Tag: meditation

The Neutrality of Being

Beyond Preference and Bias

Human experience revolves around preferences—good versus bad, desirable versus undesirable. From a young age, we are conditioned to label moments, objects, and relationships based on our likes or dislikes, shaping a world of duality. Yet, something remarkable may begin to unfold for those who experience a profound spiritual awakening. The intensity of preferences softens, and the once-compelling narratives around right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, start to lose their grip.

This shift isn’t forced or rehearsed; it arises organically as consciousness deepens. It’s not about suppressing preferences or pretending they don’t exist. Rather, it’s about witnessing them without attachment. You might still notice that one meal tastes better than another, or that one kind of weather feels more comfortable, but the emotional charge—the bias for or against—diminishes.

This state of neutrality doesn’t negate the ability to express feelings about situations or objects. Joy, sadness, appreciation, or aversion may still arise naturally. However, the inner dialogue changes. An object once deemed essential for happiness may now appear as just an object. A situation that would have previously elicited anger or frustration may no longer hold the same power.

Neutrality is not numbness or indifference; it is the ultimate expression of freedom. When bias fades, life’s experiences are not judged as lacking or sufficient—they simply are. This perspective offers a profound sense of peace. When preferences no longer dominate the mind, the heart is free to engage with reality exactly as it unfolds.

This state isn’t something that needs to be chased or consciously cultivated. It arises as a natural byproduct of deep inner awakening. The realization that all phenomena are transient allows one to meet life with equanimity. Dualities are not eradicated but are seen for what they are—part of the play of existence, neither to be clung to nor rejected.

If you’re on the path of spiritual exploration, allow yourself to relax into the flow of awareness. Don’t try to force neutrality; simply observe the moments when it arises. Over time, you may notice that this spacious, bias-free perspective becomes less of an exception and more of your default state of being.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Mirage of Paradise

Why Many Turn Away From the Path

Paradise often appears as a shimmering promise on the horizon—a space of unbroken peace, eternal joy, and infinite understanding. Yet, when the steps to reach it feel many, slow, or arduous, even the most sincere seekers may find themselves questioning the journey. Why does the promise lose its lustre when effort is required? Why do we often choose comfort over truth or familiarity over freedom?

The answer lies not in paradise but in our relationship with it.

The Illusion of Arrival

The mind, conditioned by a lifetime of instant gratification and linear progress, believes paradise must be attainable within a predictable framework. When the path to enlightenment stretches beyond its comfort zone, the mind rebels. It whispers doubts, offers shortcuts, or fabricates reasons to abandon the pursuit altogether.

Yet, true awakening does not follow a predictable roadmap. It cannot be squeezed into the limited constructs of time or effort. Enlightenment is not about arriving somewhere—it is about dissolving the illusion of the one who seeks. This is the paradox that discourages many: the realization that the paradise sought is not something to be reached but something to be uncovered within.

The Fear of Letting Go

Another reason many step away from the path is the fear of surrender. Enlightenment demands more than perseverance; it requires the complete letting go of the self we believe ourselves to be. For those deeply identified with their roles, beliefs, or desires, this can feel like annihilation. What lies beyond the familiar can seem less appealing than the comfort of staying as we are.

But surrender is not a loss; it is an opening. It is stepping into the unknown with trust and willingness, allowing paradise to reveal itself not as a destination but as the ever-present reality beneath all appearances.

Walking Without Steps

Paradise cannot be reached because it is not elsewhere. It is not at the end of many steps or behind layers of effort. Those who walk away often believe the steps are external—practices, rituals, or milestones to achieve. The truth is, that the steps are inward, subtle, and immediate. They require no distance travelled, only the courage to turn within and meet the present moment fully.

Each step dissolves the illusion that there is somewhere else to go. Each step reveals that paradise was never absent. The question is not whether enlightenment is too far but whether we are willing to abandon the belief that it lies anywhere but here.

Remaining Open to the Journey

For those who feel the pull to turn back, perhaps the greatest teaching is this: paradise is not reserved for those who walk a perfect path. It embraces even the wanderer, the doubter, and the one who stumbles. The journey is not about reaching paradise but about waking up to its presence at every turn.

Instead of asking how far we have to go, ask this: What illusions am I willing to release today? What layers of resistance, fear, or expectation can I dissolve now? Every step, no matter how small, is a step into paradise itself.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Birth and Death of Inner Universes

A Perspective on Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual awakening is not merely a personal transformation; it is an intimate cosmic event. Each moment of awakening dismantles the boundaries of identity and creates a vast, living expanse within. This unfolding is as paradoxical as it is profound—a universe arises within, brimming with potential, only to dissolve as swiftly as it appeared.

