16 Highlight the passage at 5:16

· · · silence, 1 minute

6:27 And as you simply remain there, it may with increasing clarity dawn upon you this experience of being conscious. Just that. So Report an error in the passage at 6:27 Highlight the passage at 6:27

6:47 without directing your attention elsewhere, let it stay home and just be aware of its own presence, awareness of awareness. Report an error in the passage at 6:47 Highlight the passage at 6:47

· · · silence, 1 minute

8:15 In conjunction with the flow of the respiration, or not, as you choose, set up an oscillation, Report an error in the passage at 8:15 Highlight the passage at 8:15

8:27 a forcefully concentrating, Report an error in the passage at 8:27 Highlight the passage at 8:27

8:32 inverting your awareness right in upon itself, withdrawing from all appearances, Report an error in the passage at 8:32 Highlight the passage at 8:32

8:42 utter release, total relaxation, with no object. Any thought that comes up at any time, just release it instantly. It's just clutter. Now Report an error in the passage at 8:42 Highlight the passage at 8:42

· · · silence, 3 minutes

12:09 as you invert your awareness, probe a bit more deeply on Report an error in the passage at 12:09 Highlight the passage at 12:09

12:20 your sense of being the one, the agent. Who is taking control of your attention and is operating it, inverting and releasing, inverting and releasing. Report an error in the passage at 12:20 Highlight the passage at 12:20

12:36 Once again, we're not asking a philosophical question. It's a purely empirical question, a probe. Do you have a sense of being that agent, the person who is doing it? Report an error in the passage at 12:36 Highlight the passage at 12:36

12:52 And what is that sense? How do you appear to your own mind's eye? Report an error in the passage at 12:52 Highlight the passage at 12:52

12:59 Probe inwardly upon your sense of being the one in control. Report an error in the passage at 12:59 Highlight the passage at 12:59

13:07 And see what you see. Just that. Just see what you see. And then release totally into space. The non-objectivity of space. At your own rhythm, slow or fast, or in conjunction with the breath, if you find that helpful. Report an error in the passage at 13:07 Highlight the passage at 13:07

· · · silence, 2 minutes

15:49 As you invert your awareness in upon your sense of being the agent, appearances may come to mind. Observe them closely. Whatever comes to mind. Report an error in the passage at 15:49 Highlight the passage at 15:49

16:06 Is that an agent? Is that the one who is actually in control? Or is it merely an appearance? Report an error in the passage at 16:06 Highlight the passage at 16:06

· · · silence, 1 minute

17:35 This is a subtle practice, so it's easy to start contracting. Periodically check up on the body to see it's loose and relaxed. All the muscles of your face soft, relaxed. See that the flow of your breathing is unimpeded, effortless. Report an error in the passage at 17:35 Highlight the passage at 17:35

· · · silence, 4 minutes

22:15 Release the oscillation. Report an error in the passage at 22:15 Highlight the passage at 22:15

22:20 Let your awareness come to rest in its own place, neither going outwards nor inwards, just resting with no direction, Report an error in the passage at 22:20 Highlight the passage at 22:20

22:38 awareness being aware of its own presence. Report an error in the passage at 22:38 Highlight the passage at 22:38