Problem: Life seems to be slipping by. This is not what I thought it was going to be like. I feel out of sorts. I find myself getting angry. I don't think I am as happy as I could or should be. My mind is busy, constantly chattering and I find there is little peace in my life. (There are many variations on this theme). The Buddha called this dukkha, or  pervasive dissatisfaction.

Solution: Two sanctuaries.

The first sanctuary is to engage in activities which calm the mind and body, such as yoga, tai chi and meditation. As we become more accustomed to these activities we discover a greater sense of peace. We could say that the breath becomes a temporary sanctuary when we practice breath meditation. 

This first type of sanctuary offers us great relief. For many who are in search of inner peace, this is all they need.

The second sanctuary appeals to those who again experience an inner yearning, some aspect of their experience which while more peaceful, still wonders is this all there is? 

The second sanctuary is to rest in our true nature. Other words for this sanctuary that have been used in the world's spiritual traditions are: the Tao, Buddha nature, presence, the "peace which passeth understanding," among many expressions. 

These two sanctuaries are not separate. Actually our true nature is with us all the time. Our true nature delights in breath meditation. It also sits by and watches us lament that we somehow don't have this experience. 

The second sanctuary has certain unique qualities that make it very appealing: 

It is ultra low maintenance compared with the first. The first is a product of effort and diligence and takes some time to establish. The second sanctuary requires no effort, no time and no maintenance.

It is more delightful and refreshing. 

It is not subject to waxing and waning.

It is an always-on broadband connection, unlike the first's dial-up like nature.

The question that always gets asked is where is this second sanctuary? How do I establish this broadband connection? Another one is but how could I live like that? Another one is but how do I get rid of my personal pressures so that I could then get this?  

The short answer is it is not buried somewhere, but rather it is on display right now as you are reading these words on this screen this very moment. You don't need to get rid of a thing in order to see this. It is your simple awareness of reading right now. Let's use the well-known example of the movie screen: scenes are projected on the screen; we get engrossed in them and don't for a second see the screen (why would we want to?).   

But if we were to theorize there must be a screen and we actually relax our vision to see the screen we see that it was there all along, only we weren't particularly aware of it. So when thoughts are not run with and we let thoughts come and go, we get moments where there is simply a blank screen. That blank screen is pure consciousness or awareness itself. 

The first few times you encounter awareness it seems like nothing and we immediately dismiss it. That's a habitual reaction. We simply need to ease into it and relax—that's why I say "Do nothing." 

As we habituate ourselves to this nothingness we notice some unusual features, and I'll let you discover these for yourself! 

You could also call it presence. You don't have to make it, it is already there. All that's required it a little shift. That's why I was saying a couple of years ago every week for months and months "shift happens" -- and it happens easier when you allow it to happen rather than trying to make it happen. 

There is a lot to say about something that is so simple. Most of what needs to be said is about what not to do. Sometimes it is best left as a mystery as to what this presence is. A magical mystery. 

Here's an excerpt from John Wheeler's book "Shining in Plain View":

"Thoughts, perceptions and feelings come and go, but you remain. What is the nature of that 'you' that you are? You are that right now. Understand this clearly and you will know what needs to be known. It is nothing that you can see, observe or grasp, because you are singular. How could you see, observe or grasp yourself – as something apart? And yet you are most tangibly present and aware. This is utterly beyond doubt. What is this 'no thing' that is present and brightly aware? It is the most important fact of our experience, but how many of us have probed into this question to discover the answer? This sums up the entire approach. If you apply yourself to seeing this for yourself, you will have the understanding you are looking for – in no time."

Best wishes on this magical mystery tour!