Nondual Guided Meditation with Michael Taft
Based on Buddhist cosmology, the world of existence is split into six kinds of beings. As one who’s trapped in Samsara (i.e. ‘the world”) you possibly can be reborn in any certainly one of these six realms or categories.
- Deva (“gods/angels”)
- Asura (“demigods/titans”)
- Human (us)
- Animal
- Hungry Ghosts
- Naraka (“the damned”)
These six realms are quite different than their counterparts in Western religions, since you are usually not “assigned” there permanently. But somewhat live an entire life in that realm before dying there after which being reborn. Where you might be reborn will depend on your karma, which suggests your good or bad actions.
While the six realms are traditionally taken at face value, we may use them as a psychological map to help in meditation. Psychologically, these are the mind states related to each form of being:
- Joy, pleasure, indifference to others
- Jealousy, domination, ego, aggression
- Any mind state
- Sleepiness, ignorance, appetite, comfort-seeking
- Frustration, neediness, can’t be satisfied
- Anger, hatred, extreme discomfort
Once we notice ourselves getting into certainly one of these mind states (aside from human), we divulge heart’s contents to that and accept it, allowing it to easily be in awareness. This eventually allows us to metaphorically die to that birth, go into the bardo, and be reborn again as a human being; i.e. not caught up in some emotional disturbance. This version of this meditation inspired by my friend Kenneth Folk.
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