Guest Alexis Santos, a student of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, discusses the benefits of a relaxed approach to meditation. They explore mindfulness in daily life, the advantages of an open schedule during retreats, and the transformative power of meditation. Practical strategies for incorporating mindfulness into daily activities are provided.
The importance of relaxation and non-striving in meditation, avoiding excessive effort and allowing for a more natural approach.
Incorporating awareness and mindfulness into daily life can be powerful and transformative, leading to a skillful and compassionate relationship with experiences.
By viewing all experiences as nature and developing wisdom and awareness, one can live more skillfully and aligned with the ever-changing nature of reality.
Deep dives
The Importance of Relaxation and Non-Striving in Meditation
This podcast episode explores the common problem of trying too hard in meditation and emphasizes the importance of relaxation and non-striving. Pushing for results or attempting to make something happen in meditation is counterproductive and leads to suffering. The speaker discusses their personal experience of excessive effort in meditation and how they discovered a more relaxed approach through studying with a teacher named Alexis Santos. Alexis Santos, who is a practitioner of meditation for 20 years and a student of Sayada Utejania, introduces a different teaching style that focuses on natural practice. The episode highlights the shift from fixating on the object of meditation to observing the attitude of the mind during the practice. Developing this awareness of the mind's attitude helps cultivate a skillful state of mind and leads to greater well-being.
The Benefits of Incorporating Awareness into Daily Life
The podcast emphasizes the importance of incorporating awareness into daily life and not restricting meditation to formal practice on retreats or specific sessions. Developing awareness and mindfulness in daily activities, even if practicing for a short duration each day, can be powerful and transformative. The speaker encourages listeners to tap into awareness in any given moment, questioning their attitude and level of awareness. They explain that developing momentum in awareness is possible by consistently reminding oneself to be aware throughout the day. This momentum allows for a deeper understanding of one's own habits of mind, enabling a more skillful and compassionate relationship with experiences. The episode concludes by highlighting the benefits of viewing meditation as a practice that can be integrated into everyday life.
The Practice of Seeing Experience as Nature
The podcast delves into the practice of cultivating wisdom by viewing all experiences as nature. By recognizing the impermanence and causal nature of all phenomena, one can develop a more skillful relationship with the present moment. The speaker shares the analogy of seeing experiences as distinct from the mind that experiences them. Instead of getting absorbed in experiences, one is encouraged to observe the functioning of the mind and develop awareness of awareness itself. The episode highlights the significance of being interested in observing one's habits of mind and recognizing subtle movements, judgments, and defilements that often lead to suffering. Through the development of wisdom and awareness, one can understand the ever-changing nature of reality and choose to live more skillfully and aligned with the way things are.
The Power of Momentum in Awareness
The podcast explores the concept of momentum in awareness and the transformative potential it holds. By regularly tapping into awareness and consistently checking the attitude in the mind, one can establish and strengthen the momentum of awareness. This gradual development allows for a greater ability to observe the mind's tendencies and defilements, fostering more skillful responses to experiences. The podcast emphasizes that developing momentum in awareness is accessible, whether in formal meditation or daily activities. It highlights the power of repetitive reminders to check in on awareness and gradually cultivate a state of being awake and present. The discussion underscores the benefits of increased awareness, including gaining insights into the impermanent nature of experiences and developing a more peaceful and skillful life.
Applying Meditation Principles in Daily Life
The podcast advocates for the application of meditation principles in daily life, beyond the formal practice. It encourages listeners to bring awareness to their experiences, whether positive or negative, and approach them without striving or judgment. By recognizing that awareness is accessible in any moment, individuals can integrate mindfulness into various activities. The speaker shares personal experiences of applying meditation principles to seeing, hearing, and feeling, highlighting the potential for daily life to serve as a basis for developing awareness and insight. The episode concludes by emphasizing that daily life practice supports the understanding that the mind and life experiences are in constant change, encouraging a more skillful and compassionate way of relating to the world.
The meditation style that changed Dan’s entire practice.
Alexis Santos, has been practicing meditation for twenty years and was a student of a highly influential Burmese monk by the name of Sayadaw U Tejaniya. Alexis is also a core teacher in the Ten Percent Happier app and the lead teacher of our On The Go course.
