Awakened awareness is a nondual awareness beyond the structure of knower and known—beyond the ordinary self. It is also beyond the kinds of meditative selves that we set up. Have you noticed that we set up a kind of a self in meditation: the one who tracks things, the one who knows things? This is very important and helpful, but it’s still a kind of construction. Awakened awareness goes beyond that, and beyond many of the structures of ordinary experience: time, space, the sense of self, ordinary objects, and so forth. Samādhi and insight practices really build toward and lead to this kind of awareness.
Donald Rothberg
Spirit Rock Residential Teacher
Donald Rothberg, PhD, has practiced Insight Meditation since 1976 and trained in Dzogchen, Mahāmudrā, and Hakomi psychotherapy. A former professor, he now teaches meditation, psychology, and socially engaged Buddhism. He’s led long-term training programs through the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Saybrook, and Spirit Rock. Donald served on BPF’s board and is author of The Engaged Spiritual Life and co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue.