Try this one instruction, and non-duality should become effortlessly easy! This is what I wish I
would have been told when I first started meditating. This instruction will be more
specific than most, but because it's so specific non-duality should become unavoidable. Non-duality
is natural to consciousness. But the problem we have is that we don't notice much of our lives,
instead, we're caught up and distracted thinking about our experiences. And this
is the main obstacle to access non-duality. Being distracted or lost, instead of noticing.
Because of being too easy, we do not trust. Because of being too close, we do not see.
Non-duality requires precise mindfulness. So to clear the path of obstacles, and have insight
into nonduality, here's what you need to do. Ninety percent of the obstacles to non-duality
can be solved by addressing your sitting posture in combination with stillness.
Start with only your sitting posture. For this practice you have to sit with a straight spine,
keeping your neck and head free and balanced. So although you're sitting straight there shouldn't
be too much effort. There should be a natural balance in your way of sitting, without tension,
slouching, or too much effort. Such effort will obscure the natural revelation of nonduality,
which remember, is what you're trying to experience. Sit without physical effort.
After posture comes stillness. By stillness I mean there should be no reason to adjust your body. You
should be still in your body, and your eyes should be open and resting in a natural wide periphery.
The focus might shift, but your sight should be relaxed and still, and there is no actively
looking or moving the eyes. Once all the physical elements have been addressed, what's left is your
mental experience. To practice non-duality there should be no mental effort. Because mental effort
is simply not compatible with non-duality. So rest in the natural cognizance of consciousness. Fuse
the relaxation with the natural awareness, that unity is the nature of mind. That is non-duality.
For some the most difficult part about this practice might be the physical part - sitting
without effort. It might be uncomfortable or even inaccessible to you. But there are a few things
you can do to make sitting more easy. You can try having your sitting bones higher than your knees
by sitting on a chair or on a bolster. Another option is yoga. Traditionally the practice of yoga
has been used to prepare or enable meditators to sit comfortably for long sessions of meditation.
Doing just five to ten sun salutations a day has improved my flexibility and made sitting
much more accessible. And just so clear, I don't expect you to try this meditation instruction for
hours on end. Generally speaking, people really overestimate how long their meditation sessions
should be. If being still is an issue for you, try to make sure that your environment is comfortable,
and that you are comfortable. Being able to be still, naturally develops with practice.
Anticipate your needs to make sure nothing is going to disrupt your stillness. Turn off your
phone, make yourself comfortable, and do anything you need to do to set yourself up for practice,
before you start practicing. The worst experience of meditating is when you get stuck trying to get
rid of mental effort with more mental effort. But your only actual option to get rid of mental
effort is to relax, not hold on to any thoughts and refrain from judging. This is tricky to do
and normally only lasts for a moment, but as is traditionally suggested 'short moments,
many times.' Training in that will help. Don't follow past thought.
Don't invite future thought. In the present moment, do not correct
do not modify, do not accept or reject. Don't try to rearrange your present wakefulness. Instead,
leave it as it naturally is. Another challenge that might arise is mental dullness. Don't get
so caught up in trying to get it right that you get stuck chasing a state of what you think
non-duality is supposed to be. Non-duality is not especially calm or, blissful or, thoughtless.
The goal isn't to be a dull meditator who's using a lot of effort to do nothing. Instead,
keep your awareness bright and clear like it normally is. Non-duality doesn't require a special
type of awareness, because non-duality is the very nature of your mind. The sensation of the self is
being lost in thought, that's what that sensation is. If you sit without physical effort and that
is ALL you do, you are being, and in that moment you are an expression of consciousness. Having
the insight of non-duality is really hard, and for many people it requires a lifelong search.
But think about it like this, there are no magical leaps to having insight. Instead, it is just a
question of whether your practice is precise or not. So if you get clear enough instructions,
insight into non-duality shouldn't have to take you years! If I can do it, so can you :) And as
a final word, when you try these instructions, as I expect you to, keep it light. The best
approach is to play with these instructions and explore them, rather than being locked in on
doing it exactly right. Any expectations you have will just obscure your practice. Keep practicing,
because getting clearer on mindfulness is the practice towards non-duality. Thank you so much
for watching. Again, please give this video a thumbs up if you like it, remember to subscribe
for more videos on non-duality, and I'll see you next week! Stay tuned it's going to be a good one.