Stillness - the 2 Types. What are their hallmarks? How to experience them? How to apply them in daily life?

Stillness is at the heart of meditation. Whether we realise it or not, stillness really does inform every aspect of our experience of life. But which stillness is it of which we speak? The stillness of the Active Mind, or the stillness of the Still Mind? And how do these two differ, and how do they affect our lives?

So in this, the final instalment in the current series of 8 posts examining how to apply the key elements of the Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation (MBSM) technique, and how we know when we are doing them “right”, stillness is the 5th of the 5 stages and it takes us into the very essence of meditation, but first

         Thought for the day

   When the mind is resting naturally 

   And at ease in its own unaltered state, 

   That is referred to as the ‘stillness’ of meditation. 

   If a thought rises out of this state of stillness, 

   That is called ‘movement’. 

   And that which knows when mind is in a state of stillness 

   And recognizes any movement is your ‘awareness’, or rigpa. 

                                   Dudjom Rinpoche

In Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation (MBSM), we use 5 steps to help us move from a busy, distracted mind into the deep stillness of meditation. We start with Preparation. This creates the circumstances that allow us let go, to settle and to move into Relaxation. As we relax more deeply, our Mindfulness naturally develops – we can concentrate more readily, and we learn to do so free of judgement and commentary. 

As our Mindfulness becomes more focused, we become less distracted, and our Awareness blossoms. We notice things more clearly. We notice if we are off track, and we develop a deeper understanding; we become more aware. As we do become more aware, we notice the Stillness. 

At first it is in the gaps between our thoughts. This is the Stillness of the Active Mind. This comes with a feeling of deep, natural peace. It is like we let go... We let go of tension. We let go of excessive thinking. We let go of unhealthy concerns and emotions. 

And more importantly, we regain our own natural balance. 

In our meditation, as we rest in this natural inner stillness, as we let go and regain our balance; our hormones and physiology return to their natural, balanced levels. 

Health ensues. 

Healing ensues. 

Vitality ensues. 

We are at our best for whatever it is we need to do; or whatever we chose to do...

But then, if we continue on past the thoughts and emotions that constitute the Active Mind, we enter into that even deeper stillness, the stillness of the Still Mind. As Dudjom Rinpoche put it so eloquently above, when “the mind is resting naturally and at ease in its own unaltered state, that is referred to as the ‘stillness’ of meditation”. The mind is now alert, clear, present, spacious. It is free from distraction, free from attachment and aversion, full of creative potential. 

With this clarity comes a profound knowing; a direct perception of who we really are, what constitutes our innermost being, what is the true nature of things. The truth is revealed to us through direct experience.

So how to experience all this? We speak of two approaches to meditation. The Direct Approach, and the Gradual Approach. Maybe we will speak more of the Direct Approach another time... The Gradual Approach is where we use a method; and there are many.

Over the years, what I have found most helpful, both through formal study, through feedback from many, and through my own experience with meditation; all this is essentialised into the 5 steps of MBSM. And hence this series of blogs, and my books like Blue Sky Mind.

What we can say about stillness is it is all about developing the view; where the view is our way of understanding our life, the world around us, and our place within it. What gives us meaning and purpose; that is all to do with our view. 

So if our view is rooted in our Active Mind, it will be coloured by all our thoughts and emotions – a mixed bag. 

Whereas, if our view is rooted in the Still Mind, it will be beyond the vagaries of those thoughts and emotions; and it will be predominated by pure awareness, unconditional love, an all-pervasive compassion, and profound wisdom.

So while people do meditate for many valid reasons to do with the Active Mind and day-to-day life, this is more on offer. The reason many persevere and meditate on... and on... and on... is to experience the truth of who we really are, and to do all we can to live in accord with that truth.

May you find the meaning and the joy in your meditation that enables you to continue on into the heart and the truth of this direct experience...

COMING EVENTS

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website

OUR NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

DEEP NATURAL PEACE     Long weekend mini retreat    14 - 16 November 2025

Towards the end of the year, an ideal opportunity for some time out, some gentle introspection and reflection, letting go of the busyness and finishing the year on a meditative high.

With Ruth and Ian Gawler

For your part? Simply make the time and come along…Relax. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley with its big trees, fresh air, beautiful grounds, the Little Yarra River, and sublime meditation sanctuary.

