27 Settling the Mind in its Natural State

04/26/11 • 37 min

Spring 2011 Shamatha Retreat

In this 24-minute guided meditation, Alan Wallace teaches us to view our own minds, including the whole space of the mind and all of the events that arise within that, from the perspective of the substrate consciousness, as opposed to observing the conceptual mind from the perspective of the conceptual mind.

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26 Loving-Kindness Spatially

In this 24-minute guided meditation on loving-kindness, Alan Wallace focuses on sending this aspiration spatially, or through space in all directions, beginning with ourselves, and then out to those physically closest to us, and then further and further away.

After the 24-minute meditation, a silent 10-minute meditation is shared by the group.

Alan then answers the following question:

If the substrate mind dissolves into rigpa -- which is non-conceptual -- how is the continuity of consciousness maintained through the bardo, etc., if the continuity is conceptual?

Editor's Note: A brief (2-second) pause occurs in the beginning of the recording, due to a recording disk error.

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28 The Common Ground of Compassion

Alan Wallace guides a 24-minute meditation on compassion, asking the question, "How can we be free from suffering?" He teaches the use of a visualization of a radiant orb of light at one's heart, metaphorically representing one's own Buddhanature, into which one draws in one's own or others' suffering, and then observes its incineration in the blazing brilliance of the orb of light.

The guided meditation begins at 19:40.

After the meditation, Alan speaks freely for a while, then answers the following two questions:

1. After hearing your story about the yogi who was totally supported in his pursuit of dharma, despite having no financial resources of his own, I am curious about the circumstances in which students of yours have been able to go into solitary retreat. How does one live a life of solitude in retreat?

2. What is really happening in the practice we did today? Does it have any measurable effect outside of my mind? How do thoughts, feelings, and aspiration differ in their effects?