About this video

• Video Title: Zen Master: If Life Feels Off, DON’T Ignore It!— You Might Be Living the Wrong Life | Henry Shukman
• Channel: Dr Rangan Chatterjee
• Speakers: Dr Rangan Chatterjee, Henry Shukman
• Duration: 01:54:47

Overview

This video features a conversation between Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and Zen Master Henry Shukman, discussing the importance of meditation and mindfulness for living a more fulfilling life. They explore how these practices can lead to greater peace, love, and compassion, and how to integrate them into daily life, even for skeptics. The discussion touches on the concept of "original love" and the potential for awakening through consistent practice.

Key takeaways

• Meditation as a Path to Peace and Love: The Dalai Lama's quote about eliminating violence through meditation is discussed, with Henry Shukman agreeing that stillness and self-awareness lead to peace and love, both for oneself and others.
• The Importance of Kindness: Dr. Chatterjee posits that the ultimate goal of health and happiness is to become kinder and more compassionate, a sentiment that resonates with Shukman's view on meditation's connection to love.
• Overcoming Egoic Traits: Traits like competitiveness and comparison are seen as potential indicators that a meditation practice could be beneficial, helping individuals to be with themselves as they are rather than constantly striving for external validation.
• Meditation for Skeptics: For those who feel they lack time, Shukman suggests starting with just five minutes of being still and present, emphasizing that it's a gift to oneself, not another chore. He shares his personal experience with severe eczema, where meditation helped alleviate his discomfort and nervous system overactivation.
• Mindfulness as a "Homecoming": The concept of "all sickness is homesickness" is explored, with meditation being a way to return to one's true self, creating a separation from overwhelming experiences like pain or anxiety.
• The Four "Ins" of Awakening: The video outlines a path of spiritual development through mindfulness, support, absorption (flow/samadhi), and awakening, providing a framework for understanding the journey of meditation.
• The Power of "Not Doing": Shukman emphasizes that the core of meditation is "not doing," allowing for a natural settling of the mind's "commotion" and a rediscovery of inherent well-being.
• Non-duality and Awakening: The discussion touches on non-dual experiences, where the sense of a separate self dissolves, and one feels interconnected with everything. This state, though difficult to articulate, is seen as the ultimate aim of awakening.
• Beauty as a Gateway: Experiencing beauty, whether in nature or even in difficult situations, can serve as a gateway to deeper states of awareness and non-dual experiences.
• The Practice Over the Outcome: Consistency in practice is highlighted as more important than the immediate outcome of each meditation session. The key is to simply show up and be present.

Henry Shukman uses the phrase "not doing" to describe the essence of meditation. He means that the practice is not about achieving an external goal, acquiring something new, or actively changing oneself in a goal-oriented way. Instead, it's about creating space for simply being.

By "not doing," Shukman emphasizes:

• Stillness: Allowing oneself to be physically still without needing to move or act.
• Presence: Being aware of what is happening within and around oneself without judgment or a need to manipulate it.
• Acceptance: Letting go of the constant striving to get what we want or avoid what we don't want, and instead, resting in the present moment as it is.
• Receptivity: Opening up to whatever arises without a specific agenda, allowing for a natural settling of the mind and emotions.

He contrasts this with the typical "doing" mindset that drives much of our daily lives, suggesting that in meditation, the focus shifts from external activity to internal experience and simply allowing oneself to be. It's about dropping the search and quest for something and instead discovering what is already present.

Henry Shukman relates the concept of "original love" to meditation by suggesting that meditation is a practice that helps us reconnect with and experience this inherent love more profoundly.

Here's how they connect:

• Inherent Love: Shukman posits that love (including self-love and compassion for others) is not something we need to cultivate from scratch, but rather something that is deeply ingrained in our being, our "original" state.
• Meditation as a Rediscovery: He sees meditation as a tool that allows us to peel back the layers of conditioning, egoic patterns, and societal pressures that might obscure this original love. As we become more still and aware through meditation, we can begin to taste this love, whether it's self-compassion or a broader sense of connection.
• Beyond Mindfulness: While mindfulness cultivates awareness, Shukman suggests that the deeper purpose or "taste" of meditation is this experience of love. It's not just about being more aware, but why we become more aware – to experience love more.
• Universal Connection: This experience of love can expand from self-love to encompass love for others and even a more universal, unconditional sense of connection to existence itself, which he sees as a natural unfolding of the meditative practice.

In essence, meditation, for Shukman, is a way to return to, or rediscover, this fundamental state of love that he believes is already present within us.

Henry Shukman outlines a path of spiritual development, which he calls the "four ins," as stages or dimensions that meditation practice can open up. These are:

1. Mindfulness: This is the foundational "in" where the practice involves becoming more aware of what's going on internally (thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations) and externally (sights, sounds). It helps to regulate the nervous system, moving it from a stressed state to a calmer, more balanced one. It's about noticing and being with your experience without judgment.

2. Support (Connectedness): This "in" emphasizes that meditation isn't solely a solo pursuit. As we become more mindful and settled, we become more open to connection and support from others, guidance (from teachers, apps, friends), and even a broader sense of being supported by the natural world and our ancestors. It's about recognizing that we are not isolated and that reaching out for help or connection is a vital part of the journey.

3. Absorption (Flow/Samadhi): This "in" refers to experiencing states of deep focus, absorption, or "flow," which can occur both in meditation and in other activities. It's characterized by effortless engagement, a sense of timelessness, and a diminished sense of self. In meditation, this means finding fulfillment and peace simply through the practice itself, without needing an ulterior motive. It's about experiencing a profound sense of being.

4. Awakening (Non-duality): This is the most profound "in," often described as a glimpse of non-dual reality. It involves the dissolution of the sense of a separate self and the recognition of being interconnected with everything. It's a realization that the "me" we perceive is not a fixed, isolated entity but part of a larger, boundless consciousness or "ocean of existence." This awakening brings an unconditional sense of well-being, a shedding of fear, and a deeper connection to reality.