0:00:16.666,0:00:23.500
So I'm going to talk about the Jhanas.

0:00:23.500,0:00:27.710
The stages of meditative absorption.

0:00:27.958,0:00:32.041
And I want to kind of put them in context.

0:00:32.166,0:00:40.173
So these stages of absorption are [br]something that come from very

0:00:40.173,0:00:46.958
ancient traditions. So this is sort of [br]pre sectarian Buddhism

0:00:46.958,0:00:51.041
from the Upanishads you know, [br]long time ago.

0:00:51.083,0:01:00.188
So a lot of modern Buddhism,[br]is now about insight meditation.

0:01:00.625,0:01:03.625
There are still people teaching the Jhanas,

0:01:03.666,0:01:10.583
And often these things [br]are taught separately.

0:01:10.583,0:01:17.638
As if there are practices for the Jhanas[br]and practices for insight meditation.

0:01:18.083,0:01:23.125
Practices, for direct inquiry[br]or the non dual practices.

0:01:23.750,0:01:29.933
And I see them all at [br]a certain point converging

0:01:29.933,0:01:33.958
and I want to kind of point[br]in that direction.

0:01:35.083,0:01:42.500
That's where I'm going in this talk, and[br]I want to kind of make it clear that

0:01:42.500,0:01:48.833
these are all facets of what unfolds,[br]when we start to really inquire

0:01:48.875,0:01:53.166
or meditate, or whatever you want to call[br]this process we're engaged in here.

0:01:54.193,0:01:59.500
And so this is part of the landscape[br]or part of the phenomena.

0:02:00.375,0:02:09.485
And I'm going to go into the [br]Theravada sort of framework

0:02:09.958,0:02:17.041
of the Jhanas, just because it's [br]very thorough and complete.

0:02:17.041,0:02:19.958
But I don't consider it to be like a map.

0:02:19.958,0:02:22.958
I don't considered to be definitive.

0:02:23.625,0:02:27.291
People have awakenings without[br]encountering any of this stuff.

0:02:28.541,0:02:31.541
But I think it can be helpful[br]for some people,

0:02:33.333,0:02:37.955
especially when we're really going[br]into a meditation practice.

0:02:38.125,0:02:41.833
You know, the Jhanas are really [br]related to practice.

0:02:42.208,0:02:49.458
So as we're cultivating concentration, [br]attention, equanimity,

0:02:49.458,0:02:53.472
there are these stages[br]that seem to unfold.

0:02:54.583,0:02:59.791
So, we can also completely[br]forget about all this stuff.

0:02:59.791,0:03:04.708
And as Dogen said, we just sit. [br]Just sit and just be

0:03:05.083,0:03:09.416
and we can end up awakening[br]through that path as well.

0:03:09.958,0:03:13.890
So again, it always comes down to this[br]'Always being Buddha,

0:03:13.890,0:03:15.666
always becoming Buddha'.

0:03:15.666,0:03:22.108
This is a developmental process,[br]so it's unfolding through time.

0:03:22.291,0:03:25.291
So it's pertaining to the self structure,

0:03:25.500,0:03:29.340
but yet we can wake up[br]from the self structure at any time.

0:03:29.833,0:03:34.783
So with these Jhanas in our practice,

0:03:35.333,0:03:40.583
as we cultivate these meditation [br]skills, then we can,

0:03:40.583,0:03:46.000
jump into these different stages[br]of absorption more easily.

0:03:46.208,0:03:49.208
So the more advanced[br]we are in our practice,

0:03:49.375,0:03:52.833
the later the stages [br]we can just jump into.

0:03:52.833,0:03:55.916
So we don't have to go all [br]through them in every sit.

0:03:56.833,0:04:00.500
These are found in all different[br]traditions.

0:04:00.500,0:04:04.875
So, Patanjali talks about these[br]in the Yoga Sutras,

0:04:06.100,0:04:12.378
sometimes when people are talking[br]about stages of samadhi,

0:04:13.166,0:04:19.986
they're talking about the Jhanas, [br]basically. It's just different terminology

0:04:20.541,0:04:28.500
But sometimes Samadhi is used to refer to[br]the final awakening or the final merging

0:04:28.500,0:04:31.375
like Savikalpa or a Nirvikalpa.

0:04:31.375,0:04:37.500
But other times they divide up all these [br]different Samadhis, and when you get

0:04:37.500,0:04:44.125
into that, then it's the same as these[br]stages of of Jhanas absorption.

0:04:44.125,0:04:47.896
So I have Patanjali's teaching here,

0:04:49.656,0:04:56.605
and even in Christianity, the Christian [br]mystics have call it sometimes

0:04:56.605,0:05:04.965
the Religious Ecstasies. So there are [br]energetic unfolding in these Jhanas.

0:05:05.000,0:05:13.201
So if you listen or read the works of[br]Saint Teresa of Avila or Saint John of

0:05:13.201,0:05:19.333
the Cross or Saint Francis of Assisi, [br]you find these

0:05:19.333,0:05:23.125
these religious ecstasies[br]as they go deeper into prayer.

