Simply Always Awake Stillness and Shadow Work
Mar 11, 2026
A conversation about sincere sitting and inquiry as paths to awakening. How stillness can open space for repressed material and unconscious patterns to surface. Silent retreats that bring peace followed by intense emotions and shadow work. Exploring body-based shadow processes and noticing contracted, dense areas. Considering dense emotions as another texture of presence and the interplay of form and emptiness.
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Sincere Stillness Equals Practice Enlightenment
- Stillness practiced sincerely is identical to enlightenment in practice, not just a temporary condition.
- The host cites Dogen and a Zen teacher stressing that sincere sitting and inquiry enact the fabric of reality itself, turning the wheel of the Dharma.
Stillness Opens Space For Shadow Material
- Opening to stillness creates space for repressed material and unconscious patterns to arise into consciousness.
- The host explains retreats often produce peace followed by a surge of emotions and insights as shadow material surfaces.
Use Sincere Sitting To Reveal Hidden Patterns
- Practice calming body and mind through sincere sitting to create the clarity needed to notice and stop self-deception.
- The host recommends retreat-style practice or sustained inquiry to disrupt habitual distraction and reveal hidden patterns.