You can simply let go, and let be… 

TIMES: Friday 14th November starting at 11am to 3.30pm Sunday 16th November 2025

VENUE: The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia

DETAILS and BOOKINGS: Visit our website: Click Here 

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website

Meditation Teacher Training – Module 3: Imagery

11am Saturday 1st to 3.30pm Wednesday 5th November, 2025 (inc Melbourne Cup holiday on the 4th for Victorians)

So many people in so many domains recommend the benefits of guided imagery. This training will position you to be able to offer your community something of great value – a reliable way to help your participants to better understand how their thinking minds and emotions work, and how they can mange them so much better – for their own good and the good of others. This training is also manual based and will enable you to deliver a much-needed program.

Of great personal value, this training is suitable for those new to teaching meditation, and for those wanting to go further. Highly experiential, it will provide a review of the first module that will have given more attention to the basics of how to develop, manage and deliver a meditation program or course. Here we will give some attention to theory, research, delivery, session structures, promotion, finances, the special challenges of online courses, but the emphasis will be on experiencing the key practices of imagery, and working on how to best present a course focusing upon guided imagery.

As a feature, ongoing mentorship and peer support is available through a specific group led by Ian, Ruth and Melissa for people who have completed one or more of our trainings.

Additional information is available via this link

How to apply for THIS Meditation Teacher Training:

1.        The first step is to visit our website, download the Meditation Teacher Training application form and return it to our Retreat Manager, Mel Crow.  

2.        Mel will then arrange a short phone conversation to clarify what the training offerS, discuss your needs, answer any questions and ensure the program is suitable for you. 

3.        Once accepted for the training, you pay a deposit or full fee to reserve your place.

4.        Full payment is due 3 weeks prior to the commencement of your training.

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website

 

 

 

Awareness in Practice and in Daily Life. The 2 types of Awareness; what to do and the hallmarks of doing Awareness “right”.

Awareness has the potential to radically transform how we practice meditation, and how we experience life. So in this, the next instalment of this series examining how to apply the key elements of the Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation (MBSM) technique, awareness is the 4th of the 5 stages and can take things to the next level.

We will all have a good sense of what it means to be aware. However, so we can develop it, and evaluate how we are going when we aim to apply it, definitions will be helpful. Then we consider how awareness can be best applied in our practice and our lives, but first

         Thought for the day

   We miss the simplicity of what is immediate.

   You do not have to search for awareness.

   Just try not being aware.

   It is not a matter of going in and out of awareness

   - awareness is all there is and that is what you truly are.

   You can never fall out of awareness.

                          Sailor Bob Adamson

Definitions of Awareness

1. The Oxford defines awareness in two domains:

          i) Vigilance – cautious, on one’s guard

We are aware of a big dog guarding a property and we are cautious.

          ii) Understanding – conscious, sensible, not ignorant, having knowledge

We are aware the big dog is restrained and not a threat.

2. In philosophy and psychology, awareness is to do with the perception or knowledge of something. 

We can be aware we can see a dog. 

We can be aware we cannot see a dog. 

We can be aware we know something of meditation. 

We can be aware we know nothing of meditation. 

We can be aware we are being mindful. 

We can be aware we are being mindless. 

This use of awareness is closely related to what we mean when we say we are conscious of something.

Working with Awareness

When it comes to working with awareness, first, we need to recognise there are two types of awareness. Remember MBSM is based on our understanding, our experience, that the mind has two aspects – the Active Mind, and the Still Mind.

So we can have awareness that comes from the perspective of the Active or the Still Minds, and they are quite different; both in the experience and the application. 

Awareness of the Active Mind is caught up in all our thinking and emotions. That means this type of awareness will be coloured by our personal experiences, our beliefs, our habits. This awareness will be tainted by our level of confusion or clarity. Clouded perception...

By contrast, the awareness of the Still Mind will be pure. 

We do speak of “pure awareness”, and this is where it comes from – the perspective of the Still Mind. 

And how do we move closer to this more profound awareness? 

Meditation! 

Applications of Awareness in Meditation Practice

When we are developing and deepening our meditation practice, we will be working with our Active Mind. Therefore, it is the awareness of the Active Mind we are working with, and it has two levels: 

1. The key point to begin with is the vigilant aspect. As we aim to settle the mind, we need to focus it through mindfulness. But we need light concentration/mindfulness – we say around 25%. But then we need to be aware whether we are focused, or whether our mind is wandering. So this awareness is what we call vigilance – and we say this takes another 25% of our mental activity. Vigilance/awareness notices where our attention is, and if our mind does wander or become distracted, it is our vigilant awareness that notices this and brings us back to the focus of our practice.

2. As our practice progresses, we become less reliant on mindfulness and more capable of maintaining our awareness. 

Mindfulness is an active process; it is something the mind does. 

It takes effort – quite a bit to begin with, less as we train and progress. 

Awareness on the other hand, is a state of mind. It is more passive; less work, less effort. 

