Mindfulness Without All The Effort | Loch Kelly (Co-Interviewed By Matt Harris)
Jul 24, 2024
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Author and meditation teacher Loch Kelly discusses effortless mindfulness, non-duality, and awakening. He explores transitioning from conventional mindfulness to effortless mindfulness, the concept of non-duality, and practical techniques for cultivating awareness. The conversation also touches on personal introspection, interconnectedness, and the transformative potential of mindfulness practices.
Transitioning from deliberate to effortless mindfulness offers a transformative shift in awareness and interconnectedness.
Effortless mindfulness combines traditional practices with non-dual awareness for profound healing beyond symptom alleviation.
Non-dual awareness challenges dualistic perceptions and promotes an expansive, awake consciousness for emotional healing.
Deep dives
Effortless Mindfulness and the Shift in Consciousness
Effortless mindfulness, as described by guest Locke Kelly, represents a shift in perspective from deliberate mindfulness to an embodied and open-hearted form of awareness. Starting with calming practices like focusing on the breath, practitioners then advance to observing the nature of the mind itself, leading to a more integrated and interconnected mindfulness that transcends mere attention or thought. This effortless mindfulness allows individuals to experience a sense of flow, embodiment, and open-heartedness, fostering a deep connection with their thoughts and emotions.
The Journey from Conventional to Effortless Mindfulness
The progression from conventional mindfulness, characterized by deliberate focus on objects like the breath, to effortless mindfulness involves a transformative shift in awareness. Deliberate mindfulness, such as focusing on sensations or thoughts, serves as a foundation for transitioning towards an awareness-based knowing that encompasses a sense of flow and interconnectedness. By exploring the relationship between the thinker and awareness, individuals can move beyond dualistic perspectives and delve into a more holistic and integrated form of mindfulness.
The Healing Power and Practical Applications of Effortless Mindfulness
Effortless mindfulness, according to Locke Kelly, offers profound healing effects beyond symptom alleviation by addressing the root causes of suffering. By combining traditional mindfulness practices with non-dual awareness, individuals can cultivate a sense of wholeness, connectedness, and open-heartedness. This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of the self while transcending personal identification, ultimately leading to a transformative experience of balanced awareness, embodied presence, and compassionate engagement with others.
Understanding Non-Dual Awareness
Non-dual awareness challenges the perception of a dualistic self, suggesting that ordinary life involves an extensive identification with the self and objects, leading to suffering. By tapping into a different lived experience devoid of the duality between subject and object, individuals can access an awake awareness where everything seems to occur simultaneously. This awareness integrates thought, feelings, and sensations as part of a unified, non-dual experience.
Integration of Love in Awareness
The journey towards non-duality involves transitioning from a habitual identification with the self to recognizing a more expansive, awake consciousness. This shift can evoke feelings of relief and connection, thereby diminishing personal burdens and anger. As individuals uncover an awareness beyond the self, characterized by bliss and awe, they begin to explore the transformative power of love and compassion in expanding their sense of self and healing emotional wounds.
Loch Kelly is an author, psychotherapist, and nondual meditation teacher. Loch has Master’s Degrees from both Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary. He has his own app, called Mindful Glimpses. Loch is also a very popular teacher on the Waking Up app, run by friend of show, Sam Harris.