Tilopa’s six key points, or “Six Nails” of meditation instruction are timeless.
“Let go of what has passed. Let go of what may come. Let go of what is happening now. Don’t try to figure anything out. Don’t try to make anything happen. Relax, right now, and rest.”
-Tilopa
When you have a problem, pause, and apply one of the “nails” to your current experience.
“Let go of what has passed.”
Worrying about the past is at best, worthless, and at worst, viciously debilitating.
“Let go of what may come.”
What is going to happen is going to happen, so let it.
“Let go of what is happening now.”
Not to be entangled in the moment is liberating in itself.
“Don’t try to figure anything out.”
When doing the inner work, without evaluating, just keep quiet and listen.
“Don’t try to make anything happen.”
In meditation, a common misconception is that you will experience a “new,” perhaps peaceful state. The point is not to reach a new state; the goal is to know what you are now, when you are not thinking problems into existence.
“Relax, right now, and rest.”
Awareness of presence is effortless.
In the absence of thought, you naturally revert to your peaceful self.
====
Thanks for coming in.