0:05:23.541,0:05:27.875
And there are these different [br]stages that unfold.

0:05:28.333,0:05:34.916
And they don't all exactly correlate.[br]But you get a sense that

0:05:34.916,0:05:39.920
it's the same landscape,[br]it's the same phenomena unfolding.

0:05:41.041,0:05:48.833
So in Patanjali's teachings, and the[br]last three limbs of yoga

0:05:48.833,0:05:55.971
are essentially what we're doing here in[br]this retreat. This is called Samyama,

0:05:57.505,0:06:06.083
there is Dharana, which is concentration[br]Dhyana, which is the meditation,

0:06:06.083,0:06:12.833
and then Samadhi which is sort of the[br]fruition of that practice.

0:06:14.642,0:06:23.632
So what he says, as we spoke about [br]previously, Dharana is the

0:06:23.632,0:06:29.750
fixing of consciousness on one point,[br]or one region, which is concentration.

0:06:29.750,0:06:32.750
So focusing on one point.

0:06:33.500,0:06:40.833
Then Dhyana is the continuous flow of[br]attention towards the same point or region

0:06:40.833,0:06:46.160
So that continuity through time[br]is the attention span.

0:06:46.166,0:06:53.751
And then he says, when the object of[br]meditation engulfs the meditator appearing

0:06:53.751,0:06:59.750
as the subject, self-awareness is lost.[br]and this is Samadhi.

0:06:59.750,0:07:04.250
So you you become one[br]with the meditation object.

0:07:04.250,0:07:07.250
So your your concentration and attention

0:07:07.375,0:07:14.071
becomes so focused, so single[br]pointed, that the distinguishing,

0:07:14.071,0:07:19.125
between subject and object falls away.[br]That duality falls away.

0:07:19.125,0:07:25.250
So there's just the breath, [br]and it's you essentially

0:07:25.250,0:07:30.160
or there's just whatever that [br]meditation object is.

0:07:32.875,0:07:40.583
So this is pointing towards the Jhanas,[br]this absorption, meditative absorption,

0:07:40.583,0:07:44.033
you becoming absorbed[br]in the meditation object.

0:07:44.333,0:07:48.641
So the first Jhana is...

0:07:49.625,0:07:53.875
you know, we start out in meditation[br]and we have the monkey mind,

0:07:54.083,0:07:58.991
it's busy, and we have these [br]hindrances that are coming up,

0:07:58.991,0:08:01.171
which we've been talking about.

0:08:01.171,0:08:07.871
And so the first, Jhana, is when that [br]monkey mind is settling down,

0:08:08.791,0:08:15.958
the hindrances are not a problem anymore.[br]We sort of move beyond the hindrances.

0:08:15.958,0:08:21.000
And we're not necessarily continuously

0:08:21.375,0:08:26.416
present with the meditation object, but[br]we're starting to really stick with it.

0:08:26.916,0:08:31.125
And so the monkey mind is settled down,

0:08:31.416,0:08:34.416
and we're generally [br]staying with the object.

0:08:34.916,0:08:40.416
So there's at this point, still [br]thoughts arising from time to time,

0:08:40.416,0:08:44.493
But generally you're you're doing [br]something that really looks

0:08:44.493,0:08:49.208
like meditation at this point.[br]You're actually sticking with it.

0:08:50.798,0:09:01.563
And so there's what they call Piti, in [br]Pali, starts to arise, which is an energy

0:09:01.708,0:09:06.416
So the energy that was going into these[br]old patterns starts to become present.

0:09:06.458,0:09:11.000
There's this feeling of of energy[br]and a generally feels good.

0:09:11.208,0:09:14.208
It's it's a good feeling at this point.

0:09:17.151,0:09:24.528
And so we start to go deeper and so the[br]Dukkah at the beginning,

0:09:24.528,0:09:29.705
that unsatisfactoryness, because of the[br]hindrances, is starting to fall away.

0:09:29.750,0:09:36.500
and then this satisfactoryness starts to[br]grow. So this is called Sukha.

0:09:36.500,0:09:44.833
So we have Dukkha and Sukha. So this [br]Sukha also sort of comes and goes as well.

0:09:44.833,0:09:48.833
Sometimes it'll be there,[br]sometimes it isn't there.

0:09:49.166,0:09:52.833
And so this is a really important point.

0:09:52.833,0:09:59.564
A lot of people really stall out,[br]they get what Shinzen Young calls

0:09:59.564,0:10:01.793
'Stuck in a good place'.

0:10:02.138,0:10:08.500
So there is this satisfactoryness that comes.

0:10:08.500,0:10:14.458
And what happens is we can start to play [br]this game of sensation.

0:10:14.958,0:10:22.041
So so with the hindrances, [br]we can learn to surrender.

0:10:22.041,0:10:26.791
We're not labeling our pain [br]as pain anymore.

0:10:26.791,0:10:29.958
We're just, being equanimous with what is.

0:10:30.375,0:10:38.691
And then we find that it produces[br]this kind of bliss or satisfactoryness.

