Mindfulness With Awakening Factors

20:33

20:33

Mindfulness With Awakening Factors

by Matthew Hahn

Rated

5

Type

guided

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Experienced

Plays

1

In this guided meditation, Matthew leads the practitioner through mindfulness of the awakening factors using Bhikkhu Analayo's method of Satipatthana practice. The meditation begins with establishing embodied mindfulness and then moves into attention toward the presence or absence of mindfulness, and the presence or absence of the awakening factors of investigation, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. In Bhikkhu Analayo's method, the four foundations of mindfulness are consolidated into seven primary contemplations that constitute the "Wheel of Satipatthana". This guided meditation is Matthew's interpretation of the last of the seven: mindfulness of the dharmas - awakening factors. See also the guided meditations "Establishing Embodied Mindfulness", "Mindfulness with Anatomy", "Mindfulness with Elements", "Mindfulness with Death", "Mindfulness with Feeling Tones", "Mindfulness With Mind", and "Mindfulness With Hindrances".

Meet your Teacher

San Jose, CA, USA

Meet your Teacher

San Jose, CA, USA

Transcript

Bring attention to the posture of the body. Take note of any tension that may exist in the muscles, In the face, In the neck or shoulders. And try to let go of that tension and whatever remains. It's just fine. Right now, It's like this. Take note of whether the posture is alert, But not so alert that one might become uncomfortable. And whether the posture is relaxed, But not so much that one might become sleepy. A middle way. Allow attention to rest with the touch points beneath the body. Places where the body makes contact with the earth. This might be beneath the feet, Beneath the legs, Contact with the buttocks or lower back. These sensations of pressure, These touch points. And allow attention to rest with the touch points on top of the body. Places where objects make contact with the skin. This might be clothing or jewelry. It might be other parts of the body or it might be the air. There may be sensations of warmth or coolness, Motion or stillness. Allow attention to move inward toward sensations within the body. These might be sensations of tension or softness. Sensations of motion or stillness. Sensations of temperature. There may even be sensations of pleasure or pain. And allowing attention to zoom out a little bit. Bring attention to all of these sensations together. The touch points beneath the body, The touch points on top of the body, The touch points within the body. How might all of these sensations together give a sense of the whole body? Just this breathing body right here, Right now. Does the body feel like it has a shape? Does the body feel like it has a texture? Is there an energetic quality to the sense of the body? What's it like? And having established embodied mindfulness, Allow attention to the body to move into the background and turn primary attention toward the mind itself. What is this quality of mindfulness like? What is this presence like? Perhaps there's a sense of openness or softness or a sense of calmness or serenity. Perhaps there's a sense of alertness and receptivity. What is this mindful mind like? What is it like to rest attention with the mind itself? As we develop intimacy with this state of mindfulness, It might become easier to notice when it's lost. It might become easier to notice when there's distraction. It might become easier to notice when a hindrance arises. As the momentum of mindfulness strengthens, Often recognition of the mind is lost. Of a distraction, Recognition of a hindrance is sufficient to return to mindfulness. Sufficient to return to the present moment experience. As the space between distractions widens and as the space between hindrances widens, We might begin to allow attention to rest in that gap. Allow attention to rest with the quality of the mind when no distraction and no hindrances are present. What is the mind like without hindrances? What is a mind like that is temporarily free? It is in this space in which we might begin to look for awakening factors. We may find that many of them are already present. We may find that with attention to individual awakening factors, Others may arise. With mindfulness established, Continue to investigate the quality of the mind. Is there energy? Is there joy? Is there tranquility? Is there concentration or collectedness? Is there equanimity? Is there joy? What is the mind like? In this practice with awakening factors, Bring some attention to the nature of conditionality. What gives rise to awakening factors? What gives rise to their disappearance? Does more curiosity lead to more energy and joy? Does joy lead to calm and concentration and equanimity? What happens to awakening factors when mindfulness is lost? What happens to them when mindfulness is reestablished? It may be useful to consider the energetic quality of the awakening factors. It may be useful to consider the energetic quality Curiosity, Energy, And joy tend to energize the mind. Tranquility, Concentration, And equanimity to consider the balance of the mind in which awakening factors may be appropriate to arouse at any given moment. Working with the awakening factors in this way is the path towards realization, The path towards nibbana. Continue to practice in this way.