The creation of this inner cosmos mirrors the nature of existence itself. A moment arises where the self perceives its infinite nature, birthing dimensions of awareness that feel eternal. This universe, however, does not exist to linger. It serves a purpose: to illuminate, to expand, and ultimately to dissolve back into the nothingness from which it came.

Such a process reveals a truth that eludes language. What is born within us during these moments is not separate from what is destroyed. The arising and vanishing are inseparable aspects of the same eternal dance. Within this rhythm, one discovers the impermanence of form and the timeless essence of being.

This creation and destruction shatter attachments to identity, beliefs, and the false security of permanence. It is not an annihilation to fear, but a liberation to embrace. As the mind relinquishes its grip, awareness expands, offering a glimpse into a state where nothing and everything coexist seamlessly.

The universe within is both an expression of the infinite and a reflection of the impermanent. It reminds us that awakening is not a destination but an ever-unfolding realization. Each birth and death within brings clarity to the timeless truth that all is interconnected, arising and subsiding within the boundless field of consciousness.

This experience shifts perception, encouraging a life lived with greater ease, grace, and compassion. As one awakens to the cyclical nature of inner universes, the external world begins to reflect this understanding. The mundane becomes sacred, the transient becomes meaningful, and the self becomes a vessel for the infinite.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

Nonduality and the Integral        

Untangling Two Profound Perspectives

When people speak about nonduality, they often weave together concepts that belong to the realm of the integral perspective. The two may seem intertwined, yet their essence is profoundly distinct. Recognizing this difference can deepen our understanding of both and expand our capacity for spiritual insight.

Nonduality points directly to the ultimate truth: the indivisibility of reality. It is the recognition that all distinctions are illusory. The subject-object split dissolves, revealing a seamless unity. It is not merely a philosophical perspective but an experiential truth—a recognition that transcends intellectual grasping. Nonduality is the realization that there is no “two,” only “one,” and even that word dissolves into silence.

Integral thinking, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive map of reality, embracing the complexity of human experience. It categorizes and contextualizes the subjective, objective, intersubjective, and interobjective dimensions of existence. Integral frameworks are invaluable for navigating personal and collective evolution, offering tools for harmonizing the many aspects of life.

The Key Distinction

Nonduality exists beyond frameworks, maps, or categories. It does not concern itself with the relative interplay of quadrants, stages, or states. Nonduality is the recognition that all such distinctions are themselves empty—useful only until their utility is seen through.

Integral thinking is rooted in relativity. It thrives on distinctions and relationships, aiming to integrate them into a cohesive understanding. It does not negate duality but works within it to foster greater awareness and wholeness. Integral thinking can support a journey toward nondual realization, but it remains distinct from the destination itself.

Why the Confusion?

The conflation arises because many seekers first encounter nonduality through conceptual frameworks, often presented in an integral context. The integral perspective’s ability to unify seemingly disparate truths can feel like a step toward nondual awareness. However, while the integral celebrates the diversity of perspectives, nonduality obliterates them, revealing a singular, indivisible presence.

The integral is a bridge; nonduality is the infinite expanse beyond the bridge. One operates within the realm of mind and relativity, while the other beckons toward the formless essence that precedes thought itself.

Moving Beyond Concepts

The beauty lies in recognizing that both have their place. Integral approaches help organize and clarify our understanding, guiding us toward greater clarity and balance in the relative world. Yet, true liberation comes when we let go of even the most exquisite maps and plunge into the direct experience of what is.

Nonduality is not something to be understood. It is what remains when all attempts at understanding fall away. To grasp this distinction is to open oneself to the ineffable—a leap that no framework can contain.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Universe Within Consciousness

Unveiling the Infinite

The world often feels like a series of separate entities—discrete phenomena with their own rules and boundaries. Yet, what if this apparent fragmentation is only a surface-level illusion? When you step beyond appearances, a profound truth emerges: energy and matter, gravity, time and space, and even the universe itself, are all contained within Consciousness.

This understanding is not a conceptual abstraction but a recognition that transforms how reality is experienced. Consciousness—capital “C”—is not a mere byproduct of the brain, nor is it limited to individual awareness. It is the boundless source within which all forms and phenomena arise and dissolve. Everything, from the smallest particle to the vast expanse of galaxies, is perceived by Consciousness and exists within it.

