Sitting and Presence Disciplines
Consciousness meditation facilitates our experience within the expanded consciousness horizon. The article examines the two forms of consciousness meditation: sitting (focused awareness while physically still) and presence (integrated into daily activities). Sitting meditation is common to numerous “spiritual” systems, while presence meditation is unique to expanded consciousness exploration.
Consciousness meditation is a dynamic encounter composed of sensations, insights, and our alignment with collective energy flows. The presence of distinct moment-to-moment energetic influences also become readily observable through consciousness meditation. Consciousness meditation has no center, no edge, no location—only the infinite expanse.
As a practitioner matures with their inner work and consciousness meditation process, expanded consciousness will increasingly express as the four imperatives: insight, guidance, knowledge, and wisdom. The four imperatives are cause and consequence to the deeper consciousness meditation process and our alignment with the expanded consciousness horizon (see my article, The Four Imperatives, Part 1).
Traditional Rules, Or Not
Sitting Meditation is the most recognized approach across spiritual traditions. In some structures there are numerous rules, conditions, techniques, and variants to sitting meditation such as hand positioning, clothing requirements, posture, breathing techniques, eye function, candles, aromatics or incense usage—and even drugs.
Those options are driven by personal comfort or indoctrinated beliefs and have no practical purpose in meditation outcomes. The sitting practice of consciousness meditation is not concerned with and does not embody such rules or doctrines. The subject of this discussion is specific to consciousness meditation discipline.
The inner dialogue is the most persisting distraction from (or disruption to) consciousness meditation or any other form of meditation sessions. The inner dialogue consists of thoughts on past or recent interactions, visions, memories, and self-talk. These modes of dialogue are forms of observation that trigger emotion energies during the meditation. The inner dialogue may also entail images of unfamiliar people, or thoughts about topics the practitioner has no link to, or no interest in.
The “What’s in Front of You” Rule
The continuum of distractions during consciousness meditation are a source of considerable frustration to practitioners. But the more experienced consciousness practitioner understands the first rule of the consciousness meditation environment: focus on what’s in front of you. This is a noteworthy point for consciousness meditation practice as it symbolizes a very specific experience.
Most often (but not always), sitting meditation involves closing the eyes. That doesn’t mean we can’t see what’s in front of us. With our eyes closed, what’s in front of us is darkness. Our eyelids are closed, but we see the darkness. During consciousness meditation, we focus on that dark space. It’s our grounding point.
When the inner dialogue enters our meditation zone, we don’t dwell on it, try to fix it or become frustrated by the episode. We simply re-engage our focus on what’s in front of us—the darkness. In a practitioner’s early stages of consciousness meditation practice, this dance with the inner dialogue feels endless. But it’s the process by which we fine-tune our focusing power.
This brings us to a point of clarity that needs to be understood. What’s in front of us during the consciousness meditation won’t always be the dark space. What’s in front of us will become different things. This isn’t the appropriate place for this discussion, but I will re-visit the subject in Part 4.
We Are Each Other
While sitting meditation anchors practitioners to a stillness driven physical discipline, Presence Meditation integrates with daily life. Presence meditation is the least practiced or understood mode of meditation. Presence meditation signifies that the practitioner is continually meditating in real time, during and regardless of what other activities are occurring. Presence meditation is revolutionary and demonstrates sophisticated inner work capabilities.
The “what’s in front of us” rule is especially in play during presence meditation, but the rule has distinct parameters when compared to sitting meditation: we’re no longer in the darkness and everything in front of us, everything we’re observing—is ourselves. We are each other, experiencing different life occurrences. That is the fundamental reality of a unified consciousness.
The most profound truth isn’t hidden behind complex practices. It stares at you through every pair of eyes you meet, speaks through every voice you hear, touches you through every sensation you feel. The ordinary world isn’t ordinary—it is the unified consciousness in plain sight.
In Part 4, I will offer further discussion on the functional aspects of sitting and presence meditation.
Feel free to ask questions privately: contact me
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sitting meditation and presence meditation?
Sitting meditation is practiced while physically still, usually with eyes closed. Presence meditation occurs during everyday activity—shopping, speaking, working. The practitioner is meditating in real time, not just during formal sessions.
How do I handle inner dialogue during consciousness meditation?
Our inner dialogue is normal. Instead of fighting it, return your attention to “what’s in front of you”—the dark space behind closed eyes during sitting, or the person or task before you during presence practice. This repetition strengthens your focusing power over time.
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Rob Taylor
Rob Taylor
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