0:10:40.375,0:10:44.708
And so we can start seeking that.

0:10:44.708,0:10:54.866
So the so the good blissful feelings [br]will be there and then they'll subside,

0:10:54.866,0:10:57.581
and then we'll be craving[br]to get them back again.

0:10:57.708,0:11:01.250
And, there's this game of sensation.

0:11:01.250,0:11:08.741
So there's this subtle seeking in the mind[br]of wanting that state or that bliss.

0:11:12.166,0:11:15.710
We don't progress beyond the second Jana

0:11:15.710,0:11:21.708
until we really have no preference [br]towards that Sukah.

0:11:21.708,0:11:25.916
until we're willing to let [br]that phenomena come and go.

0:11:26.875,0:11:34.875
So, even that bliss that is born out [br]of progress in our meditation,

0:11:34.875,0:11:39.360
we're really surrendering, if that's [br]coming, can just become

0:11:39.360,0:11:42.390
another prison or another attachment.

0:11:42.458,0:11:45.458
So we have to even let that go.

0:11:45.583,0:11:53.291
And so the next stage, the third stage,[br]is really being equanimous.

0:11:53.291,0:11:58.708
We're really being sort of grounded[br]in equanimity,

0:11:59.333,0:12:03.750
having no preference of any phenomena[br]that's coming and going.

0:12:04.375,0:12:13.250
And it's with this equanimity, if we [br]can really be okay with whatever

0:12:13.250,0:12:17.916
is coming up in our practice,[br]this equanimity kind of goes hand in hand

0:12:18.333,0:12:25.866
with the next thing that arises, [br]and that is true single pointedness.

0:12:25.958,0:12:31.410
That's the true single pointedness, where[br]you're really there continuously

0:12:31.410,0:12:35.458
with your meditation objects.[br]So there's there's no more break.

0:12:35.458,0:12:41.833
So it's like what Patanjali was talking[br]about, that continuous attention

0:12:41.833,0:12:44.833
that leads to Samadhi.

0:12:47.583,0:12:54.916
So that will lead into the fourth Jhana,[br]which it's sort of characterized

0:12:54.916,0:12:59.541
by this feeling that you [br]can meditate forever.

0:12:59.875,0:13:09.771
There's just this feeling that [br]there's, total focus, total presence,

0:13:11.458,0:13:16.258
just this this energy is present, [br]because the energy now

0:13:16.258,0:13:19.333
is single pointed, or [br]the focus is single pointed.

0:13:19.333,0:13:25.075
So that energy, all of that energy that's[br]normally going into the conditioned mind

0:13:25.075,0:13:34.215
becomes present and it somehow supports[br]this single pointed presence

0:13:34.215,0:13:36.333
with your meditation object.

0:13:36.333,0:13:41.746
So this is the point at which that[br]that merging starts to happen

0:13:41.746,0:13:45.436
or that Samadhi state happens.

0:13:45.833,0:13:47.666
And I'm going to read,

0:13:49.000,0:13:53.791
this is from the Buddha himself.

0:13:53.791,0:14:00.291
This is on his night of enlightenment,[br]and he's he's talking about the Jhanas.

0:14:00.291,0:14:03.833
He's talking about how he's going [br]into the Jhanas.

0:14:03.833,0:14:08.125
So he's at this point where he says

0:14:08.541,0:14:17.250
'Tireless energy was aroused in me, and[br]unrelenting mindfulness was established.

0:14:17.250,0:14:25.121
My body was tranquil and untroubled,[br]my mind concentrated and unified,

0:14:25.541,0:14:31.250
quite secluded from central pleasures,[br]secluded from unwholesome states.

0:14:31.500,0:14:38.741
I entered upon, and abided in the first [br]Jhana, the second Jhana, the third Jhana,

0:14:38.741,0:14:40.950
the fourth, and so on.

0:14:42.166,0:14:51.090
So he talks about how .... [br]This is his big sitting under the bodhi tree,

0:14:51.090,0:14:55.810
really going for it. He had that[br]absolute determination.

0:14:55.833,0:15:01.430
You know, the story goes that he[br]decided he was he was going to sit

0:15:01.430,0:15:04.755
under that tree, until he got to the truth.

0:15:04.755,0:15:10.686
Whatever happened,, he was going [br]to be unrelenting in that.

0:15:12.333,0:15:18.231
What really stands out to me is, you know,[br]unrelenting mindfulness was established,

0:15:18.875,0:15:25.180
tireless energy was aroused.[br]So this is the Jhanas.

0:15:28.708,0:15:39.500
So as we go deeper in our practice,[br]we have these capabilities,

0:15:39.500,0:15:49.716
the attention, concentration, equanimity,[br]these literally get wired into this avatar

0:15:52.958,0:16:01.306
It's like our baseline of meditative[br]capacity just gets increased

0:16:01.306,0:16:06.625
as we progress through the Jhanas.