Energy and matter appear tangible, yet they are patterns within Consciousness, expressions of infinite intelligence that animates existence. Gravity, which binds the cosmos, is bound by the formless, all-encompassing awareness. Even time and space—those dimensions we rely on to orient our lives—are constructs of Consciousness, giving form to the formless, making the eternal appear temporal, and the infinite seem measurable.

This raises a deeply intimate question: if all arises within Consciousness, then who or what are you? Are you merely a transient being navigating a vast universe, or are you the infinite, witnessing its own unfolding through countless forms?

When this realization takes root, the boundaries between self and other dissolve. Life is no longer experienced as a struggle to control external forces but as a harmonious expression of the one, indivisible Consciousness. Challenges are reframed, not as obstacles imposed by an external world, but as waves moving within the ocean of awareness.

Awakening to this truth does not mean retreating from life’s experiences. Instead, it means living them fully, recognizing that they are temporary expressions of the eternal. Consciousness contains it all: the joy and the sorrow, the form and the void, the stillness and the motion. And yet, Consciousness itself remains untouched, vast, and free.

To rest in this understanding is to live without fear, to see all existence as sacred, and to embrace the paradox of being both nothing and everything.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

Exploring the Mystical Depths of Meditation

Insights from a Neurofeedback EEG Assessment

On Friday, November 22, I had the unique opportunity to undergo a neurofeedback EEG assessment to evaluate my brain’s activity during meditation. This fascinating experience was facilitated by neurofeedback expert Alex Ni, the CEO of Divergence Neuro Technologies. The results revealed something extraordinary: my brainwave patterns reflect those of an advanced meditator, marked by the ability to generate high-amplitude delta waves while fully awake and completely still.

This outcome did not arise overnight—it is the culmination of over 21 years of dedicated meditation practice. For at least an hour every day, without missing a single session, I have cultivated this state of deep awareness. Meditation has been my unwavering companion on a journey of transformation, healing, and spiritual exploration.

Key Findings

  1. High-Amplitude Delta Waves in Wakefulness
    The assessment showed that I could produce delta waves typically seen in deep sleep or unconscious states, but while fully conscious and still. These peaks, which appeared spontaneously, resemble absent seizure patterns in their electrical signature. Yet, instead of being pathological, they occurred in a meditative state, reflecting a refined and balanced neural state.
  2. Kriya and Kundalini Correlations
    The kriyas, spontaneous energetic movements often experienced during meditation, seem directly connected to these delta peaks. This activity suggests a state where the body-mind system is releasing suppressed energies or blockages, facilitated by deep equanimity and heightened awareness.
    The presence of delta spikes may also be a physiological manifestation of kundalini energy—the subtle, transformative force described in spiritual traditions as rising through the chakras.
  3. Expert Validation
    Alex Ni was so intrigued by the findings that he consulted Dr. Jeff Tarrant, a 30-year expert in brainwave research. Dr. Tarrant noted that similar patterns were observed in his three-year study with mediums—further validating the unique nature of these results.

Bridging Neuroscience and Spirituality

The findings of this assessment reveal a fascinating convergence of neuroscience and spirituality. The high-amplitude delta waves, kriyas, and kundalini energy point to a profound transformation occurring at the intersection of the nervous system and consciousness. These patterns suggest that meditative practices have the potential to fundamentally alter neural pathways, facilitating deep healing and profound states of awareness.

Implications of Advanced Meditation

  1. Energetic Purification
    The kriyas and delta spikes may signify a cleansing process, releasing deep-seated energetic blockages and re-aligning the body-mind system.
  2. Non-Dual Awareness
    The ability to remain conscious during delta brainwave peaks reflects a state of non-dual awareness—where presence and transcendence coexist seamlessly. This aligns with descriptions of advanced meditation states where the ego dissolves, creating space for higher consciousness.
  3. Kundalini and Neural Rewiring
    The resemblance of these patterns to absent seizures may indicate neural rewiring as the body adjusts to the heightened kundalini energy. This profound restructuring of the nervous system is often associated with spiritual awakening processes.

A Path Forward

Next week, I will participate in another study to explore this phenomenon further. These experiences offer a glimpse into the transformative potential of meditation—not just as a tool for relaxation but as a gateway to the depths of human consciousness and spiritual awakening.

For anyone intrigued by these groundbreaking insights into meditation and neuroscience, I encourage you to explore the work of Divergence Neuro Technologies at www.divergenceneuro.com. Their cutting-edge research continues to illuminate the profound connections between the brain and consciousness, offering a deeper understanding of what it means to transcend the ordinary and touch the extraordinary.

Through this journey, it’s clear that meditation is more than a practice—it’s a bridge between worlds, where the boundaries of science and spirituality dissolve into the infinite.

