Explore your natural state of awareness by practising this meditation.

Step 1 – Rest in Awareness

Do not get involved in thoughts, but identify bare awareness and rest in it. This means to rest moment by moment in the five senses. If thoughts arise, simply notice them. Do not judge, analyse, select or reject. Simply be aware of whatever arises, exactly as it is. If you become distracted, simply identify bare awareness again.

Step 2 – Recognise the Nature of Awareness

While resting in bare awareness, investigate your direct experience. From where does this awareness arise from? Does awareness have any findable characteristic such as shape, colour, location or support? Are phenomena (the perceived external objects or thoughts) separate from this awareness? Can anything be found outside of awareness? Do not think but look directly!

Repeat this meditation in short sessions, many times until you can rest undistracted in bare awareness and clearly recognise that this awareness arises from nowhere, has no findable characteristics, is inseparable from phenomena and is all-inclusive. Continue to rest in bare awareness while recognising its nature. This will help you to develop familiarity.

Note

As awareness arises effortlessly and the recognition of its nature is a direct perception, freedom does not depend on effort, thought or holding to a view.

To minimise errors, rely on the key point of resting in bare awareness. Avoid getting involved in unnecessary thoughts and concepts about practice as these obscure awareness and can cause meditative deviation.