0:16:06.958,0:16:15.501
So one of the things that is described in[br]the teachings of the mystics

0:16:15.501,0:16:23.375
is , as we progress on the path, at every[br]stage there's this sort of dropping off

0:16:23.375,0:16:31.958
of mind, and there's an increase in [br]the benefit of that dropping off.

0:16:31.958,0:16:43.666
So we go deeper into these feelings[br]of joy or energy or ecstasy, rapture.

0:16:43.666,0:16:48.416
And the deeper we go, the more beautiful[br]these experiences are.

0:16:48.791,0:16:58.388
And simultaneously, the more sticky[br]they are, because, when the real rapture

0:16:58.500,0:17:07.860
starts to come, these non dual experiences[br]of being one with God,

0:17:07.860,0:17:11.208
everything in our being [br]wants to stay there.

0:17:11.541,0:17:19.825
So to be equanimous with that as a[br]temporary state is is challenging,

0:17:19.825,0:17:22.008
it's very challenging.

0:17:22.008,0:17:28.458
So it's like the stakes get higher[br]as we go further with the Jhanas.

0:17:28.458,0:17:36.848
It gets very difficult for the mind [br]to not be attached.

0:17:37.333,0:17:46.125
So in direct inquiry, we intend to [br]directly experience our true nature.

0:17:46.125,0:17:52.708
It's always in the now, we're not [br]progressing through these different stages

0:17:52.708,0:18:03.041
And when we awaken, we find a peace [br]and a joy and happiness

0:18:03.041,0:18:08.583
that is not contingent on[br]anything, on anything external.

0:18:08.583,0:18:20.135
So in all of these Jhanas, all of the [br]experiences that come and go are temporary

0:18:20.458,0:18:29.000
They're all contingent on this practice [br]that we're doing,

0:18:29.000,0:18:32.791
This letting go, and this [br]dropping off of mind.

0:18:32.791,0:18:39.256
But eventually, when we go [br]to the end of the Jhanas,

0:18:39.703,0:18:44.541
you know, the first four Jhanas are [br]what they call the material Jhanas,

0:18:44.541,0:18:48.833
which are pretty equivalent to the[br]Salvikalpa Samadhi.

0:18:48.833,0:18:55.033
Sometimes it's called [br]'Samadhi with a seed'.

0:18:55.041,0:19:01.684
So there's a seed of form, [br]there's a seed of pattern there.

0:19:01.684,0:19:05.999
So it's temporary.

0:19:05.999,0:19:10.250
The pattern will grow back, basically.[br]The seed is still there.

0:19:12.416,0:19:20.166
So they call those the material Jhanas.[br]Material having to do with form.

0:19:20.166,0:19:29.125
And the Immaterial Jhanas, are when we[br]enter into that Savikalpa Samadhi state.

0:19:29.125,0:19:34.845
So we merge with our meditation object,[br]then there can be the dropping away

0:19:34.845,0:19:41.066
of the mind and body, and we enter[br]into the immaterial Jhanas.

0:19:41.125,0:19:46.043
So there are four immaterial Jhanas,[br]and I'm not going to really talk

0:19:46.043,0:19:50.591
about those, because they're,[br]not really good to talk about,

0:19:50.591,0:19:53.995
they're best left for direct experience.

0:19:54.416,0:19:57.708
But I'll just say what they are.

0:19:57.750,0:20:02.666
So the first one is infinite space.

0:20:02.846,0:20:08.381
There's a sense of infinite space,[br]and then that will drop away,

0:20:08.381,0:20:16.650
and there's a sense that infinite[br]space is infinite consciousness.

0:20:17.416,0:20:28.875
And that infinite consciousness drops away[br]into this even more subtle nothingness.

0:20:28.875,0:20:36.565
And that nothingness drops away into what[br]they call neither perception,

0:20:36.565,0:20:42.120
nor non-perception. So it's getting [br]pretty abstract here.

0:20:43.916,0:20:47.250
and you don't have to learn these things.

0:20:47.250,0:20:55.983
These are just phenomena that unfold[br]naturally as a result of practice.

0:20:57.041,0:21:05.261
And so hanging out in either perception[br]or non perception, then the final sort of

0:21:06.083,0:21:13.333
realization in that Jhana progression is[br]what they call Nirodha Samāpatti,

0:21:13.333,0:21:18.521
which is what the Buddha experienced.

0:21:18.850,0:21:28.013
So it's a very rare phenomenon, where[br]the beings that enters into that,

0:21:30.458,0:21:35.125
they're able to meditate for an insanely [br]long periods of time,

0:21:35.125,0:21:39.625
they go into essentially a meditative [br]state for weeks,

0:21:39.625,0:21:43.708
and basically burn off[br]all the rest of their karma.

0:21:43.791,0:21:46.250
So nobody does that.

0:21:46.250,0:21:51.000
So it's like very rare, but it's a[br]thing, you know.

0:21:51.000,0:21:58.670
And some of the the great masters[br]have experienced that.

0:21:59.781,0:22:09.003
So, the convergence is in that total [br]dropping off of mind and body,

0:22:09.541,0:22:15.041
is realizing what remains in that state.

