How to Inhabit Your Inner Body More Deeply

Recognize Dysfunctional and Impersonal Nature of Mind

Recognize the dysfunction within. Most people have deeply embedded mental patterns and habit of approaching or understanding life situations, world and people through mind (conditioned thoughts), because that's all they know. Unaware of the formless infinite treasure within. While mind, which is a minute aspect of Intelligence, in the absence of space consciousness, is quite dysfunctional, barren, self-serving, compulsive and creates suffering by resisting or reacting to what is. As a result, most of the world we see is a reflection of collective negativity, madness and rigid structures of mind. We are at a point where identification with thoughts and emotions poses a threat to humanity, other species and even nature that sustains us. As collective 'psychological entity' (egoic mind) is growing into a monstrous and dangerous parasite. Hence, there's an urgency to evolve. Read How to Dissolve the Ego (According to Eckhart Tolle's Teachings) for more depth on this.

Stop seeking yourself in your mind. You are not your conditioned mind (thoughts, reactions and emotions); the false self. If you can truly see the dysfunctional, repetitive, resistive and compulsive nature of the conditioned mind that creates separation, immense suffering and problems by keeping the psychological burden of time (past and future) alive, then you will naturally stop seeking yourself in it. As it would be insane to seek yourself in mind that creates suffering, pain and drains you of life energy. It's the excessive reliance and identification with mind that makes thinking compulsive, self serving and the mind, which is an instrument, takes over your life. There's more to you than movement of thought, reactions, blockages, emotions and your ephemeral form. As you are not some meaningless fragment in an alien, uncaring universe. "You are here to enable the divine purpose of universe to unfold. That is how important you are" Eckhart Tolle.

Shift attention to the Now or Inhabit the inner body

Shift or withdraw attention from the mind and its resistive patterns to Now. Once you recognize the resistive, negative, incessant and dysfunctional nature and mechanics of conditioned mind that ignores and dislikes the present moment (as time and mind are inseparable) and feeds on negativity, then there's nothing you need to further learn or explore or analyze to dissolve your identification with it. It's because problems of the mind cannot be solved at the level of the mind. Exploring and analyzing, which are aspects of mind, the conditioned past in you will become a bottomless pit, as there's no end to it and there's always more. Also, dwelling on reactions, thoughts and emotions gives them renewed strength. It's when you shift attention away from the time bound mind and its resistive patterns to the Now that it starts losing its grip over you. In other words, when you end the delusion of time. This is how you reclaim your power and liberate the trapped consciousness from the mind. As present moment is death of egoic mind; the illusory self. That's why it fears it and will do all it can to keep you trapped in psychological time (compulsive and repetitive thoughts, reactions and emotions about past, future and even present). Identification with the mind makes thinking compulsive and involuntary. In other words, Ego continuously absorbs attention and converts it into mind stuff (compulsive and incessant thinking), and seeks pleasures, relationships, experiences, meaning or fulfillment in the world, in an attempt to cover up the now and to get rid of the unease and pain it feels deep within. However, more it tries or wills to get rid of the pain, stronger it becomes. It's because Ego is an intrinsic part of dysfunction. That is to say resistance, identification with forms and compulsive thinking lie at the root of suffering. While shifting attention or negating the mind reduces its compulsive activity and dissolves identification with it. So be alert and/or feel the inner body and/or yield or surrender to shift attention away from incessant thinking, negative emotions, resistive patterns and blockages to the present moment or inner space, wherever it feels easier. It becomes easier to shift when you truly realize the insane, suffering and painful nature of egoic thinking and emotions. You can also allow or watch thoughts and emotions to be. As watching or allowing 'what is' imply shifting attention to the Now. When you watch, you are also aware of yourself as the "witnessing presence" behind your thoughts, blockages, emotions and world. "Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original oneness?" Tao Te Ching. If none of the present moment practices is possible then take action or remove yourself from the situation, if possible.