In meditation, it involves virtually sitting back and simply observing whatever it is that does come into our awareness; like an impartial observer.

As we do become more aware, the practice becomes more simple. However, if we are not careful, we can be easily distracted. So again, this is why we train our minds and progress steadily through the 5 stages of preparation, relaxation, mindfulness, awareness and stillness.

Applications of Awareness in Daily Life

In daily life, it will serve us better to consider awareness in three domains

1. Perception. To be aware of something, first we must perceive it – record it through the agency of our five senses. So again, from the perspective of the Active Mind, our perception can range from crystal clear to seriously distorted. By contrast, from the perspective of the Still Mind, our perception will always be crystal clear – pure perception. So, the more we move towards the perspective of the Still Mind, the clearer our perception will become

2. Vigilance. To be aware in the sense of being cautious and one one’s guard, from the perspective of the Active Mind; this sense of caution can range from reasonable to extreme – over or under cautious. 

Hyper vigilance is a very common problem for many these days and is fed by fear, uncertainty, confusion and many other emotions and ways of thinking.

By contrast, with the perspective of the Still Mind, there comes an inner confidence, a surety, that means we are comfortable with what is safe and wise, and what is best to avoid. 

We make good choices.

3. Understanding. 

The awareness that refers to understanding also highlights the differences between the two aspects or our mind. The understanding of the Active Mind is very relative. It relates to what we have learnt, the quality of the knowledge we have gained, what we remember, how we apply our knowledge and what influence thoughts, habitual ways of thinking and emotions have on how we apply our knowledge.

Significantly, when we come to the Still Mind, we speak of “wisdom”; as opposed to “knowledge”. Wisdom is also heavily inter-twined with love and compassion. Wisdom sees the big picture. Acts in the interests of all, not just the often self-serving interests of the knowledge based Active Mind. Wisdom also leads to good choices.

What to do

One can deliberately train in developing awareness. 

There are pointers for this above, and there is more in my book Blue Sky Mind. 

However, as we develop a regular meditation practice, it can all fall into place - automatically.

When we do train in the 5 stages of MBSM, as we develop mindfulness, we will automatically, over time, become more aware.

And with more practice, that awareness will steadily be coming more and more from the perspective of the Still Mind.

So, doing awareness “right”? 

Developing the Awareness of the Still Mind...

                               Happy meditating. May your awareness flourish!

COMING EVENTS

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website

OUR NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

DEEP NATURAL PEACE     Long weekend mini retreat    14 - 16 November 2025

Towards the end of the year, an ideal opportunity for some time out, some gentle introspection and reflection, letting go of the busyness and finishing the year on a meditative high.

With Ruth and Ian Gawler

For your part? Simply make the time and come along…Relax. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley with its big trees, fresh air, beautiful grounds, the Little Yarra River, and sublime meditation sanctuary.

You can simply let go, and let be… 

TIMES: Friday 14th November starting at 11am to 3.30pm Sunday 16th November 2025

VENUE: The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia

DETAILS and BOOKINGS: Visit our website: Click Here 

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website

Meditation Teacher Training – Module 3: Imagery

11am Saturday 1st to 3.30pm Wednesday 5th November, 2025 (inc Melbourne Cup holiday on the 4th for Victorians)

So many people in so many domains recommend the benefits of guided imagery. This training will position you to be able to offer your community something of great value – a reliable way to help your participants to better understand how their thinking minds and emotions work, and how they can mange them so much better – for their own good and the good of others. This training is also manual based and will enable you to deliver a much-needed program.

Of great personal value, this training is suitable for those new to teaching meditation, and for those wanting to go further. Highly experiential, it will provide a review of the first module that will have given more attention to the basics of how to develop, manage and deliver a meditation program or course. Here we will give some attention to theory, research, delivery, session structures, promotion, finances, the special challenges of online courses, but the emphasis will be on experiencing the key practices of imagery, and working on how to best present a course focusing upon guided imagery.

As a feature, ongoing mentorship and peer support is available through a specific group led by Ian, Ruth and Melissa for people who have completed one or more of our trainings.

Additional information is available via this link

How to apply for THIS Meditation Teacher Training:

1.        The first step is to visit our website, download the Meditation Teacher Training application form and return it to our Retreat Manager, Mel Crow.  

2.        Mel will then arrange a short phone conversation to clarify what the training offerS, discuss your needs, answer any questions and ensure the program is suitable for you. 

3.        Once accepted for the training, you pay a deposit or full fee to reserve your place.

4.        Full payment is due 3 weeks prior to the commencement of your training.

You can register for any of the residential programs through our website