The Observer
A primary tenet of presence meditation is that the observer (each of us) unavoidably interacts with every observation. The subjectivity in how individuals perceive themselves—the self-reverential portrait each person creates supersedes the “as is” reality of external observations through the interference patterns of constructed default mode conditioning. The “as is” reality of the observation is manipulated to validate the conditioned bias of the observer.
When we are dominated by ego-bias habituation, we are not objective or neutral observers. Every form of observation (visual, sound, memory, touch, etc.) is sifted through layers of amassed bias conditioning that has occurred throughout an individual, societal, or cultural lifecycle.
Bias conditioning has numerous documented varieties.
· confirmation bias (hardened beliefs, ignoring opposing evidence)
· self-reverential sustaining (actions coupled with a belief to produce validating outcomes)
· anchoring effect (attachment to influences that impact how we perceive observations).
The Interaction
Interaction with any observation transpires via the emotion triggered by the observation. Expressed emotions are causal influences that we project into the collective consciousness energy field. Each emotion has a discrete pattern of influence—our projected energy either destabilizes or harmonizes the collective consciousness horizon depending on the specific emotion (read my article, Observation as First Cause, Part 1).
Presence meditation, through the four qualities (humility, gratitude, compassion, and harmony), soothes the emotional responses to our observations. This maturity of presence empowers our capacity to observe “as is” or “just so”— the practitioner is progressively unshackled from conditioned biases that alter their perception of the observation.
But presence meditation is a tricky process when the practitioner is observing themselves. In the framework of ego-bias influence, the practitioner (observer) is a construct of their own effort, bidding to self-validate as a separate, free agent entity. The influence of bias conditioning on the observer and the observed is simple— “I am not you” or “I am not that.” In the unified consciousness paradigm, is the statement true, or false? Or both? Is the practitioner caught in a dilemma of the liar’s paradox?
The Contradiction
While tethered to their self-reverential persona, the observer refuses to or cannot acknowledge the contradiction between their bias driven self and the consciousness coherent self. But the contradiction is undeniable. The rudimentary question is: Who and what is the “self” doing the observing? Acknowledging that question is the initiation of the practitioner’s singularity awareness, the onset of contemplative critical thinking and the crux of inner work.
This “initiation” is the point where the practitioner realizes they are two facets at tension with each other: the bias conditioned self and consciousness coherent self. Presence meditation provides the platform for confronting the tension, which can only be resolved by a practitioner who is progressing in their orientation with the four qualities.
Under the preceding conditions, the transformative evolution of the consciousness coherent self naturally aligns with the unified consciousness field. The practitioner knowingly emerges as an influencing energy participant—they become the actualized energies of humility, gratitude, compassion, and harmony.
The Transition
The distinction between presence and sitting meditation starts to blur with this amplification of the four qualities. The practitioner demonstrates a perceivable competence to express as their expanded consciousness. Presence and sitting meditation are no longer well-defined processes but emerge as a continuum of energetic coherence—a harmonizing force in the unified consciousness field. The practitioner now observes and participates through their advancing integration of the four imperatives: insight, guidance, knowledge, and wisdom (read my article, The Four Imperatives, Part 1).
The consciousness coherent self is no longer fixated on the inflexible perspective of self-reverential existence. The practitioner recognizes themself as a unique expression of the unified field—an awareness of a self that cannot be muted through ego-bias conditioning.
The Community
Practical communal coherence models exist in some communities around the globe. I have traveled extensively throughout my life and was fortunate to spend over two years in Japan. I spent most of that time in Okinawa, where I was introduced to the concept of ikigai.
While perspectives on ikigai vary (Western versus traditional), the salient takeaway is the desire for communal participation and contribution. What am I skilled at that contributes to the balance and health of the community? What is my purpose and worth within the communal energy flow?
At the unified field level, ikigai-type efforts reach completion through individual development of the consciousness coherent self. The practitioner is liberated from the decoherence of ego-bias conditioning. The consciousness coherent self is our quintessential state—an extraordinary quality of beingness. Communal practices like ikigai express the cause and consequence of that beingness.
Become
Rest here—in the stillness, in the silent presence of being. This is enough.
When you become humility, teach.
When you become gratitude, share.
When you become compassion, soothe.
When you become harmony, unite.
For those who fall, become the sunrise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the observer effect in consciousness meditation?
The observer effect refers to the principle that the observer unavoidably interacts with every observation. Unlike the quantum physics observer effect (which concerns measurement instruments), this is a psychological and consciousness-level phenomenon: every perception is filtered through layers of bias conditioning, distorting the "as is" state of the observation.
What does "as is" observation mean in this framework?
The "as is" or "just so" observation means perceiving an event, person, or situation without the distortion of conditioned bias — seeing it clearly, without the self-reverential influence of the ego imposing a preferred interpretation.
How do presence and sitting meditation merge?
As the four qualities deepen, the practitioner's capacity to express as expanded consciousness grows to the point where the boundary between presence meditation (real-time interactions) and sitting meditation (eyes-closed, inner dialogue management) begins to blur. Both become expressions of the same continuum of energetic coherence — a stabilizing influence in the unified consciousness field — rather than two separate practices.
Feel free to ask questions privately: contact me
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Rob Taylor
Rob Taylor
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