Inhabit the inner body". One of the most effective and essential practices to shift attention from mind to the Now and dissolve suffering, is to inhabit your inner body. Can you feel the inner energy field of your hands, thighs, legs, abdomen, back, chest, neck, throat, shoulders, face, head and so on? That's the life that you are. Just like sun is infinitely more brighter than candlelight, similarly inner body or space is infinitely more powerful, peaceful and intelligent than mind. Or rather what comes through it.Inhabit Your Inner Body More Deeply Step 4.jpg The key is to permanently inhabit the ever present and alive inner space and feel it at all times. This also implies surrender. That's when your sense of self comes from stillness within and not from the mind created false 'sense of self’ based on resistance, desire, fear, comparison, past conditioning, identification with forms etc. When you are in touch with inner body or space, you are connected to something so vast, immeasurable, peaceful and sacred that world and mind become insignificant (degree of which depends upon how deeply you go into it and intensity of arising presence in you). Yet it's not a selfish but self-less state. This is the peace that Jesus pointed to when he said, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds." That's when inner spaciousness, that is intelligence itself, runs your life and thought has a secondary place. Which is where it should be, as mind is no more than an instrument. Life becomes simple. Favorable and chance occurrences happen more frequently as you are connected to the one life underneath all forms. Read How to Know Your True Self for more depth. A visual analogy: When you inhabit your inner body, you are like a deep lake. It doesn't matter what happens on the surface (movement of thoughts, emotions, situations, conditions or people), the depth of the lake (inner space) is absolutely 'still'. That's when you respond to challenges, people and situations with ease, as thoughts and actions are charged with infinitely powerful unconditioned consciousness. Note: Inhabiting the inner body also includes to be aware of awareness. As awareness and inner space are ultimately one. It's the limited thought and structure of language that create the duality. Since your body is spacious so when you inhabit your body, you are becoming aware of yourself as light of awareness.

Notice where your responses stem from. If your actions and words arise from intuition (inner space), are original and accompanied with lightness, peace and joy, then it's a sign that they are coming from one consciousness or Stillness within. "He (Master) doesn't think about his actions; they flow from the core of his being." Tao Te Ching. If response comes as conditioned mental-emotional reaction, is repetitive, takes arduous decision-making process, causes discomfort or unease in your head (especially left side) and body then it's a sign that it's motivated from the conditioned mind and will eventually cause suffering for yourself and others. This is also called as karmic action because it arises out of dysfunctional conditioned mind, which is based on past, egoic structures and subject to 'law of polarities' and karmic cycle. To detect it, an intense alertness is needed. More you make a conscious choice of watching or negating the mind and inhabiting your inner-body, your self-observation will improve i.e presence or “alertness” will deepen. In other words, mind created suffering lessens. Note: This doesn't mean to not acquire all the facts and info about the situation or person. But we are talking about detecting who's the decision maker: Egoic entity or the formless consciousness within? Ego motivated actions and words are reactive, arise out of negativity and tainted with madness. What's the madness? Treating the now as an obstacle or enemy or means to an end. While the paradox is that there's nothing that is more precious than Now. It is because Now is the only time there is and point to access the presence or space or consciousness within. Consciousness is the Life that you are; inseparable from One Life. So you don't need time, achieve, acquire, become something or understand a great deal of spiritual teachings to know who you are beyond name and form. You access it now or not at all. You will need time until you realize that you don't need time to be who you are in essence. "Only one thing is of absolute importance and that is your connectedness with being." Eckhart Tolle. Being is another word for "One Life" or "inner space"

