[…] do arise, if you are actually quiet, they just come and they go, and nothing happens with them. So that’s the essential point here. There is a resting quality, and it is a naturally virtuous state, because there’s nothing for reactive processes to take hold of. That’s why it says, the mind abides one-pointedly […]

[…] that, I’d like to cover two things. And the first is your experience with the meditation practice that I gave you last week, which was starting with resting in the experience of breathing, opening to all of the physical, all of the sensory sensations. How did you do with that? And then the second […]

[…] here. Student feedback Student: I think the main thing has been a deeper experience of stillness and emptiness in my sitting. Ken: Okay. Student: Look in the resting, rest in the looking. Student: I’m going to start practicing again. Ken: Very good [laughs]. Student: I’m going to attempt to be less judgmental of myself […]

Ways of resting in meditation Ken: I’m going to flog a dead horse tonight. They say not to do that but, you know. Could you get me a tea towel? Ralph: A tea towel? Ken: Yeah. Ralph: Sure. Ken: Thanks Ralph. While Ralph’s getting that any questions that anybody would like to ask? Yes, […]

[…] questions? See very easy for me: no questions, no practice. Yes? Student: I want you to talk about attention, because with the attention and the relaxation with resting, it doesn’t feel right to have attention directed from the mind. Ken: It doesn’t feel right to have attention directed from the mind? Say more. Student: […]

[…] away. Ken: Okay. And if you just sit here for a while, what happens to the thinking? Anybody? Student: Settles down. Ken: Settles down. Okay. That’s the resting mind. Okay? [Pause] So, sit. Let the resting mind be there. I’m going to ask you, what is it? [Pause] You experienced the resting mind. What […]

[…] I have to point out jokes these days. Carolyn, synopsis. In the primary practice—to dance with what experiences this. And doing nothing involves, implicitly, a kind of resting. I posed Carolyn the question—what rests? And so this brought the two things together for her. Okay. Carolyn: I’m not sure I understand. Ken: Yeah, that […]

[…] in the interviews, don’t worry. Okay. Leslie, did you have a question? Leslie: Well, in the context of the retreat, you gave the instruction that we were resting. We’re doing the resting. Ken: Yeah. Leslie: So when we are introduced to all of these prayers, and we’re chanting at great speed— Ken: Rest. Leslie: […]

[…] move back. So every time you notice, you relax and return and rest there. It’s the meditation instruction I gave the first evening. And that business of resting in attention is key to every aspect of practice. And if you do that, then you aren’t going to generate the headaches. The headaches come when we go […]

[…] which are important. One is to be able to rest, and particularly in the beginning stages of mahamudra is to be able to precipitate that shift. The resting quality is known technically as shamatha. That’s a Sanskrit word, literally resting in peace, or resting peacefully. It’s the stability aspect of attention. And the shift […]

[…] in attention for a short period, how do you know when the end of the short period is? Ken: Pardon? Student: When I have this experience of resting in attention it just dissolves after a while and I really don’t have an internal gong like— Ken: Can you tell when it dissolves? Student: No. Ken: Then […]

[…] a mountain of energy burning at the centers. But when you said relax I just kind of [makes relaxing sound]. Ken: Very important to relax here. This resting quality is where all the power of practice comes from. It doesn’t come from pushing, comes from resting. Anybody else? Your experience. Peter? Peter: I just […]

Resting and looking Ken: This morning I talked about two qualities in meditation, resting and looking. They’re intimately related, and they’re both very important. Resting doesn’t mean sitting still. It doesn’t mean holding a posture. It means resting. It’s fine to work hard at your practice and to push yourself very, very hard. […]

[…] that causes tightness. And I can highly suspect that this will engage that same type of efforting for me. Suggestions? Ken: Yes. Work from a base of resting. [Laughter] So what was that? Student: I have no idea. Ken: No, but right there was a reaction. Student: Yeah. Ken: Okay. So what’s the story […]

[…] and you are able to do that. And some of you experienced this yesterday in the exercises. The other side of the coin can be described as resting in the experience of life. So it’s what follows if you die. Now the question that I gave you for your awareness practice is, “Who dies?” […]