Guided meditation [3]

Meditation on ‘Vastness’

Plant medicine can reveal the profound sacredness of life to people, uncovering what lies just beneath our daily experience. In those moments, mind chatter, anxieties, and thoughts dissolve, leaving only the raw beauty of existence. There’s a deep sense of connection - to oneself, to others, to nature, and the universe. Life feels inherently sacred, alive with meaning and wonder.

Yet, you are essentially feeling what you already really are. You have always been this. It is the natural state of being, simply obscured by the constant noise of the mind. You can drop into it instantly, no plant medicine needed, actually there is no special experience required. The counterintuitive thing is that you think the mind is the problem, which then creates the problem. Allow it and release it, and you will return to what has always been true.

Listen to the meditation. And if you need a short introduction to these meditations you can listen to this.

Here is the transcript:

Exploring the Sacredness of Life and the Vastness of Being

Plant medicine can reveal the profound sacredness of life to people, uncovering what lies just beneath our daily experience. In those moments, mind chatter, anxieties, and thoughts dissolve, leaving only the raw beauty of existence. There’s a deep sense of connection - to oneself, to others, to nature, and the universe. Life feels inherently sacred, alive with meaning and wonder.

Yet, you are essentially feeling what you already really are. You have always been this. It is the natural state of being, simply obscured by the constant noise of the mind. You can drop into it instantly, no plant medicine needed, actually there is no special experience required. The counterintuitive thing is that you think the mind is the problem, which then creates the problem. Allow it and release it, and you will return to what has always been true.

Various life events have the power to cut through the layers of thought and ego, leading us to a deeper awareness. Moments like the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, plant medicine experiences, or even challenging and sorrowful situations can break the everyday trance. In those moments, we instinctively sense that we are more than just our daily thoughts. Beneath the surface of constant mental noise, there’s a deeper, peaceful presence - a serenity, a vastness we all inherently know.

The daily ego and mind chatter are incredibly convincing. It pulls you in so completely that you begin to identify with it, forgetting the vast depth that lies beneath. It’s as if you’re hooked up into the stream of thought, losing sight of the stillness underneath. This can make the mind feel almost claustrophobic, pulling you in with all its good intentions.

There’s a kind of recursive thinking, with the mind generating more mind chatter, almost like creating “mind matter.” It keeps itself occupied because, on a deeper level, it’s scared of the vastness beneath. The mind is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: keeping you safe, maintaining a sense of control. But for us modern people, it’s not always the most helpful tool.

Guided Meditation: Recognizing the Deep Vastness Beneath the Mind

Sit comfortably with your back straight. Allow your body to settle, and keep your eyes open in a soft, relaxed gaze. There’s no need to strain or focus too hard - just rest gently in the present moment.

Take a few deep breaths and let yourself be here, now.

Now, you don’t have to feel or even fully understand this right now, but simply know - at a deeper level - that you are this vast, deep presence. In essence, that’s all there is. It’s just that this deep sense of being is obscured by the ongoing mental activity of the mind.

Understand that the mental chatter - the thoughts, the opinions, the judgments - arise on their own, and realize that when you let go of trying to control or manage them, when you release the need to have opinions about your thoughts and feelings, to engage in thoughts about thoughts - maybe you can sense that something can already let go a little.

Just relax into the mind doing its thing. Allow it to be. Let it unfold naturally, without interference. As you relax into this acceptance, you might notice a small breakthrough - a gentle, almost imperceptible opening into the vastness that has always been there.

Let’s explore this vastness a bit deeper.

Many people feel that their sense of self is centered in their head, often behind the eyes. Sometimes, when the mind is particularly busy, you can even physically sense a sort of pressure on the forehead - a contraction of attention in that space.

Now, I’d like you to try something that may feel a bit counterintuitive. Allow yourself to both release this sense of contraction inside while simultaneously expanding outward, becoming more spacious. Let’s do this by gently directing your senses outward.

Start by focusing on your sense of hearing. Instead of staying in the space of the mind, let your attention stretch outwards. Notice the sounds around you - perhaps traffic in the distance, birdsong, voices, or even the sound of my voice. Don’t strain; just allow yourself to notice.

Sense that these sounds are not confined to the space behind your eyes; instead, they arise in a larger, open space. Let your attention rest in that space, open and vast.

Now, take a moment to truly feel what a sound is. Don’t try to interpret or label the sound - just be curious about the phenomenon of sound itself, as it arises within you. Notice that whether a sound seems close or distant, whether it’s right next to you or far away, it’s all happening within this same open space.

There can be a tender quality to the sound arising within you, a feeling of the sound being in you. Just the phenomenon of sound itself can already have a deep, personal, and peaceful quality. Rest in this direct experience, noticing how everything you hear, no matter how far, is contained within this vast, open space.

Expanding the Sense of the Body

Now, shift your attention to your body - specifically, to your hands or fingers. See if you can focus on the sensation in your fingertips. Can you feel the boundaries of your fingers? Do you know exactly where they end?

This might seem like a strange or peculiar question, but that’s the point of these non-dual insight meditations. It’s not about thinking or analyzing - it’s about having a direct experience, a direct glimpse into something deeper.

Take a moment to see if you can sense where your body stops in space. Is there a clear boundary? Or is it more ambiguous? Feel into it and notice if there’s any sense of contraction or tension, or if there’s a feeling of spaciousness.

Could it be that your sense of the body isn’t confined? Could it flow into the space around you? Allow yourself to explore this, to see if the body can dissolve, even just a little, into the open space. There’s no need to force or expect anything specific - just allow yourself to gently sense and explore, letting your body and space merge as they wish.

Notice the feeling of your body, the aliveness in your hands and fingers, and see if it feels as if the edges are softening, flowing outward, mingling with the space around you.

Rest here, in this open curiosity, sensing the subtle flow between the body and space, and let the experience unfold naturally.

Recognizing the Space of All Experience

Now, take this exploration one step further. Can you notice that thoughts and feelings are also arising in this same open space? Just as sounds arise and fade, thoughts come and go, feelings emerge and pass - all within this spaciousness.

Can you sense that the sensations of your body, the sounds, and even your own thinking are all appearing in this same vast space? Take a moment to feel into this - notice if there’s a sense of spaciousness where these experiences are unfolding.

Now, try to sense where you are, essentially. Can you locate yourself in this space? And if you sense where you are, perhaps you can begin to taste what you are - that this deepness is inherent to you, that this spaciousness is just you. The world around you, the sounds, the body, and the thoughts are all arising here, within this space that you are.

Simply rest in this recognition, allowing yourself to gently experience the vast, open space in which everything, including you, is unfolding.