Be the valley rather than the mountain. "All streams flow to the sea, because it's lower than they are. Humility gives it its power".Tao Te Ching If you are aware enough, you may have noticed that when you see or think of someone (which also includes yourself, now, as compared to past) better or worse, on the level of form, knowledge, looks, skills, possessions etc., mind tries to compete or compare the 'mental image' of you with the 'mental image' of others, in order to feel superior, self-pity, relief, balance the comparison, defend or repair diminished false sense of self or attempt to destroy them with negative comments or judgments. It can also try to associate with others, if it can't compete (like name dropping, associating with successful and/or famous/infamous people etc.), in order to enhance its ultimately 'fictitious self image'. It's all happening on auto-pilot as part of ego's defense and survival mechanism, and your whole sense of self is derived from conditioning of your limited mind that is based on past (experiences, knowledge, beliefs, labels, background, relationships and memories). "He who tries to shine, dims his own light". Tao Te Ching. On the level of form (which includes knowledge, personality, looks, wealth and so on), you are always going to be more or less than others, but in essence you are neither more or less. And essence, eternal and formless life that animates your transient form, is what matters absolutely. "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God" (Course of Miracles). Here's a powerful spiritual practice: Next time you feel an urge to shine, compare, repair or defend your diminished 'form based identity' (Ego), simply yield and inhabit or feel your inner body or do nothing. Allow the Ego to remain diminished. When the urge to defend, argue, attack or compare arises, allow it to be or negate it but don't act on it. This allowing or non-reaction makes way for your true power to shine through. The perfect, complete and timeless awareness that you are in essence. Thus, realizing how insignificant are comparing and competing. You may not always become the "mountain" but you can always go deeper into the valley of the inner body or space, as it's always present within you. No matter who or where you are. "The Tao is called the Great Mother: empty yet inexhaustible. It gives birth to infinite worlds. It is always present within you. You can use it any way you want." Tao Te Ching.

Live in the "death-less" realm. All forms (including thoughts and emotions) change, wither and ultimately diminish or get replaced, as they are subjected to the law of impermanence. However, the vibrant aliveness of Being or inner space remains the same throughout your life, whether you are 20 or 80. Except you may feel it more deeply as your body becomes less encapsulated or dense with age. As it allows formless Being or presence to shine through more easily. Being is untouched by time, thoughts, good or bad, poor or rich, beautiful or ugly, any gender or attribute. That's the sacred and timeless life that you are. Your true home. Never lose touch with it.Inhabit Your Inner Body More Deeply Step 7 Version 2.jpg "If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you can't achieve." Tao Te Ching. This one decision that is inner shift from 'object consciousness' (mind stuff) to 'space consciousness' (inner space), will change your entire reality and add a depth to your life that you didn't know you had. However, this one decision you'd have to make again and again and again, until abiding in the state of inner spaciousness or presence or being becomes your natural state. Realization that being trapped in egoic thinking and activity causes suffering forces you to make the decision. On the level of form, there's nothing you can do, achieve, lose or become to enhance or diminish the simple Joy of Being. As in your essence, you are complete and perfect Now. So you don't need time to be who you are in essence. That's why it is said that Now is the key. This is the formless perfection that Tao Te Ching points to in the phrase, "There was something formless and perfect before the universe was born. It is serene. Empty. Solitary. Unchanging. Infinite. Eternally present. It is the mother of the universe. For lack of a better name. I call it the Tao." Once you abide in the death-less state of being, you realize that there is no death, and body and myriad of fleeting forms around are part of illusory divine game that sages of ancient India called as Leela. It will be painful as long as you cling to the illusion and seek your self in it. Tao Te Ching states "Know the white, yet keep to the black". Which means, know and honor the forms, the world, yet keep to the formless and deathless essence.

Stay rooted in Being. When you inhabit your spacious inner body, you are one with the vibrantly alive 'One consciousness' That's when negative emotions and thoughts, which have a low frequency, pass through without resistance and hold little or no power over you. The undercurrent of peace is so vast and radiant that anything that's not peace becomes peace. Just like whatever is exposed to light becomes light. Also, you will notice how circumstances, people and situations become more friendly and helpful, and issues or conflicts dissolve naturally without a great deal of doing on your part. Since world is just a reflection of your inner-reality. That's the power of One life. Your immune system is greatly enhanced as well, as inhabiting the inner-body raises the frequency of body's energy field. So you are less susceptible to illnesses, which vibrate at a lower frequency. Plus, illnesses, injuries and wounds(psychological and physical) heal faster as presence or inner-space or cosmic energy has enormous healing power. In addition, compulsive and reactive thinking lessens as attention is withdrawn from thinking to the Now and you feel more energetic. It's because a great amount of energy gets used up by useless, compulsive and involuntary mental activity (resistance, commentary, blockages).

