Eight 20-minute audio recordings of guided meditations. Suggested donation is $25.

Once you’ve become proficient in mindfulness and concentration practices, then what?  One traditional option is to engage in insight practices.  These are practices designed to orient your mind toward spiritual awakening, or freedom.

This may sound kind of out there, but from a practical standpoint, there’s nothing not to like.  The experience is that of openness, relaxation, and a sense of connectedness.  The technique is generally letting go of the tight hold of the object of mindfulness or concentration, and opening awareness to a wider view.  Then we look directly at awareness itself, and begin to identify with its qualities of spaciousness and joy.  You’ll find that it’s harder to maintain these states than states of mindfulness or concentration, but that’s okay- look for quality of moments rather than quantity.

From a scientific point of view, insight practices quiet what is called the default mode network.  These are the interacting brain regions that are responsible for mind wandering, rumination and self-referential thoughts.  By dropping repeatedly into open awareness, this neural activity becomes less active, leading to pervading peace and lack of self-obsession.

Awake Awareness practices are considered to be the highest teachings in Tibetan Buddhism.  This course pulls from various nondual and secular sources to make the Awake Awareness practices accessible to anyone.