0:22:15.583,0:22:21.170
And no one can tell you what remains[br]in that state, and you have to realize it.

0:22:22.291,0:22:26.287
So, this is where, the direct path

0:22:26.287,0:22:31.250
and the Jana path converge[br]is in that final realization.

0:22:31.250,0:22:34.952
They're both coming to the same place.

0:22:35.333,0:22:41.118
So it ultimately doesn't really matter [br]if you are just sitting,

0:22:41.810,0:22:46.041
if you're just sitting, you're going to [br]go through all this stuff anyway,

0:22:46.041,0:22:50.500
whatever's in the unconscious, is [br]going to present itself.

0:22:50.833,0:22:55.966
Energy will be freed, these stages[br]of bliss, and all this stuff.

0:22:56.250,0:23:00.905
And, some people experience it.[br]Really strong energy,

0:23:00.905,0:23:04.958
and other people have different [br]phenomena.

0:23:05.000,0:23:13.070
they have different 'letting gos' or,[br]different ways that

0:23:13.070,0:23:19.056
letting go pattern will manifest[br]in experience.

0:23:19.750,0:23:22.458
XXXXXXXXXXXSo so not everybody, you know,

0:23:22.458,0:23:26.833
there is this in Buddhism,[br]they call it the dry path.

0:23:26.833,0:23:30.750
You know, the the inside path[br]where you don't

0:23:30.750,0:23:34.583
necessarily[br]go through, you know, rapture and,

0:23:35.750,0:23:36.500
you know, this,

0:23:36.500,0:23:39.750
this unfolding of Kundalini[br]and all this stuff.

0:23:40.375,0:23:43.500
It's possible[br]for this flip to happen in a in a

0:23:44.125,0:23:47.750
just a more direct way[br]without this unfolding.

0:23:48.333,0:23:49.958
So it's kind of mysterious.

0:23:49.958,0:23:51.583
I'm not sure why that is.

0:23:51.583,0:23:54.125
Some people

0:23:54.125,0:23:56.333
know they have all, all the bells[br]and whistles

0:23:56.333,0:23:59.333
on them, on the path and, and

0:24:00.416,0:24:05.875
this, this whole unfolding of genres[br]and for other people

0:24:06.625,0:24:09.625
it's it's not necessarily

0:24:11.708,0:24:16.166
yeah so any questions

0:24:16.166,0:24:19.166
about that before we

0:24:19.583,0:24:22.083
move on,

0:24:22.083,0:24:24.000
I have a question about.

0:24:24.000,0:24:24.625
Mm hmm.

0:24:24.625,0:24:28.166
Disturbing to hear you say that[br]the current gets burned off very,

0:24:28.458,0:24:32.041
very end instead of is there no

0:24:33.125,0:24:36.166
processing and working with karma

0:24:36.166,0:24:39.166
along the path along the way or.

0:24:39.750,0:24:41.166
No, but everything that we're doing,

0:24:41.166,0:24:44.208
all this purification[br]of Sam scars, this is all

0:24:46.208,0:24:47.500
you could say.

0:24:47.500,0:24:50.500
Purifying or becoming free of karma.

0:24:50.875,0:24:53.375
Yeah, of course. Yeah.

0:24:53.375,0:24:54.208
To me, that's.

0:24:54.208,0:24:54.958
That's all.

0:24:54.958,0:24:59.125
It's all what we're doing every time[br]we're we're seeing,

0:24:59.166,0:25:03.750
you know, a big mind pattern[br]and we're able to let it go.

0:25:04.333,0:25:04.833
We're.

0:25:04.833,0:25:08.416
Yeah, we're becoming free of that karma,[br]you know?

0:25:08.416,0:25:14.750
And there's an interesting thing[br]with karma, you know, for me, like.

0:25:14.750,0:25:19.166
Like when we finally have that flip[br]to awareness,

0:25:19.250,0:25:24.458
you know, where we realize, like,[br]I'm actually not this, this character

0:25:25.083,0:25:28.041
that is going through this whole process.

0:25:28.041,0:25:31.708
You know, the crazy thing is[br]that awareness

0:25:31.708,0:25:34.916
was never bound at all by karma.

0:25:34.916,0:25:37.083
It was never touched by karma.

0:25:37.083,0:25:40.625
So so yeah, so,[br]so the whole thing with karma

0:25:40.625,0:25:45.416
is kind of a red herring,[br]you know, like it's, it's like it's

0:25:45.416,0:25:49.791
seems like there's something to do there,[br]but yet when that flip happens,

0:25:49.791,0:25:53.291
it's like a awareness[br]was was never bound in the first place.

0:25:53.875,0:25:57.375
So, you know, who does karma belong to?

0:25:57.375,0:25:59.250
It belongs to the character.

0:25:59.250,0:26:03.166
So it's, it's kind of ridiculous,[br]you know,

0:26:03.625,0:26:06.000
the whole the whole worry about karma.

0:26:06.000,0:26:11.291
And, you know, there's this whole thing[br]in Buddhism about about one's returners

0:26:11.291,0:26:17.125
and, and, you know, like, you know,[br]coming back and like, who comes back?