Realize that abiding in the state of stillness or inner spaciousness is enlightenment. In other words, it's the end of suffering and mind as your master. Enlightenment is your most natural state and not some superhuman accomplishment that you need to work hard to attain. However, egoic mind likes to keep it superhuman and treats it as something that it can possess or add to it as its most prized possession. All mind can do and knows is to cut things into fragments, analyze and can at most show you the relative truth via thinking. While thinking is limited(because it's rooted in form) and an intrinsic part of the Egoic dysfunction. So, it can never grasp the totality. In other words, problems of the mind cannot be solved at the level of mind. It is only when you step out of your mind(psychological time) into the Now, can you realize the Oneness and "Sacredness" underneath all forms. Only sacredness within can recognize sacredness without. That is why be aware of any deeper "feeling responses" as you read. If you tried to understand only with your mind or intellectually, you will miss the formless dimension. It's because understanding, generally speaking, implies grasping via thinking and all thinking is ultimately about realm of form. Even if you are thinking about the formless realm, you are making it into an object or matter. While understanding “presence” is being present. Thinking can only point to the formless dimension but it's not it. "Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things?" (Tao Te Ching). Although, 'trying to understand' with your mind can also become part of your spiritual journey because eventually it may force you to realize that mind is limited, creates suffering and cannot dissolve the Egoic dysfunction because it is an intrinsic part of it. For example: it's possible that mind may “try” to feel the inner body and create blockages which cause suffering. This suffering may force you to realize that you cannot feel the inner body through trying, and withdraw attention from the blockages.

Practice asking the inner body rather than following the mind. Deeply see that mind alone is not at all creative, original and intelligent but repetitive, shortsightedly clever and often negative. While inner body is infinitely more intelligent and peaceful than mind, so feel your inner body as much as you can. Especially when facing challenging or difficult people, conditions, situations or when you have to make a decision or need a creative solution to a problem. You can also see it as an experiment and notice the peace and lightness within, quality and creativity of your thoughts, decisions and actions when you use your mind in conjunction with inner-body. If inhabiting inner-body is not easy, such as when mind activity gains momentum and/or pain-body gets activated, then become aware of your breath, as its easier and a powerful meditation practice in itself. This will gradually get you in touch with inner body. You can also be aware of breath and inner-body at the same time, since they are closely linked together. If that's not possible, then become aware of sense perceptions and/or remove yourself from the situation and/or take action and/or keep yourself busy and/or accept 'what is' and/or think constructively and/or replace mind's compulsive activity with mantras, devotional hymns etc. Whichever practice feels natural and easy in the Now. Read Stay Rooted in Being for more present moment practices.

