You Don't Exist. But You Actually Do. Wait, What? | Guy Armstrong
Meditation teacher Guy Armstrong discusses the Buddhist concept of 'not-self' or emptiness, explaining how understanding that the self is an illusion can be a game-changer. He details how this insight can reduce suffering, foster compassion, and lead to deeper tranquility through meditation practice.
Deep Dive Analysis
12 Topic Outline
Guy Armstrong's Personal Journey to Meditation
The Purpose and Benefits of Insight Meditation
Introducing the Buddhist Concept of Emptiness
Understanding Not-Self: The Illusion of a Fixed Self
Impact of Not-Self Insight on Daily Life
The Inexorable Link Between Emptiness and Compassion
Phases of Realizing Not-Self: From Relief to Peace
Evolution of Emptiness Teachings in Buddhist Traditions
Daily Meditation Techniques for Glimpsing Emptiness
Volition, Free Will, and the Conditioned Mind
Practical Inquiry: 'Not Self' as a Meditation Tool
The Unity of Awareness and Emptiness
7 Key Concepts
Not-Self (Anatta)
This Buddhist teaching posits that there is no solid, fixed, or unchanging entity within our individual experience that can be called a 'self.' While we have a manifest existence, the 'I' we refer to is more like a constantly changing river than a static thing, empty of inherent substance.
Emptiness (Sunyata)
This concept means that things are not as solid or fixed as we typically perceive them to be. It encompasses both the absence of a permanent self and the insubstantial, fleeting, and transitory nature of all phenomena experienced through our senses.
Samatha
This refers to the aspect of insight meditation focused on cultivating greater calm and tranquility within both the mind and body. It aims to establish a baseline of serenity in one's experience.
Vipassana
This is the other primary benefit of insight meditation, which means 'seeing clearly.' It involves developing insight into the true nature of reality, leading to transformative understandings.
The Movie of I
This describes the mental excursions where attention wanders from the present moment into self-centered thoughts about the past, future, regrets, hopes, and fears. These thought patterns are typically repetitive, often negative, and tend to stir up the mind rather than bring peace.
Abiding in Emptiness
This is a meditation technique where one removes interpretive conceptual projections from momentary experience, focusing on simpler facets like the space in a room. This simplification of perception helps the mind settle and rests in a state free from self-centered or object-interpretive thoughts.
Volition (Chetana)
In Buddhist philosophy, volition is the mental factor that initiates any choice or action of body, speech, or mind. It is conditioned by existing mental factors and habits, but it is not entirely determined, allowing for the possibility of spontaneous, unconditioned influences like generosity or wisdom.
8 Questions Answered
It means things are not as solid as we normally take them to be, specifically that there is no fixed, unchanging self within our individual experience, and all phenomena are insubstantial and transitory.
It can dissolve the conceptual barrier between 'inside' and 'outside,' reduce fear of the external world, and help one let go of obsessive self-centered thinking, leading to greater peace and contentment in the present moment.
As the sense of self weakens, one becomes less self-centered and less preoccupied with personal desires and dislikes. This opens up the heart to the world of relationships and the suffering of others, naturally leading to increased compassion and altruistic motivation.
The insight into not-self typically begins with a feeling of relief and freedom, but as one investigates further and sees the momentary, ungrounded nature of all experience, it can lead to fear, doubt, and a loss of meaning before eventually settling into a deep peace and acceptance.
Early Buddhist schools primarily used 'emptiness' to refer to the emptiness of self (not-self). Later Mahayana schools, particularly through Nagarjuna, emphasized the emptiness of phenomena (insubstantial nature of all experience) more explicitly, though these ideas were also present in earlier discourses.
For most people, deep insights into emptiness require extended retreat practice. However, individuals with strong aptitude may experience it in daily practice, and specific techniques like questioning self-centered thinking or 'abiding in emptiness' can offer glimpses in daily life.
While volition often feels like an act of a 'self' (the 'decider'), Buddhist analysis views it as a mental factor conditioned by other mind factors and habits. However, it is not entirely determined, allowing for moments of freedom where spontaneous wisdom or compassion can influence choices.
One accessible way is to observe where attention goes when it wanders from the present moment (often into 'self stuff') and to question the usefulness of this self-centered thinking. Another technique is 'abiding in emptiness,' simplifying perception by focusing on space rather than complex objects.
17 Actionable Insights
1. Inquire “Not-Self” Experientially
Practice a Zogchen-inspired meditation by listening to all sounds and body sensations, then asking “what’s knowing these sounds?” and “who’s asking this question?” This experiential inquiry helps to dissolve the conceptual line between “inside” and “outside” by revealing that both arise in the same open space of awareness.
2. Question Self-Centered Thinking
When your attention wanders from the breath during meditation, observe where it goes (typically into “self stuff” like past regrets or future fears). Then, pose the inquiry “why is the mind going away at all?” to undercut the motive for self-centered thinking and return to a more open mental space.
