The sky is a symbol that represents the ultimate nature of reality, which is vast, limitless and ‘all-pervading’. Contemplating heaven is a powerful tool for meditation because it helps you connect with this limitless nature of reality and realize your own true nature, which is also vast, limitless and omnipresent.
By meditating with the sky as inspiration, you allow your mind to rest in its natural state, which is spacious, open and clear, just like the sky above, allowing everything to be as it is, without judgment or resistance.
An important aspect of this meditation is using the sky to realize that just as clouds and weather do not harm the sky, your thoughts and emotions cannot harm the nature of your mind. It is this indestructible celestial nature that we are trying to connect with. Or rather, reconnecting with, because our celestial nature already exists as the basis of all our experiences.
The practice of skygazing is based on the understanding that the nature of our mind is fundamentally pure and free from inherent flaws or limitations – it is already perfect and complete, just like the sky. And just as the heavens above are not limited by any object that appears in it, our true nature is not limited by any concepts or thoughts that appear in it.
When we rest our minds in an authentic natural state through meditation, we can access a deep level of consciousness that goes beyond the ordinary mind and the limitations of dualistic thinking (black/white, good/bad, negative/positive). and so forth).
Celestial wisdom gives us a portal to the experience of all-all-in-one. From this, unity with all people naturally flows and we realize that we have a common core, through which love and empathy can flourish for all.
The sky is a universal symbol across all cultures and traditions, and therefore it is a powerful archetypal image that can resonate deeply in all people around the world. It is a pure and unchanging presence that is always there, no matter what happens on the face of the earth.
This can serve as a powerful reminder to us that our true nature is also pure and unchangeable, and is always present, even when obscured by thoughts, emotions, and other distractions.
The vastness and openness of the sky can help us let go of our usual patterns of thinking and feeling and open up to a more expansive and inclusive way of being. I encourage you to identify more deeply with the sky so that you begin to realize that your identity is not limited to your physical body or your personality, but is in fact part of the vast and limitless nature of reality itself.
It is the immediacy and availability of our ultimate true nature that distinguishes celestial meditation practices from other, more gradual approaches to meditation. By meditating on the sky we can intuitively recognize the natural state of our mind and rest in this experience. This direct approach is said to be the fastest path to enlightenment because it goes straight to the enlightened truth of every experience.
Five benefits of air meditation
Meditating and looking skyward is a powerful practice for cultivating insight into the nature of reality and realizing your own true nature. This practice will help you to:
1. Cultivate spaciousness
By meditating on the vast and open expanse of the sky, you can learn to cultivate a sense of spaciousness and openness in your mind. This can help to loosen the grip of habitual thinking and feeling patterns and create more space for insight and clarity.
2. Overcome attachment
Since the sky is a symbol of limitlessness and freedom, meditating on the sky can help you let go of your attachments and aversions. By looking at the sky, you can learn to cultivate a non-grasping, non-clinging attitude toward your experiences and emotions.
3. Connect with the ultimate nature of reality
The sky is also a symbol for the ultimate nature of reality, which is vast, unchanging and omnipresent. By meditating in the sky, you can connect with this ultimate reality and deepen your understanding of the true nature of yourself and the world.
4. Increase awareness
By focusing on the sky and its qualities, such as vastness, clarity and openness, you can learn to increase your awareness and clarity of mind. This can help you develop greater mindfulness and insight into the nature of reality.
5. Encourage non-dual awareness
The purpose of the practice is to cultivate a non-dual consciousness that transcends ordinary concepts of self and other. By meditating on the sky, you can learn how to let go of dualistic (black/white) thinking and connect with the inherent oneness of all things.
The four meditation themes of Sky Wisdom
- Freedom
“True freedom is achieved when we are able to see through the illusion of our own projections.” Longchenpa
The sky is vast and boundless, without limit or limitation. Likewise, freedom lies within us and is always accessible, but we often create limitations and barriers through our beliefs and attachments. The sky neither holds nor resists the clouds that pass through it. In the same way, we can learn to let go of our attachments and allow experiences to flow through us without resistance or grasping. True freedom comes from accepting and embracing the impermanence of all things.