Letting go of all concepts and mental interpretations

Be aware of mental interpretations and concepts. Since egoic structures are deep-seated and compulsive thinking is a deep seated habit, so you may not even realize that mind has cleverly conceptualized some of the pointers in the article, other spiritual books, talks etc. and started acting through them. That's the core error and deeply embedded pattern that we are referring to, i.e. unconsciously seeking answers, fulfillment and self in conditioned mind and world. So a high degree of alertness is needed to catch the clever mind or egoic entity tricking or hypnotizing you into identifying with it. As you are reading this article, your mind may be asking questions like "So how can I inhabit inner-body?", "What does it mean to watch your inner-self?", “How to shift attention from mind to the Now” etc. and come up with mental answers based on its past conditioning and knowledge. For example: your mental answer could be "Inhabiting inner-body means to divert attention from mind to feel the body from within". Which may trigger another question like "So how can I divert attention?", ultimately leading to another mental interpretation, which usually leads to suppression or “controlling” of thoughts using will power, which are aspects of mind. This is how the mind conceptualizes things because of its compulsive habit. If you didn't recognize Ego generated concepts or words, even if they sound spiritual, as conditioned mental interpretations or concepts and no more than a means to an end, they will become great obstacles. As concepts, mental positions, will-power, fighting, suppression, guilt, new beliefs, etc. are mind's strategies to keep you trapped in Ego. For example: Mind may subtly and/or slightly try to control or resist or use force or will-power in a futile attempt to "inhabit" or feel the inner body or shift attention to the Now. However, it will not help because problems of mind cannot be solved at the level of mind. You need to be extremely alert to catch and detect these subtle and/or pre-verbal mental patterns and reactions, especially coming from left side of your face and chest. Or else mind will continue to survive and dictate your behavior, actions and words. In case ‘watching the mind’ gets conceptualized or mentally interpreted as suppression of thoughts then as a practical measure, allow yourself to think. As it's less painful and preferable than suppression. Similarly be aware in case pointers like 'become aware of inner-body or other present moment anchors' or 'watching the mind' etc. may get mentally interpreted as to 'check if the negativity or resistance are gone'. You may not realize that your "checking" could actually be subtle resistance or controlling or suppression in form of conditioned reactions and/or thoughts and/or physical reactions (in tongue, heart, face, hand, brain muscles etc.), generated by the Egoic mind to re-energize itself. This 'checking' is similar to clinging or interfering with the condition of sore throat by swallowing every few moments thinking that it will make it heal faster and/or to 'check' if its healed or not. If you look deeply, you will see that it's the clinging and interference, which are conditioned mental-emotional patterns and reactions, that make you suffer more than the 'sore throat' or any other condition and interfere and delay the healing process. Here's another example: When negative and/or disturbing thoughts, emotions and reactions arise in you involuntarily then notice that it's when you "check" if those thoughts are gone or not, is when they gain energy. It's because it's the "checking", which is a resistive Egoic mental-emotional pattern, that actually re-energizes the negative thoughts and emotions. Alertly and compassionately refuse to follow them. Also, if you look deeply, you will notice that mind looks for reasons, stories and drama to feed on, feel bad and negative. So deeply realize that the seemingly helpful thought or subtle reaction which says something like "check if the thoughts are gone" is itself an obstacle to access the power of Now. It's because it's a trick or strategy of the conditioned mind to keep you identified with it. Plus, it implies that you are seeking answer in thought. That is to say, you are following or looking at the mind for the truth, which at most can be a pointer. Also, if you look closely, seemingly helpful and spiritual sounding conditioned thoughts and mind's rigid expectations like "Why compulsive thinking and pain are not dissolving?" or "Thoughts are still there." or "Check if the thoughts are gone" or "I should be in inner body or present moment", "I am not deeply in the Now", "I will lose this peace", "You are still not free of the Ego" etc. make you lose the Now, re-energize conditioned thinking and mental patterns, and keep them in place. It's because they arise out of non-acceptance of the Now and cloud presence; light emanating from eternal source. In other words, these thoughts and reactions justify the reason for your unhappiness but in reality cause it. They may be helpful during your spiritual journey but can become great obstacles if used as crutch and not recognized as conditioned egoic thoughts and resistance. Hence, detecting and watching or accepting the resistive conditioned thoughts and reactions (including physical and psychological) is even more important than involuntary thinking. In other words, deeply realize that you are not your mind. You need to be very alert to detect any slight and/or subtle and/or unconscious patterns, resistance, blockages, sensation of negativity and reactions. Else the mind will creep in without you being aware of it. Again, more thinking, analysis, resistance or reactions cannot solve the dysfunction of mind. Now is the key. Presence is the key. So, no need to "check" if thoughts are gone or not. Thought movement ceases or slows down naturally and automatically when your attention is in the now or “inner space”. Here's an experiment: Whenever you feel emotional pain in you, feel the inner-space, especially in your forehead, back and top of your head and/or wherever (any other chakra) it feels natural and easy. Or go deeply into the pain, feel it fully. This is also called as conscious death. This also implies faith or trust in the power of presence. In other words, you offer up (swaha) your pain and egoic thoughts in you to the fire of consciousness or presence burning anywhere in your body. This becomes easier when you truly can't take the burden of pain in you or realize its futility or see it as an opportunity to disidentify and let go of it. "Stay at the center of the circle and let everything fall into place" Tao Te Ching. Although, it's ok to use spiritual pointers, concepts, practices and meditation methods in the beginning and during your spiritual journey, but deeply realize that the words can utmost be pointers and are no more than steppingstones to be left as quickly as possible. "Finger (concept or thought or pointer) pointing to the moon (formless consciousness) is not the moon." Buddha. Truth is beyond any content. You are the truth; the background awareness (subject) that enables the mind content, sensations and world in the foreground to be. The revolutionary realization that you are not the voice in your head, conditioned reactions, emotions, blockages and mental patterns but the one who sees them, dissolves your identification with conditioned mind or Ego which has kept humans bondage to suffering for eons. Although, when you detect yourself acting through mental concepts or playing roles then don't try to force yourself to not use concepts or play roles. As that would be another trick or strategy of the mind. That is concept of 'no concepts' or ‘no roles’. Going deeper into presence (which includes feeling the devotion towards it) and/or negating(or watching) the mind is all that is needed to dissolve the Ego. Mind motivated actions, responses and interpretations ultimately lead to suffering and misery, because they are conditioned, often arise out of negativity, desire and fear, intrinsically shortsighted, unintelligent, limited, treat the now as an obstacle or means to an end, keep the undesirable situation in place and contain the unmanifested polar opposite. Law of 'polar opposite' says that in the realm of mind and world, nothing could exist without its polar opposite. In other words, positive already contains its unmanifested negative. For example: High of a drug changes to hangover and depletion the next day. Thrill or anticipation of a vacation changes to feeling of void when it ends or about to end. That's why Buddha said, "Even your happiness is dukkha (suffering). Only the illusion of time separates them.

