Q&A Essential Diagnostic Guide:

Check for lack of calm/staying: the foundations of trust, attunement are really important. Consider how the stages of calm/staying relate to the 9 stages of stabilizing the meditation. The student needs at least a concentration level 4/9 to stabilize the view at the coarse level.

Check that their understanding of emptiness/openness is accurate: they are not trying to get rid of experience but compassionately see through its solidity. 

Check for lack of clarity: dullness will make the realization fuzzy. Emphasize ‘wide open and wide awake’. Have them practice with eyes open and looking into space, or if that distracts them emphasize the auditory channel of open silence. Bring up the acuity and brightness of the mirror-like awareness that is listening to the silence. 

Check that they are actually looking repeatedly to see the unboundedness of space/silence/stillness. They will need to repeat the recognition of the unboundedness for it to mature into a realization.

Check that they are confident in ‘the View’ of openness. We are applying in meditation the Truth of Openness. There is a cognitive dimension to this truth. The mind needs to be clear. The clearer and more confident the mind is about this truth the easier practice is. Confidence brings clarity. 

Check for over-conceptualization and doubt: we are revealing what is already so. Overly conceptualizing will make the process seem complicated when it is actually simple. We are just learning about the openness of the Heartmind’s Love-Wisdom. This is how things are already. Redirect the student to the trustworthiness of the ground and have them just simply follow the instructions with trust. 

Check that they are following the instructions and not embellishing.

If they are overwhelmed by instructions: just follow one step at a time. Trust in cause and effect. We give an instruction, planting a seed, its sprouts and we give another seed. 

Check for personality issues getting in the way: perfectionism, doubt, unrealistic expectations etc. The heart of One Taste is the purification of coarse and subtle minimized windows in the mind.  Gently point them out when seen. When the student shares or has a question, look for the underlying assumptions .