3. Recognize Thoughts as Not Reality
During quiet meditation, observe thoughts about the past or future and realize they are merely thoughts, not the actual past or future. This understanding helps to see their invalidity and unnecessary nature, allowing you to let go of “the movie of I” and settle into present moment contentment.
4. Observe Sense of Self’s Strength
Pay attention to when your sense of self is strong and insistent (e.g., when insulted, angry, or intensely wanting something) versus when it is weak or less noticeable (e.g., while enjoying a beautiful beach or mountain landscape). This practice helps to discern the fluctuating nature of the self-sense.
5. Recondition Mind from Harmful Habits
Actively work to decondition the mind away from old, ingrained habits that are harmful to yourself and others. This process allows the forces of wisdom and compassion to increasingly guide your volition, leading to more skillful and wholesome decisions.
6. Practice Mindfulness of Breath
Stay mindful of the breath coming in and going out, moment after moment, to cultivate tranquility and serenity. This fundamental practice in insight meditation aims to bring greater calm to both mind and body.
7. Simplify Perception in Meditation
During meditation, simplify complex perceptions of your immediate environment by focusing on the empty space in a room rather than individual objects. This technique helps to settle the mind by reducing the associations that tend to stir it up.
8. Embrace Surrender and Acceptance
When encountering the momentary, arising-and-passing nature of all experience, surrender and accept this reality rather than fighting it. This acceptance, even if initially unsettling, leads to profound peace.
9. Seek Extended Retreat Practice
For deeper, transformative insights into emptiness and not-self, consider engaging in extended meditation retreats. While some may achieve this in daily practice, these profound realizations often occur in the concentrated environment of a retreat.
10. Consult a Meditation Teacher
When experiencing fear, doubt, or a loss of meaning during deep meditative insights, seek guidance from a meditation teacher. Their reassurance that “this is normal, just keep going” is crucial for persisting through challenging phases of practice.
11. Practice Affectionate Self-Care
Look upon your body, mind, and heart with affection and care, taking care with food, exercise, and medicine. Frame this self-care not just for personal welfare, but as a way to continue being able to offer service to other people.
12. Manage Responsibilities Without Obsession
While it’s necessary to look after your life, family, and job, strive to do so without obsessing about them. Letting go of the strong sense of self helps reduce this obsessive tendency, allowing for more mental settling.
13. Try 10% with Dan Harris App
Download the “10% with Dan Harris” app for a library of guided meditations to help with stress, anxiety, sleep, and focus, along with access to weekly live Zoom community sessions and ad-free podcast episodes.
14. Read Guy Armstrong’s “Emptiness”
For a practical guide to understanding and applying the concept of emptiness in meditation, read Guy Armstrong’s book, “Emptiness, A Practical Guide for Meditators,” available in Kindle, softcover, and hardcover formats.
15. Listen to Guy Armstrong’s Talks
Access hundreds of Guy Armstrong’s Dharma talks on dharmaseed.org, a service that records talks from meditation centers like the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock, to deepen your understanding of Buddhist teachings.
16. Consider BCBS Online Courses
Explore online courses offered by the Barry Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS) for conceptual breakthroughs and deeper learning in Buddhist philosophy, as recommended for gaining insights into complex topics like emptiness.
17. Read Biccu Inalio’s Book
For a long exposition of the discourse related to “abiding in emptiness,” read Biccu Inalio’s book, “Compassion and Emptiness,” which delves into one of the middle-length discourses of the Buddha.
7 Key Quotes
Emptiness is not a very strong advertisement for one of the central religions in the world. It's a provocative term. It doesn't have a huge number of positive connotations in Western culture.
Guy Armstrong
There is not a solid or fixed self that's in the middle of our individual experience. So this is the meaning of the Buddhist teaching on not self.
Guy Armstrong
In going into the movie of I, what's the emotional tone like of those excursions? Negative, in my experience.
Dan Harris
As the sense of self gets weaker, it's not predominating our vision of the world with what we want and what we don't want, with our likes and dislikes. Therefore, what is in the world? Other people.
Guy Armstrong
How can we be afraid of nothing?
Guy Armstrong
If you think that your emotions are yours, it's a misappropriation of public property.
Joseph Goldstein (quoted by Dan Harris)
I saw anything was possible. And I must admit, I was really drawn by the concept of enlightenment, that there could be transformative moments of insight that would change your life forever, you know, in a positive way.
Guy Armstrong
1 Protocols
Abiding in Emptiness Meditation
Guy Armstrong- Start by being aware of complex perceptions of your immediate environment (e.g., all objects in a room or views outside).
- Simplify perception by turning your attention to the space in the room, allowing other perceptions and their associations to settle down.
- Continue to simplify, resting in empty space without self-centered thoughts or interpretive projections about surrounding objects.