Natural Wakefulness

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Natural Wakefulness
Discovering the Wisdom We Were Born With

Gaylon Ferguson
Foreword by Sakyong Mipham

Shambhala Boston & London 2010

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Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com 2009 by Gaylon Ferguson All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Printed in U.S.A. o This edition is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standards Institute z39.48 Standard. k Shambhala Publications makes every effort to print on recycled paper. For more information please visit www.shambhala.com. Distributed in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd Interior design and composition: Greta D. Sibley & Associates The Library of Congress catalogues the hardcover edition of this book as follows: Ferguson, Gaylon Jules. Natural wakefulness: discovering the wisdom we were born with / Gaylon Ferguson; foreword by Sakyong Mipham. 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-1-59030-657-4 (hardcover: alk. paper) isbn 978-1-59030-769-4 (paperback: alk. paper) 1. MeditationBuddhism. 2. Spiritual lifeBuddhism. 3. AwarenessReligious aspectsBuddhism. I. Title. bq5612.f47 2009 294.3'4435dc22 2008037824

For my teachers:
Vidyadhara Chgyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche Although we stumble, we still aspire to see your face.
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Contents

Foreword by Sakyong Mipham ix Introduction xi

1. Awakening to the Life of Reruns 1 2. Natural Training 19 3. Mindful Open Presence 31 A Gentle Way of Training 4. Home Ground 40 Resting Attention in the Body 5. Dancing Stillness 56 Helpful Hints on Mindfulness of Body Meditation 6. Welcoming 73 The Feeling of Mindfulness 7. Fear and Abundance 88 Conversations about Mindfulness of Feeling
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8. Awareness of Minds Flow 108 9. Seeing beyond Hope and Fear 120 Conversations on Mindfulness of Mind 10. Opening the Doors of Perception 133 Mindfulness of the Sense Fields 11. Awakening from the Nightmare of Materialism 141 12. Awakening Communities of Courage 154 The Good Ground of Awakened Heart
Acknowledgments 173 Notes 177 Resources 189 Index 193
Contents viii
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Foreword

i love meditation, and clearly Gaylon Ferguson shares this love. Through his humble and brilliant insight, Natural Wakefulness reveals the unique relationship of meditation to the all-encompassing materialism we find ourselves in today. Based upon the Buddhas wisdom, this book lays out the clear and precise path of meditation as a valid and practical antidote to materialism in its many manifestations, not just simply as it pertains to consumerism, but also as it pertains to our inner being. The Buddha stated that we are perfect and enlightened in every way. Our disbelief of this reality produces a level of insecurity that makes us clamor for both psychological and physical objects as a way to feel whole and complete. The path of meditation helps us regain our trust in the inner brilliance that the Buddha mentioned so long ago. Without such a tool by which to handle the mind, it goes on a conceptual rampage, devouring the past, present, and future. As a result we feel numb to the worlds problems, or overwhelmed by them. For years I have encouraged Gaylon to write his unique insights, which I am delighted can be shared with the rest
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of you. No doubt my father, Chgyam Trungpa Rinpoche, would be as delighted as I am at Gaylons humor, humility, and vision. The advice in this book will be of tremendous benefit to those who have the courage to engage their mind and heart and develop their potential. As a result, it will benefit the greater world.
The Sakyong, Jamgn Mipham Rinpoche Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2008
Foreword x
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