0:26:17.208,0:26:21.916
You know, it's it's all awareness[br]playing hide and seek this one awareness.

0:26:21.916,0:26:24.958
So to me, it's a it's a little bit of a,

0:26:25.291,0:26:28.500
a non-issue, you know? Yeah,

0:26:29.541,0:26:30.000
yeah.

0:26:30.000,0:26:30.833
Good.

0:26:30.833,0:26:33.833
Yeah, yeah,

0:26:33.833,0:26:35.708
yeah.

0:26:35.708,0:26:39.666
In the military go quite deep in,

0:26:41.083,0:26:44.041
in our meditation practice more easily

0:26:44.041,0:26:49.333
because we're like stuck in the retreat[br]and you know, it's no escape for the mind.

0:26:49.333,0:26:51.166
Mean all that.

0:26:51.166,0:26:54.166
And as, as the retreat progresses,

0:26:54.500,0:26:56.875
the mind is quieter and quieter,

0:26:56.875,0:27:00.083
so it goes further in communication.

0:27:00.750,0:27:02.625
My question is,

0:27:02.625,0:27:06.125
when we get out of this retreat,[br]like I meditate,

0:27:06.125,0:27:10.458
it's interesting when our enough is

0:27:10.458,0:27:13.458
it is it going to

0:27:13.750,0:27:16.750
is this death, this profound

0:27:18.291,0:27:18.916
experience?

0:27:18.916,0:27:21.208
Is this can we

0:27:21.208,0:27:26.250
just in an hour a day and then, you know,[br]all the rest of your life going on?

0:27:26.291,0:27:28.166
You have all your worries?

0:27:28.166,0:27:29.000
Mm hmm.

0:27:29.000,0:27:29.541
Yeah.

0:27:29.541,0:27:33.333
It's that's the question that always comes[br]up. And.

0:27:33.875,0:27:36.500
Yeah, so, you know, the truth is

0:27:37.583,0:27:40.583
and, you know, this[br]is something we talk about all the time.

0:27:40.583,0:27:43.041
You know, it's it's,

0:27:43.041,0:27:45.208
you know, we have

0:27:45.208,0:27:47.375
awakenings, you know, we put ourselves

0:27:47.375,0:27:50.875
in these conditions of no escape[br]and then go back to life.

0:27:51.333,0:27:55.375
And like, the truth is,[br]it doesn't always get easier.

0:27:55.416,0:28:01.916
It actually, you know,[br]we get very sensitized to the pattern.

0:28:01.916,0:28:05.416
We can see the patterns so clearly,[br]you know, like

0:28:05.541,0:28:09.875
so when you know who you are, you know,[br]you're not that conditioned mind.

0:28:10.208,0:28:14.291
But yeah, there's still some scars[br]or so patterns in play.

0:28:14.291,0:28:17.500
There's just still,[br]you know, like, like the

0:28:17.541,0:28:21.708
the character goes back to life. So,

0:28:22.750,0:28:27.416
so it becomes very,[br]very clear that those patterns are there

0:28:27.416,0:28:30.500
and we feel them fully[br]when we go back to life.

0:28:31.000,0:28:32.375
So in some ways,

0:28:33.375,0:28:33.708
you know,

0:28:33.708,0:28:37.125
I always say it's the beginning of a,

0:28:37.708,0:28:42.625
you know,[br]a really accelerated purification process.

0:28:42.625,0:28:46.750
And when we go back to life[br]because we feel and see whatever

0:28:46.875,0:28:51.291
is remaining to be purified[br]and it'll it'll be more obvious.

0:28:51.291,0:28:54.291
It'll come up more clearly.

0:28:55.041,0:28:58.041
So but at the same time, like,

0:28:58.291,0:29:01.291
you know, so the key for for coming

0:29:01.291,0:29:04.333
to, you know, a practice like this

0:29:04.625,0:29:09.500
and doing this and finding out the truth,[br]you know, that

0:29:09.875,0:29:13.625
that conditioned mind[br]that was seeking and doing something

0:29:14.583,0:29:17.000
isn't you and that it can't do it,

0:29:17.000,0:29:20.750
it has to drop away and essentially fail.

0:29:21.166,0:29:24.083
So so the main difference

0:29:24.083,0:29:27.458
is the end of seeking[br]you know, there's no more seeking.

0:29:27.458,0:29:30.500
You don't need to be seeking anything[br]when you go back to life.

0:29:30.791,0:29:32.291
You don't need to be

0:29:33.291,0:29:34.375
searching for who you

0:29:34.375,0:29:37.625
are because who you are[br]is always right here.

0:29:38.166,0:29:41.708
You know, it's it's[br]got that fundamental delusion

0:29:41.708,0:29:44.875
of the mind that it has to do something.

0:29:45.250,0:29:50.250
You know, or, you know, that the[br]the piece that I'm feeling in this,

0:29:50.583,0:29:56.166
you know, meditation retreat, you know,[br]the mind will always go, it's so sneaky.