See the unintelligent nature of mind. Mind has this delusion that its negativity will dissolve the undesirable condition or situation. For example: mind's usual response to prevent or dissolve an unwanted emotion, thought, condition or situation arises out of negativity in form of resistance, control, fighting, suppression, anger, complaining, self-pity, inducing guilt, compulsive thinking, reaction etc., because it thinks that negativity will resolve or dissolve them. This is highly delusional and unintelligent because resistance is more disturbing and negative than the undesirable emotion, thoughts, situation or condition that the mind is trying to dissolve. Plus, it keeps them in place. Hence the Zen saying, "Whatever you resist, persists". It may seem like that the situation, person or condition are causing the suffering or unease, but in truth it's the automatic resistive and negative thoughts, reactions, and emotions that come in response to them that make you suffer. Once you see this truth, you naturally relinquish resistance and hence get closer to the infinite primordial intelligence and serenity that comes from deep within. This is how close you are to the reality of God.

Offer no inner opposition. Inhabiting inner body may get conceptualized by the mind as forcing yourself to be in the inner body using willpower or suppression of thoughts and emotions. Again, it's deeply embedded in our psyche to follow or seek answers in the conditioned mind (thoughts, reactions and emotions), that sometimes even before a mental reaction becomes a thought, you have already acted in form of words or action that arise out of mental-emotional conditioning. For example: Even before an anxious thought is verbalized, body had already reacted with anxious emotions or Pain-body gets activated and/or physical reactions or patterns get triggered such as fidgeting, your nails scratching objects, rubbing toes, picking your lips, legs shaking, teeth grinding or clenching, etc. So be highly alert by being in touch with the aliveness of inner-body to detect deep-seated and/or subtle unconscious mental and/or emotional and/or physical patterns. There could be a conflict between polarizing thoughts about forcing to feel the inner body and being in the body naturally, which are both mental positions. If that happens, allow or accept them to be. You are the seeing not the condition, thoughts, reactions and emotions that are seen. If you simply offer no inner opposition or resistance to whatever arises within (thoughts, emotions and reactions), it dissolves or at least its intensity lessens naturally without any effort. That's the power and miracle of surrender. It's the effort or opposition or 'will' that gives the mind renewed strength. It may seem like there's no resistance but look within with absolute alertness to bring out the automatic resistance in form on unease, tense brain and chest muscles, series of "why" thoughts, thought "controlling" etc. Which are reflection of disconnected and limited ego trying to be in charge; delusionally convinced that its controlling is going to dissolve the pain, condition and situation. Even if it fixes a problem, another problems pops up.