2. Clarity
“Clarity is the natural state of the mind, obscured only by our conceptualizations and habitual thought patterns.” Longchenpa
The sky is clear and transparent, reflecting everything in it. Likewise, we can cultivate clarity by allowing our thoughts and emotions to arise and pass without getting caught up in them. The sky does not judge or analyze what it reflects; it’s just like that. Likewise, we can learn to observe our experiences without judgment or analysis, allowing us to see things as they are. This clarity helps us make decisions based on insight and wisdom.
3. Spaciousness
“The spaciousness of our being is not something that can be created or destroyed; it is always there, waiting to be realized.”
Longchenpa
The sky is spacious, with room for everything that exists. When we cultivate spaciousness within ourselves, we open ourselves to new possibilities and experiences. We often limit ourselves by our beliefs and assumptions, but when we let go of these, we create more room for growth and transformation. Heaven makes no distinction and does not restrain its vastness; it is always available for us to connect to. Likewise, when we cultivate spaciousness, we connect with a sense of openness and possibility that allows us to live more fully.
4. Essence
“The essence of our being is pure consciousness, unbound and unchangeable.” Longchenpa
The air has no fixed shape, color or substance; it is empty and yet present in all things. Our essence is like the air, formless yet present in everything we do. We often get caught up in the shapes of things, the labels and identities we attach to ourselves and others. But like the sky, our essence is always there, beyond labels and shapes. When we connect with our essence, we tap into a deeper wisdom and compassion that goes beyond our limited understanding of ourselves.
Heaven wisdom meditation emphasizes the natural authentic state of being, the eternal pure primordial consciousness at the heart of all beings. This celestial wisdom meditation style takes an easy, non-striving, non-doing approach to practice, similar to Zen. Because this consciousness is already completely whole and complete, there is nothing more that can be done about it.
The fundamental principle of celestial wisdom is the recognition of the innate consciousness that pervades all phenomena. This awareness is not something to be achieved through meditation or any other means – it is already our authentic nature. It is already present within us, but we are not aware of it because we are distracted by our thoughts and emotions.
Therefore, the practice of celestial wisdom meditation is not about doing anything to achieve this consciousness, but rather about recognizing it and resting in it. It involves clearing away the clouds of confusion and distraction to reveal the totally free and untethered nature that is eternally within us.
No complicated meditation techniques or formal practices are needed. Instead, the emphasis is on relaxing and letting go of any attempt to achieve or achieve anything. Just rest in the natural state of being. You don’t have to strive or try to manipulate anything. Simply let go of any effort or intention and allow yourself to be in the present moment, free from any distractions.
By meditating with the sky, you can directly experience your true nature and awaken to an enlightened perspective of yourself and the world. Celestial wisdom is to first recognize your celestial nature, then through practice gain the confidence to stabilize and rest in it, and finally integrate this ultimate dimension of reality into each moment.
Written by Chad Foreman
Chad Foreman is the founder of The Way of Meditation and author of the
Sky wisdom oracle cards. Chad has been teaching meditation since 2003, determined to bring authentic meditation practices into the lives of millions of people in the modern world. Chad is a former Buddhist monk who lived in a retreat hut for six years and studied and practiced meditation full-time. He now has over twenty years of experience teaching meditation. Chad likes regularly Meditation retreats on the Sunshine Coast, Australia Online meditation coaching, provides three online programs – The 21 Day Meditation Challenge to gradually guide people from the basic principles of mindfulness and relaxation to profound states of consciousness. Breathwork to help manage stress and go deeper into meditation and The bliss of inner fire This is a Buddhist tantric method to clear energy blockages and connect with the clear light of bliss. AND you can now get Chad’s free ebook too Insights on the go.