It’s humbling to reflect on how two decades of unwavering dedication to meditation have paved the way for these remarkable insights. This is an affirmation that the time and intention invested in inner stillness have the power to transform not only the mind and body but also our very relationship with existence itself.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Mind is Samsara

Liberation Through Freedom From Thought

(Inspired by Delson Armstrong)

To grasp the nature of samsara, one must look no further than the ever-turning wheel of the mind. Thoughts arise and dissolve ceaselessly—ideas, beliefs, fears, and anticipations weaving an endless narrative. Each moment feels distinct, yet they are all threads of the same cyclical pattern. This mental turbulence is the very fabric of samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth experienced not only across lifetimes but also within the subtle rhythms of the mind.

Samsara is not a place. It is the identification with thought itself. Every belief we cling to, every concept we hold sacred, every doubt that gnaws at our certainty—these perpetuate the illusion of separateness. The mind clings to forms, seeking permanence in the impermanent, building castles on clouds. Yet each construction inevitably crumbles, and the cycle begins anew.

Nirvana, often misinterpreted as a distant goal, is not found outside this moment. It is recognizing what remains when all that is transient falls away. Freedom arises not through force or suppression but by witnessing the mind’s movements without becoming entangled. The arising and dissolving of thoughts are no longer resisted; they are observed as passing clouds in the vast sky of awareness.

This realization does not destroy the mind but recontextualizes it. Thoughts may continue to arise, but they no longer hold the power to bind. The very root of suffering—attachment to the mind’s constructs—is severed. What remains is pure Being, an effortless silence that neither clings to birth nor fears death.

To step off the wheel of samsara is to recognize that you were never bound. The liberation of nirvana is not an escape but a profound shift in perspective: to see thoughts for what they are—fleeting phenomena—and rest in the unchanging awareness that witnesses them.

The mind is samsara. Freedom lies not in battling it, but in transcending it through direct experience of your timeless nature.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Dance of Suchness

Nonduality in Search of Itself

Nondual suchness, the ground of all being, appears as duality—not as a mistake, but as an exquisite unfolding of its nature. This dynamic play of form and formlessness is not a separation, but a movement within unity, a way for the infinite to experience itself through the finite. This paradox, where oneness expresses itself as multiplicity, invites profound contemplation.

Duality arises as the perceivable world of contrasts: light and shadow, self and other, birth and death. Yet, these distinctions are mere appearances, like waves on the ocean. Beneath them lies the seamless nondual reality, unmoving and eternal. Why, then, does suchness manifest itself in this manner?

The answer lies not in concepts but in direct experience. Suchness manifests as duality to embark on a journey of rediscovery. The world of form becomes a mirror in which the formless can witness itself. This is the essence of the human experience: a seeming separation that eventually dissolves into the realization that the observer and the observed, the seeker and the sought, are one.

This process is neither linear nor bound by time. It is an eternal play, where the unmanifest takes form and, through the constraints of duality, rediscovers its boundless nature. This unfolding is the essence of life itself—an ongoing revelation of unity within multiplicity.

The search for self is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be embraced. Each moment offers an opportunity to dissolve the illusion of separation and recognize the timeless reality of suchness. The ordinary becomes extraordinary when seen through the lens of nonduality, where the play of duality is understood as a dance of wholeness seeking itself.

Recognizing this truth liberates the mind from its grasping and aversion. The journey of duality becomes an exploration, not a burden. Life, with all its joys and sorrows, becomes a sacred expression of the infinite exploring itself.

To awaken to this is to realize that the search itself was never necessary, for what was sought was always present, always whole. The seeker dissolves, leaving only the suchness that was always there—silent, infinite, complete.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Journey of the Mind

Beyond Ego’s Boundaries

Human consciousness, unbound by the constraints of ordinary thought, possesses an intrinsic ability to transcend the familiar territory of the ego. This journey to higher states unfolds as a delicate dance, one where the ego—the personality construct and guardian of perceived separateness—is bypassed, leaving room for profound shifts in awareness.

These elevated states of mind, accessible yet elusive, represent realms where the habitual identity fades into the background. Here, one finds insights that ripple with clarity, and a sense of unity that dissolves the divisions the ego so meticulously maintains. The journey to these states does not require the ego’s consent, nor can it be negotiated through the ego’s language. Instead, it is a surrender, a quiet movement beyond identity, like slipping into a vast ocean where the waves of self-constructed limitations fade.

