The Absolute Witness ~ Shinzen Young

Shinzen shares how the use of "witness' and "non-dual" has various meanings to different people. He shares of the difficulties and ambiguities in talking about these terms. Shinzen shares two senses of the word witness. The first example describes a certain level of equanimity with a "distance creating metaphor", which is a certain stage on the path that one must not get stuck in. Shinzen then goes on to describe the True or Absolute Witness and quotes from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, then shares how the transition occurs from the "separate observer" to the "absolute witness". *See also Shinzen's talk on Non-Dual Awareness. Filmed in Nov. 2009 at Mt. Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Shinzen Young
• witness
• non-dual
• mindfulness
• enlightenment
• meditation
• zen
• vipassana
• Patanjali
• yoga sutras
• emptiness
• ox-herding pictures
• samadhi
• nirbija
• nirodha
• cessation
• absolute witness

[killercreek450]

explained very well

[T1Brit]

@TheLynore1 He does mention in another talk that enlightenment can on very rare occasions give rise to that disorder.

[bhuridajanah]

But in that state of contentless consciousness can not consciousness be still aware of itself? In a pure way, not just as a result of subtle field image talk? 

[pepe10296]

Very well explained, Shinzen, appreciate your efforts.

Om Shanti

[TheLynore1]

Does anyone know if Shinzen talks about Depersonalization Disorder relative to The Witness?