0:29:56.333,0:29:59.333
It will just say, how do I keep it?

0:29:59.458,0:30:01.333
How do I hold onto it?

0:30:01.333,0:30:05.666
You know, the mind is saying that always,[br]you know, like how do I hold it?

0:30:05.791,0:30:07.500
How do I integrate it?

0:30:07.500,0:30:08.083
You know?

0:30:08.083,0:30:11.125
But that's the delusion of the mind,[br]right?

0:30:11.125,0:30:13.083
Like the mind can't do it.

0:30:13.083,0:30:16.333
There's nothing the mind needs to do.

0:30:16.500,0:30:20.625
So we can we can go back into life and and

0:30:21.750,0:30:24.666
operate the[br]same way we're operating in this retreat.

0:30:24.666,0:30:26.250
Just let it happen.

0:30:26.250,0:30:27.750
Just let it unfold.

0:30:27.750,0:30:31.958
You know that that purification[br]is going to happen

0:30:31.958,0:30:35.791
just by you being you just by being.

0:30:36.416,0:30:38.666
Yeah, yeah,

0:30:38.666,0:30:40.166
yeah,

0:30:40.166,0:30:40.375
yeah.

0:30:40.375,0:30:45.458
So, you know, the truth[br]is, it's it's not an easy ride always.

0:30:45.458,0:30:49.250
You know, we we go back,[br]we fall, fall, and, you know,

0:30:49.333,0:30:55.708
we get snagged over and over,[br]you know, we fall into a pattern,

0:30:55.791,0:31:00.041
you know, we then, then we realize[br]who's falling into pattern or what's,

0:31:00.666,0:31:06.500
what's happening and yeah, and it's and[br]this is part of that purification process.

0:31:06.500,0:31:10.250
And, you know,[br]by coming back into being over and over,

0:31:10.250,0:31:13.250
there's this purification that happens

0:31:13.333,0:31:16.166
and eventually the outer life

0:31:16.166,0:31:19.458
will, you know, will rearrange in

0:31:19.541,0:31:24.208
as a reflection[br]of more true expression of who we are.

0:31:25.208,0:31:26.250
Yeah.

0:31:26.250,0:31:29.458
So the quest to change[br]the perspective is to know where you are.

0:31:30.791,0:31:31.791
Just.

0:31:31.791,0:31:33.833
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that.

0:31:33.833,0:31:36.166
And that

0:31:36.166,0:31:40.250
and that and that energy, you know,[br]that is alive as well.

0:31:40.250,0:31:45.750
Like that sensitizes you to you know[br]like the, the, a lot of the,

0:31:45.916,0:31:50.750
the big patterns that need to shift[br]in the outer world become so obvious

0:31:51.083,0:31:55.833
that you can't put[br]you know you can't go back in that box

0:31:55.833,0:31:59.458
right like the energy is is out now[br]and it's free

0:31:59.750,0:32:05.125
so it's like it's really obvious[br]and so it's not even a choice anymore.

0:32:05.291,0:32:09.291
You know, it's it's like the energy is is[br]has made the choice for you.

0:32:09.791,0:32:11.583
Yeah.

0:32:11.583,0:32:12.041
Thank you.

0:32:12.041,0:32:14.708
It's very, very helpful.

0:32:14.708,0:32:17.708
Extremely helpful.

0:32:18.666,0:32:21.666
Thank you.

0:32:25.250,0:32:28.083
You remembering your this

0:32:29.416,0:32:33.000
film of your hand and my hands here.

0:32:33.375,0:32:36.375
Yeah, yeah, about that.

0:32:36.833,0:32:39.291
Because I was asking the same question.

0:32:39.291,0:32:42.500
It's like, yeah, saying that is fine by me

0:32:42.833,0:32:45.833
because everyone is like thinking[br]I'm asking,

0:32:46.708,0:32:48.375
you know. Yeah.

0:32:48.375,0:32:51.000
And as I remember that, I love that

0:32:51.000,0:32:54.000
the filmmakers of the story itself,

0:32:55.125,0:32:58.125
the a disappointment or,

0:32:58.708,0:33:01.166
you know, the the battle took in on that

0:33:01.166,0:33:04.166
he went to the end in that game

0:33:04.250,0:33:06.916
just didn't and

0:33:06.916,0:33:09.916
didn't buying the piece[br]and all the other time

0:33:11.333,0:33:16.666
like going right by that kind[br]you need to be in America

0:33:16.666,0:33:21.500
you need to be in this piece[br]calls for it because

0:33:22.750,0:33:24.291
you need to.

0:33:24.291,0:33:27.291
You got them like in the end,

0:33:27.833,0:33:29.541
because he wasn't a kid,

0:33:29.541,0:33:33.708
because he was doing his lessons[br]in a normal life.

0:33:33.875,0:33:37.375
Yeah. Yeah. That's, yeah. Where they can

0:33:38.833,0:33:40.250
become like them.

0:33:40.250,0:33:43.041
And is this the same question?

0:33:43.041,0:33:45.000
So just sharing.

