How To Realise Effortless Being, Non-
Conceptual Awareness
Find a comfortable place to sit and allow the
mind and breathing to settle into a relaxed state.
Begin by noticing any thoughts arising
effortlessly. Innocently watch them without
entering into any dialogue. Notice that no effort
is required for thoughts to arise.
Then notice any sensations or feelings arising in
the body. Again, notice that they arise
effortlessly. There could be a quiet feeling of joy,
a sensation of discomfort etc, each arising
effortlessly.
Become aware of any sensory experiences
effortlessly arising within the room. There could
be the sound of the ticking of a clock, light
streaming through a window.
Now become aware of any sounds arising in
adjacent rooms. There could be the sound of
people talking, the sound of a TV or radio. Or
there could simply be silence.
Then notice any sounds outside the building.
There could be the sound of birds singing, cars
passing by, wind in the trees, children playing, an
aeroplane passing overhead. Notice that
everything is arising effortlessly in awareness.
All these sensations arise effortlessly. No effort is
required. We simply notice what is arising. This is
non-conceptual awareness.
Now take an example from the above
experiences. Let’s use the example of the sound
of a car passing by.
The sound of the car arises as the car becomes
nearer and diminishes as it passes by. No effort is
required to be aware of the sound of the car.
Now let’s engage the mind to comment on the
sound of the car:
“I like the sound of cars passing by”
“That sounds like a car I once owned”
“ Those tyres sound noisy on the tarmac”
“ I wish it was quiet here”
This is conceptual awareness.
To engage the mind to provide a commentary on
the experiences arising requires effort, which is in
contrast to effortlessly noticing the thoughts,
sensations and perceptions arising.
Since early childhood we have been conditioned
to engage the mind and respond or react to the
experiences which are arising. This requires effort
and the thoughts often activate emotions. The
more complex the thought and emotional
structures become, the more potential there is
for emotional turbulence.
Due to this conditioning, we have usually not
noticed that we are already resting and existing
as effortless awareness, effortless Being. All
thoughts, sensations, perceptions and emotions
arise effortlessly. It is the effort of engaging the
mind which seems to obscure ever-present,
effortless awareness, effortless Being.
Effortless Being is Effortless Awareness, is Non-
Conceptual Awareness.
We are already Effortless Being.
This is enlightenment, this is Self realisation.
In any moment we can disengage the mind and
become aware of effortless awareness, effortless
Being by simply noticing what is arising
effortlessly. Effortless, timeless Being is
inescapable. It’s just that we’ve temporarily
allowed ourselves to be distracted by the mind
and emotions.