The ego functions as a structure, defining and separating, fostering individual identity, and distinguishing between ‘self’ and ‘other.’ But, ironically, the very mechanisms that help navigate daily life can often restrict our capacity for profound insight. The ego’s grip can be like a thin film that obscures the brilliance beyond, drawing boundaries around our perceptions and experiences. However, consciousness itself possesses a deeper intelligence—one that intuitively senses these confines and seeks to transcend them.

Through this transcendence, higher states are realized: states where intuition, compassion, and expansive perception prevail. These states are not bound by logic or reason, nor are they controlled by the ego’s protective narratives. Instead, they blossom as expressions of something deeper, a truth beyond the rational mind. In these realms, individuals might experience spontaneous creativity, profound calm, or insights that cannot be traced back to ordinary patterns of thought.

This movement beyond ego can occur in many ways. Moments of silence, stillness, meditation, or even being fully absorbed in creative expression, allow us to slip beyond the ego’s hold. What emerges is a consciousness that witnesses without interference—a state of pure observation, where clarity dawns without the coloration of past experiences, conditioning, or future anxieties.

Ironically, in relinquishing the need to control or grasp, we find a more profound mastery. The mind, left to its natural course, attains heights the ego could never imagine. The ego tries to navigate life by holding on, defining, and categorizing, yet the higher mind finds meaning in spaciousness, in a form of understanding that defies containment.

This journey invites a letting go, not to become less, but to become whole. Every step taken without ego’s agenda becomes an invitation to experience life as it truly is—unfiltered, unfragmented, and undeniably interconnected. What emerges is a state of mind where one feels profoundly connected to all that is, free from the need to prove, to defend, or to possess.

In this light, our consciousness rises naturally to meet the deeper realms of existence, not as something earned or achieved but as something rediscovered—a return to our true nature, unburdened by the masks we have accumulated. The mind knows this path intuitively, flowing into these higher states with grace when we allow it to be free from the ego’s constraints. And in that freedom, a profound sense of peace, insight, and unity emerges, inviting us to live with a renewed sense of purpose, clarity, and wholeness.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith

The Silent Origin of Creation

Unraveling the Word Beyond Sound

In a realm untouched by form or definition, a profound mystery unfolds. Imagine a being with no shape, voice, or name—existing as both everything and nothing. In an act of paradoxical creativity, this ineffable source whispers into the fabric of existence. From this silent word emerges a universe alive, aware, and mysterious. It is here, in this enigmatic dance of being and non-being, that humanity finds its origin.

The creation of humanity, as whispered by this formless origin, is nothing less than a reflection of itself—a precise replica of what it is and, intriguingly, what it is not. Humanity carries the essence of both emptiness and fullness, a paradox woven so finely that it escapes the grasp of language, even though language arises from it.

The Divine Paradox: Being and Non-Being

When we speak of “the image of God,” it is not an image as we understand it—no form, no tangible attributes. The divine essence holds no shape or characteristic that the mind can perceive, for it exists beyond the dualities of existence and non-existence. Yet, it is this very absence of form that becomes the fertile ground for all that we call real.

In this way, humanity, too, is born as both presence and absence. A reflection that, while substantial in body, remains void at its core. Our existence becomes a paradox of being: we are alive and aware, yet at the same time, we are the embodiment of an emptiness that allows for all things to arise and dissolve.

The Word That Is Beyond Sound

Before there was time, before the birth of space, there was a word—a word beyond words. It was not uttered with sound, for it contained no vowels or consonants. It was a word without letters, a sentence beyond syntax. This primordial word, devoid of shape and structure, holds within it the potential of all sounds, symbols, and meanings.

Human language, then, is an echo—a distant ripple—of this original word. It is a remembrance of a silent utterance that calls creation into being. Every letter, every syllable, every sentence is a shadow cast by the ineffable. This is why all sound exists—because silence contains within it the potential for all sounds.

Humanity as a Living Soul

Through this silent origin, humanity and the entire cosmos emerge as a living soul. In each of us lies the dual essence of the beginning and the end, a boundless consciousness that holds both form and formlessness. Our lives become a journey of awakening to this realization—that we are both the substance and the silence, both the manifested and the unmanifested.

The creation of humanity is a continuation of this silent word, a dance where existence meets non-existence in each moment. In this dance, we are given the rare opportunity to experience life while also witnessing the emptiness at its core. This awareness transforms life from a mere sequence of events into a profound, living expression of the original word beyond sound.

Morgan O. Smith

Yinnergy Meditation, Spiritual Life Coaching & My Book, Bodhi in the Brain…Available Now!

https://linktr.ee/morganosmith