The moment of recognizing the gap (between thoughts) is very important. That is your awareness.

- Khenpo Sherab Sangpo

In this podcast, Khenpo Sherab Sangpo, a professor in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism at Bodhicitta Sangha | Heart of Enlightenment Institute in Minneapolis, offers a retreat on the Essential Stages of Meditation that covers the three aspects of resting the mind in calm abiding meditation (Shamatha, Skt. śamatha; Tib. ཞི་གནས་, shyiné, Wyl. zhi gnas). These three methods are:

1. Resting the mind (on an object)
2. Continually resting the mind
3. Repeatedly resting the mind

When you have trained your mind to rest on an object of your choice, such as a statue of the Buddha, you will be able to see its peaceful nature. This wisdom arises through being continually aware what the mind is doing and keeping one’s attention right there with mindfulness. These methods also help us develop our courage to go beyond hopes and fears (ego’s projections) and accept reality as it spontaneously arises moment by moment. Video includes guided calm abiding meditation and advice on how to overcome obstacles that arise during meditation.

Please visit our website to learn more about Khenpo Sherab Sangpo, his teachings and for practice texts.

This episode can be seen on Youtube.