A Daily Meditation Practice
Breathe, Relax, Stay Open and Witness
Keep your meditation simple. I suggest using the breath as a meditative focus. The breath as a meditative focus is ancient and profound and can be very simple. This breath technique has been called by many names one of which is 'mindfulness of breathing.' It allows for access into deep awareness and it helps free yourself from the reactivity of fear, anger and confusion. |

Gently Keep Your Attention on the Inhaling and Exhaling Breath
Following your breath can be done lying down or sitting comfortable with your eyes open or closed. As you do this stay open to witnessing reality or existence just as it is. Just as you find it. This is not a process of thinking but of witnessing. Witnessing the breath and observing what you are conscious of. There is nothing complicated about observing what you are conscious of. Simply observe without trying to do anything about what you are aware of. You can do this breath awareness meditation wherever you are. You may be sitting at your desk, or taking a walk, or watching a sunrise. Your eyes can be open or closed, whatever is appropriate at the time. Either is OK.
Following your breath can be done lying down or sitting comfortable with your eyes open or closed. As you do this stay open to witnessing reality or existence just as it is. Just as you find it. This is not a process of thinking but of witnessing. Witnessing the breath and observing what you are conscious of. There is nothing complicated about observing what you are conscious of. Simply observe without trying to do anything about what you are aware of. You can do this breath awareness meditation wherever you are. You may be sitting at your desk, or taking a walk, or watching a sunrise. Your eyes can be open or closed, whatever is appropriate at the time. Either is OK.

If thoughts arise, just bare witness as if they were the clouds passing in the sky without chasing after the thoughts or resisting them. Non-attachment. You need not try to make the thoughts go away. Simply bring your attention to witnessing what you are conscious of while following the breath. Let go of any inner struggle or anxiety of trying to make anything happen. If you become aware that your attention is following thoughts instead of your breath, gently bring the attention back to the breath.
If you will keep your attention on the inflow and the outflow of the breath for fifteen to twenty minutes twice each day, modern science and the ancient sages say that you will teach the bodymind to elicit deep relaxation whenever you put your attention on your breathing.
As you become comfortable and more familiar with this simple breath awareness meditation you will be able to use this technique anywhere and at any time. You won’t need to only be in a quiet environment to relax, focus and elicit the relaxation response in the body. You can be driving in your car, sitting at your desk, or engaged in any activity and under any circumstance.
If you will keep your attention on the inflow and the outflow of the breath for fifteen to twenty minutes twice each day, modern science and the ancient sages say that you will teach the bodymind to elicit deep relaxation whenever you put your attention on your breathing.
As you become comfortable and more familiar with this simple breath awareness meditation you will be able to use this technique anywhere and at any time. You won’t need to only be in a quiet environment to relax, focus and elicit the relaxation response in the body. You can be driving in your car, sitting at your desk, or engaged in any activity and under any circumstance.
'Who Am I' is Not A Question
The self enquiry meditation that we use at the Enlightenment Intensive Retreat is either 'Who am I' or 'What am I'. This self enquiry is NOT A QUESTION. It is a self reflection and a witnessing of your Self. At first it seems like it is a question because the first stages of self enquiry are intellectual. And an intellectual 'Who am I?' enquiry demands an answer. But there are no answers to this enigma. |
What Is The Sound of One Hand Clapping?
The Enlightenment Technique of contemplation on 'Who am I' is born of Advaita Vedanta Yoga and the Zen Buddhist traditions of meditating upon a riddle or 'koan.'
There are hundreds of Zen riddles such as 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' The zen riddle is meant to collapse or implode the intellectual mind. It brings you to what is called your "original nature that cannot be understood by logic, spoken by words, explained in writing or measured by reason," wrote Hui Neng, an enlightened master who lived hundreds of years ago.
In the same way, the Enlightenment riddle, 'Who am I' has no logical or intellectual answer. It's fulfilment is the conscious directly knowing of who you are. And that is not intellectual, it is DIRECT and absolutely subjective. Enlightenment is your subjective truth.
You will make more progress if you do not 'think' of the contemplative riddle, 'who am I', as a question. It is a self-enquiry. A wondering into the nature of your self.
The Enlightenment Technique of contemplation on 'Who am I' is born of Advaita Vedanta Yoga and the Zen Buddhist traditions of meditating upon a riddle or 'koan.'
There are hundreds of Zen riddles such as 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' The zen riddle is meant to collapse or implode the intellectual mind. It brings you to what is called your "original nature that cannot be understood by logic, spoken by words, explained in writing or measured by reason," wrote Hui Neng, an enlightened master who lived hundreds of years ago.
In the same way, the Enlightenment riddle, 'Who am I' has no logical or intellectual answer. It's fulfilment is the conscious directly knowing of who you are. And that is not intellectual, it is DIRECT and absolutely subjective. Enlightenment is your subjective truth.
You will make more progress if you do not 'think' of the contemplative riddle, 'who am I', as a question. It is a self-enquiry. A wondering into the nature of your self.
Pre-Enlightenment Intensive Spiritual Growth Exercises