Don't look or dwell on the closed door (mind), which would only cause further pain. Instead, go deeply into ever present and open door of inner-body and awareness. Again, once you learn to recognize mind's dysfunctional mechanics and mad nature then there's nothing else you need to learn to dissolve the Ego. Only awareness or inner space can free you from it. That is to say surrender and/or withdrawal or shifting of attention from mind to inner-body or other present moment anchors i.e. Now, is the key. You won't die; in fact, you will be liberated from the great burden of 'false self' that cuts you off from source and desperately holds on to the past and transient world. With suffering and pain being inevitable consequences of this 'disconnect'. Words or forms are no more than stepping stones or signposts to be left as quickly as possible. So, any spiritual pointer or text, that are no more than collection of words, will become obstacles, sooner or later, if used as a crutch. Truth is beyond any words, thoughts, intellectual understanding or images. "Look, and it can't be seen. Listen, and it can't be heard. Reach, and it can't be grasped. Above, it isn't bright. Below, it isn't dark. Seamless, unnameable, it returns to the realm of nothing. Form that includes all forms, image without an image, subtle, beyond all conception. Approach it and there is no beginning; follow it and there is no end. You can't know it, but you can be it, at ease in your own life." Tao Te Ching.

Feel the inner energy field of the body. Feel the inner body wherever it feels easy and hold your attention there for as long as it feels natural. For example: feel the aliveness in your shoulders, and hold your attention there. When it feels natural and easy, move on to other body parts like hands, head (including the top and back side), face, neck, lungs, heart, back, lower back, abdomen, genitals, hips, thighs, knees, shins, calves, ankles, feet, toes etc. Then feel the body wholly as a global sense of aliveness. It helps to be aware of the breath at the same time. Since inner body and breath are closely interconnected. Don't be in a haste to move on to other parts, as mind may say something like "other body parts are left". You are not your mind, so why give it any reality? Let your awareness flood your body wherever it feels natural and easy. This will naturally deepen presence or awareness and help you step out of the mind. "The master views the parts with compassion, because he understands the whole. His constant practice is humility. He doesn't glitter like a jewel but let's himself be shaped by the Tao, as rugged and common as stone." Tao Te Ching. In the state of inner connectedness with being, you as a person don't exist, as personality dissolves. Since personality is ultimately a bundle of thoughts. So, it's not you but the universal consciousness that acts through you. This is the reason why enlightened masters, true spiritual teachers look more ordinary and simple than ordinary people. So let the Tao, One consciousness or Being, that is essentially you and yet inconceivably greater than you, guide and act through you. That's the paradox. "Life is the dancer, you are the dance" Eckhart Tolle. Either way, 'don't try' or you will fail and suffer. As trying implies mental effort or will power; which means you are cutting yourself off from One consciousness and still attempting to dissolve the 'dysfunction of mind' at the level of mind. This is no different than a Police officer looking for a kidnapper when kidnapper "is" the Police officer. If you are aware enough, you may notice mental-emotional reactions (urges, unease, willing, trying etc.), physical reactions or patterns (tension or movement in brain, face, tongue and heart muscles etc.), however slight or subtle, as if trying to control, fight, suppress, or resist in an attempt to become present or dissolve the mental patterns, emotions, undesirable situation, condition and accumulated past in your psyche. This is utterly futile and causes further suffering. Being aware, which also implies accepting 'what is' to be, is all that is needed. Although, the urge to try may come automatically because it's conditioned, and put you into "trying" mode. In that case allow yourself to try. That is to say, don't force yourself to 'not try', which is another strategy of the clever mind. 'Flourishing of trying', as pointed in Tao Te Ching, has the potential to eventually force you to yield or accept (surrender) and go beyond it. "If you want to get rid of something, allow it to flourish." Tao Te Ching

