Moving from Focused to Open Awareness

This sequence of videos is all taken from Michael Taft's YouTube Channel. The great thing about Michael Taft's approach is that he provides a transition from Focused Awareness practice (shamatha) to Open Awareness (known variously as non-dual, shi-ne, Shikantaza). Most of the meditations start with a Focused Awareness/shamatha sequence (bringing about a calming of the mind throgh focusing on an object) and then move into an Open Awareness/non-dual sequence. This means that, by the time the Open Awareness part has begun, you can feel deeply relaxed.

Dropping the Ultra Ball

A good starting point is Dropping the Ultra Ball, which presents the helpful metaphor that the meditator is a dog and thoughts and sensory experiences are the ball that the dog is grasping on to. If the dog wants someone to throw the ball for them, they have to let go of the ball, and if the meditator wants to experience an Open Awareness, they need to loosen their grip on their own thoughts and sensory experiences.

Resting Awareness in the Heart

This video begins with a Focused Awareness/shamatha with an object sequence, then has a transitional stage which alternates as the breath goes in and out between focusing on an object and have an open focus on everything. This is very helpful if you are more based to focusing on an object. It then moves the centre of the awareness to the heart.

Nondual Vipashyana

These two videos follow the same broad structure as the ones above (starting with relaxation and focus on an object) but then add in the step of Close Observation (noticing the arising and vanishing of perceptions respectively.)

Nondual Vipashyana on Experience Arising

Nondual Vipashyana on the Vanishing of Perceptions

Pointing Out Instructions

This final video takes out the first step of Focussed Awareness and goes straight into an Open Awareness, using "pointing out instructions" (suggesting you notice the already existing qualities of open awareness rather than struggling to understand and engineer the experience).

Pointing Out Instructions

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