The Clear Light with Steve Taylor

In the first in a series of conversations with some of the "shifters" featured in my book Extraordinary Awakenings, I speak to Zak Khan, who underwent an amazing transformational experience while seriously ill with cancer. Zak died for a short time, and his description of the dying process is profound and inspiring. His encounter with death brought about a spiritual awakening that changed his life radically. He has lost all fear of death, and has faced his ongoing health challenges with acceptance.

Steve reads several spiritual poems, including 'The Alchemy of Attention,' 'None of this is now,' 'You can only be sure of the present,' and 'Your being belongs to the present.' Steve leads a short meditation to recapture the natural state of presence that children experience. Our bodies are always in the present, even if our minds are not, and when we bring our attention back into the present, it always feels right, as if we are coming back home.

How can we learn to live in the present? Why do human beings find it difficult to live in the moment? What are the obstacles that stop us becoming present? We explore some of these obstacles - such as thought-chatter, rushing and unnecessary activity - and I suggest how we can overcome them, with a 'gentle mental nudge' back into the present. I lead a presence meditation, bringing our awareness into our different senses. This episode includes the poetic pieces 'The Two Worlds,' 'The Alchemy of Attention' and 'The Clear Light of the Present.'

In this podcast, Steve reads three poems (two from The Clear Light, one unpublished) and guides you through short meditative exercises, helping you to integrate with the body and sense its sacredness. We should see the body as sacred, as an expression of spirit. We should integrate it into our spiritual practice, and appreciate all of the miraculous things it does to keep us healthy and alive.

Steve reads the poem 'We are each other' from his book The Clear Light. If oneness is our fundamental state, when do we often experience a state of separation? Steve discusses the idea of 'panspiritism' from his book Spiritual Science. He then (at 7.30) leads you through a meditation to cultivate a state of oneness. He finishes with a reading of his poem 'The Essence.'

Steve Taylor leads 'The Alchemy of Acceptance' from his book The Clear Light and discusses the importance of acceptance in spiritual and personal devleopment. He then leads you through a meditative exericse on acceptance. Steve also shares a story of the miraculous power of acceptance from his own life. The Alchemy of Acceptance part 1 (poem) - 1.20 Discussion and Steve's story - 4.04 Meditative exercise - 8.10 Music by Steve The Alchemy of Acceptance part 2 (22.44)

Steve Taylor reads 'The Process' from his book The Clear Light then leads a discussion and meditation on dis-identifying from our thinking minds. Thinking is just a process that takes place inside our minds, like other processes that take place in our bodies. There is no need for us to identify with thought. The Process (poem) - 1.28 Meditation - 3.00 Discussion on disidentification - 13.15 The Voice inside your Head (poem) - 15.20 Music by Steve

Steve Taylor reads 'The Gift' from his book The Clear Light then leads a discussion and meditation on the importance of gratitude. Gratitude is the single most important aspect of human wellbeing and of spiritual awakening. The Gift (poem) - 1.20 The importance of gratitude (discussion) - 6.20 Gratitude meditation - 8.49 Music by Steve