Keep the Gate-keeper occupied. Since the mind (thinking) has a great momentum, so it can be pragmatic practice to replace or merge compulsive and mostly pointless mind activity with fun or constructive activities or thinking, spiritual practices, pointers, books etc.. As it helps shift attention from mind's repetitive, compulsive and mostly negative patterns to the Now. As an analogy: it's like keeping the gate keeper (mind) occupied with magazines (content) or conversation, thus allowing people (available attention) to sneak in (flow up or into the body or remain in the Now). For most people, spiritual awakening is a gradual process. If you hasted, you will fail. Because it implies that you are treating the Now as an obstacle or means to an end. The most precious thing there is. Although you can accelerate the process by ending the delusion of time, making the Now primary focus of your life, voluntary surrender, accepting the now, shifting attention from mind to inner space, refusing to harbor thoughts or reactions etc. In other words, become friendly with the present moment or live as if there is no past or future but the eternal ‘space of Now’. It's because that's the only time there is, as past and future are ultimately no more than thoughts in your head. For more pragmatic practices, read Stay Rooted in Being. "Enter the Now from there" Eckhart Tolle.

Make a Conscious Choice

Choose Joy and peace of Being. As your consciousness orpresence deepens, you will see and realize more clearly how peaceful, light and joyous it is and how easy things become when you are present or rooted in inner-space and awareness, and how unhappy and/or lost and/or discontent and/or burdened you feel and/or difficult situations become, when your attention is trapped in useless, negative and repetitive thinking, resistive patterns(verbal or non-verbal), content(world), reactions and emotions i.e. egoic mind. As egoic mind and suffering are synonymous. Since egoic mind and world have a strong hypnotic pull and momentum, so it's possible that they may pull you out of the Now or inner space by convincing you that world is more interesting. However, more you realize that being lost in the mind and world ultimately causes suffering, weaker the pull becomes. Analogy: Being in inner body is like being with a very intelligent Grandmother. She's gentle, loving, yielding, forgiving, kind yet very powerful. While being trapped in egoic mind is like having overbearing parents who are shortsighted, dramatic, torment or interfere constantly, unyielding, controlling, hold on to the pain, resent to make you feel guilty in order to fulfill their wishes, create disconnection, overly strict etc. Once you truly see this, you may 'choose' to step out of your mind into the loving embrace of your being or inner space, and thus become one with life within. Rather than letting the consciousness be absorbed by mind and turned into pointless and repetitive thinking, analysis of what-is, resistance, unease, mind stuff and seeking fleeting experiences, things and scraps of short-lived pleasures in the external world. Which sooner or later turns to suffering, if you seek long lasting fulfillment in them. "World of forms can give you pleasure but it will also give you pain. However, nothing can give you joy because true joy, love and peace arise from the formless dimension within and are uncaused. That's the peace of God or Being." Eckhart Tolle. However, as long as you are dominated by your mind, you have very little or no choice. As choice implies a high degree of consciousness. So be alert and present as the watcher of mind or else it will creep-in in your absence.

Go deeper voluntarily. Once you reach a certain level of consciousness and had several glimpses or experiences of awakening, feeling realization of One life within and with-out, you have the power to make a conscious choice to inhabit being or "inner space" or become present voluntarily rather than be motivated by suffering. Which means less and less explanations, reasoning, engaging or identifying with mind, waiting for suffering, accumulating experiences or knowledge, getting lost in mind and world's drama, providing mind evidence or even watching the mind. You voluntarily step out of your mind. That is to say, you voluntarily yield or withdraw or shift attention away from mental static or noise (closed door) to inner space or Now. Thus become one with the source within and feel devotion for the light of presence within. This will rapidly deepen and transform your reality. However, you will not make that decision unless you truly realize that 'you are not your mind' and/or become fed up of suffering and/or have complete faith in infinitely intelligent and joyful being within. You may have the belief that thinking is a great gift and without it you may not be able to function in the world. Which is another mind's strategy to keep you trapped in psychological time. What mind doesn't know or want you to know is that thinking in absence of space consciousness, that is true intelligence, is the root of collective dysfunction or sickness; greatest obstacle to awakening for current state of humanity. In fact, mind(thought), which is a wonderful instrument, works beautifully and creatively when it's rooted in formless awareness. This is the feeling of space consciousness or pure non-conceptual awareness that Albert Einstein pointed to when he said: "The scientist's religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural laws, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that compared with it all systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection. This feeling is the guiding principle of my life and work".