0:33:45.000,0:33:45.791
Yeah.

0:33:45.791,0:33:48.875
This film's beautiful[br]and experience completely.

0:33:48.916,0:33:50.250
And how could you have.

0:33:50.250,0:33:52.375
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right.

0:33:52.375,0:33:53.083
Yeah.

0:33:53.083,0:33:58.791
And explain completely this part of[br]being the, you know, the things.

0:34:00.083,0:34:02.708
Yeah, yeah, that's it.

0:34:02.708,0:34:03.291
That's it.

0:34:03.291,0:34:06.541
So it's different for everyone,[br]you know, the that

0:34:07.416,0:34:11.375
flowering of the, the lotus or whatever[br]you want to call it, you know, it's like

0:34:11.708,0:34:17.250
he, he listen to that direction,[br]you know, he knew something in him

0:34:17.583,0:34:23.000
was saying he had to go to America[br]and that was clear,

0:34:23.000,0:34:26.875
That was his path and he he listened[br]he aligned with that energy.

0:34:27.375,0:34:30.291
And and that's that is enlightenment.[br]Yeah.

0:34:30.291,0:34:34.541
When we aligned with that inner direction[br]that, uh, yeah.

0:34:34.541,0:34:36.208
Whereas for somebody else,

0:34:36.208,0:34:40.500
maybe it is going in that cave, you know,[br]maybe that's their, their path, Right.

0:34:40.500,0:34:45.666
So we just never know, you know,[br]or it could be absolutely anything,

0:34:45.875,0:34:51.875
you know, it could be, you know,[br]being an artist where we, we, you express

0:34:51.875,0:34:55.875
what's coming through in, you know,[br]or a musician or whatever, you know.

0:34:56.458,0:34:57.458
Yeah.

0:34:57.458,0:34:57.875
Yeah.

0:34:57.875,0:35:01.250
So, yeah, it's just that willingness to

0:35:03.083,0:35:06.833
just follow and trust that inner guidance.

0:35:07.250,0:35:08.833
And it's so simple.

0:35:08.833,0:35:11.208
It's just what excites us.

0:35:11.208,0:35:12.625
That's all it is.

0:35:12.625,0:35:15.625
You know, It's very childlike, really.

0:35:15.625,0:35:20.958
It's not, you know, it's sometimes people,[br]you know, at the end of the retreat,

0:35:20.958,0:35:24.041
they'll, they'll be like, okay,[br]I know who I am, but what's my purpose?

0:35:24.416,0:35:28.291
You know, and, and, and it's it's like,[br]you know,

0:35:28.875,0:35:32.166
that's[br]that's such a burden to have a purpose.

0:35:32.500,0:35:35.333
You know,[br]it's like a projection into the future.

0:35:35.333,0:35:36.708
Right. Again, that's the line.

0:35:36.708,0:35:39.500
That's the trap of the mind. Like,[br]what's my purpose?

0:35:39.500,0:35:43.625
Like what a what a heavy burden to have,

0:35:43.833,0:35:46.916
like some mission[br]that you have to fulfill, you know?

0:35:46.916,0:35:49.916
So to me, it's more like

0:35:49.958,0:35:52.916
in, you know, like people, people[br]look at my,

0:35:52.916,0:35:56.000
my website like a wake in the world dot[br]com and think, oh,

0:35:56.000,0:36:00.000
you've got some big mission,[br]you know some big purpose or something.

0:36:00.416,0:36:04.583
But it's that that moment to moment,[br]you know, following

0:36:04.583,0:36:09.875
your excitement is is it, you know,[br]like Joseph Campbell said Yeah, yeah.

0:36:09.958,0:36:11.791
Follow your bliss. That's it.

0:36:11.791,0:36:12.166
Yeah.

0:36:12.166,0:36:13.583
And it's, it's, it's

0:36:13.583,0:36:17.375
very you know like a little kid doesn't,[br]doesn't say what's my purpose.

0:36:17.750,0:36:21.625
You know, they don't they don't try[br]and figure out their mission in life.

0:36:21.625,0:36:22.583
They just go and play

0:36:22.583,0:36:26.000
with the next toy or,[br]you know, they're just excited naturally.

0:36:26.541,0:36:30.583
And it's that that feeling[br]that is our compass.

0:36:31.208,0:36:33.000
Yeah, they're all just kind of

0:36:34.208,0:36:35.166
Joseph Campbell.

0:36:35.166,0:36:35.541
Yeah.

0:36:35.541,0:36:38.750
He, he, he's famous for that that phrase.

0:36:38.750,0:36:41.750
Follow your bliss. Yeah.

0:36:42.041,0:36:45.041
Yeah.

0:36:45.041,0:36:46.833
Compass.

0:36:46.833,0:36:48.791
Yeah,

0:36:48.791,0:36:51.708
yeah.

0:36:51.708,0:36:54.208
All right.

0:36:54.208,0:36:57.291
So yeah, I will take a short break[br]and then

0:36:58.333,0:36:59.500
come back for a meditation.