Let The Sky Be Your Guide: Meditations On Sky Wisdom

The sky is a symbol that represents the ultimate nature of reality, which is vast, limitless and “all-pervading”. Contemplating the sky is a powerful tool for meditation because it helps you connect with this limitless nature of reality and to realize your own true nature, which is also vast, limitless and all-pervading.

By meditating with the sky as your inspiration, you allow your mind to rest in its natural state, which is spacious, open and clear, just like the sky above, allowing everything to be as it is, without judgement or resistance.

A key aspect of this meditation is using the sky to realize that just as clouds and weather do not harm the sky, your thoughts and emotion cannot harm the nature of your mind. It’s this indestructible sky nature that we are trying to connect with. Or more accurately, re-connect with, because our sky nature already exists as the basis of our every experience. 

The practice of sky-gazing is grounded in the understanding that the nature of our mind is fundamentally pure and free from any inherent flaws or limitations – it is already perfect and complete like the sky. And just as the sky above is not obstructed by any object that appears within it, so our true nature is not limited by concepts or thoughts that appear within it.

When we rest our mind in an authentic natural state through meditation, we can access a profound level of awareness that is beyond the ordinary mind and the limitations of dualistic thinking (black/white, good/bad, negative/positive and so on). 

Sky wisdom gives us a portal into the everywhere-all-at-once experience. From this, unity with all humans flows naturally and we realize that we have a common core, allowing love and empathy for all to flourish. 

The sky is a universal symbol in all cultures and traditions, and it is therefore a powerful archetypal image that can resonate deeply within all human beings around the world. It is a pure and unchanging presence that is always there, no matter what is happening on the surface of the Earth. 

This can serve as a powerful reminder to us that that our true nature is also pure and unchanging, and is always present, even when obscured by thoughts, emotions and other distractions. 

The vastness and openness of the sky can help us to let go of our habitual patterns of thinking and feeling and open up to a more expansive and inclusive way of being. I encourage you to identify more deeply with the sky, so that you begin to realize your identity is not limited to your physical body or your personality but is, in fact, a part of the vast and limitless nature of reality itself.

It’s the immediacy and availability of our ultimate true nature that sets sky meditation practices apart from other, more gradual approaches to meditation. Through meditating on the sky, we can intuitively recognize the natural state of our mind and rest in this experience. This direct approach is said to be the fastest path to enlightenment because it goes straight to the enlightened truth of every experience. 

Five Benefits of Sky Meditation

Meditating and contemplating the sky is a powerful practice for cultivating insight into the nature of reality and realizing your own true nature. This practice will help you to: 

1. Cultivate spaciousness 

By meditating on the vast and open expanse of the Sky, you can learn to cultivate a sense of spaciousness and openness in your mind. This can help to loosen the grip of habitual patterns of thinking and feeling and create more room for insight and clarity to arise.

2. Overcome attachment 

As the sky is a symbol of boundlessness and freedom, meditating on the sky can help you to let go of your attachments and aversions. By contemplating the sky, you can learn to cultivate a non-grasping, non-clinging attitude toward your experiences and emotions.

3. Connect with the ultimate nature of reality

 The sky is also a symbol for the ultimate nature of reality, which is vast, unchanging and all-pervading. By meditating on the sky, you can connect with this ultimate reality and deepen your understanding of the true nature of yourself and the world.

4. Enhance awareness 

By focusing on the sky and its qualities, such as vastness, clarity and openness, you can learn to enhance your awareness and clarity of mind. This can help you to develop greater mindfulness and insight into the nature of reality.

5. Encourage non-dual awareness

The goal of practice is to cultivate a non-dual awareness that transcends ordinary concepts of self and other. By meditating on the sky, you can learn how to let go of dualistic (black/white) thinking and connect with the inherent unity of all things.

The Four Meditation Themes of Sky Wisdom

1. Freedom

“True freedom is achieved when we are able to see through the illusion of our own projections.” Longchenpa 

The sky is vast and boundless, without limitation or constraint. Similarly, freedom lies within us and is always accessible, but we often create limitations and constraints through our beliefs and attachments. The sky does not cling to the clouds that pass through it, nor does it resist them. In the same way, we can learn to let go of our attachments and allow experiences to pass through us without resistance or grasping. True freedom comes from accepting and embracing the impermanence of all things.

  2. Clarity 

“Clarity is the natural state of the mind, obscured only by our conceptualizations and habitual patterns of thinking.” Longchenpa 

The sky is clear and transparent, reflecting all that is in it. In the same way, we can cultivate clarity by allowing our thoughts and emotions to arise and pass without getting caught up in them. The sky does not judge or analyse what it reflects; it simply is. Similarly, we can learn to observe our experiences without judgement or analysis, allowing ourselves to see things as they are. This clarity helps us to make decisions from a place of insight and wisdom.

  3. Spaciousness 

“The spaciousness of our being is not something that can be created or destroyed; it is always present, waiting to be realized.” Longchenpa 

The sky is spacious, with room for everything that exists. When we cultivate spaciousness within ourselves, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and experiences. We often limit ourselves by our beliefs and assumptions, but when we let go of these, we create more space for growth and transformation. The sky does not discriminate or hold back its vastness; it is always available for us to connect with. In the same way, when we cultivate spaciousness, we connect with a sense of openness and possibility that allows us to live more fully. 

  4. Essence

“The essence of our being is pure awareness, unbound and unchanging.” Longchenpa 

The sky has no fixed form, colour or substance; it is empty yet present in all things. Our essence is like the sky, formless yet present in everything we do. We often get caught up in the form of things, the labels and identities we attach to ourselves and others. But like the sky, our essence is always there, beyond labels and forms. When we connect with our essence, we tap into a deeper wisdom and compassion that goes beyond our limited understanding of ourselves.

Sky wisdom meditation emphasizes the natural authentic state of being, the eternal pure primordial awareness at the heart of all beings. This sky wisdom meditation style adopts an easy-going, non-striving and non-doing approach to practice similar to Zen. As this awareness is already perfectly whole and complete, there’s nothing to be done. 

The fundamental principle of sky wisdom is the recognition of the innate awareness that pervades all phenomena. This awareness is not something that needs to be achieved through meditation or any other means – it is already our authentic nature. It is already present within us, but we are not aware of it because we are distracted by our thoughts and emotions.

Therefore, the practice of sky wisdom meditation is not about doing something to attain this awareness but rather about recognizing and resting within it. It entails clearing away the clouds of confusion and distraction to reveal the totally free and unbound nature that is eternally present within. 

There is no need for complicated meditation techniques or formal practices. Instead, the focus is on relaxing and letting go of any effort to achieve or attain. Simply rest in the natural state of being. You don't need to strive or try to manipulate anything. Just let go of any effort or intention and allow yourself to be in the present moment, free from any distractions.

By meditating with the sky, you can directly experience your true nature and awaken to an enlightened perspective of yourself and the world. Sky wisdom is to first recognize your sky nature, then through practice gain confidence to stabilize and rest within it and finally to integrate this ultimate dimension of reality into every moment.

Written by Chad Foreman

Chad Foreman is the founder of The Way of Meditation and author of the Sky Wisdom Oracle Cards. Chad has been teaching meditation since 2003, determined to bring authentic meditation practices into the lives of millions of people in the modern world. Chad is a former Buddhist monk who spent 6 years living in a retreat hut studying and practicing meditation full time and has now has over twenty years experience teaching meditation. Chad holds regular Meditation Retreats on the Sunshine Coast Australia, has Online Meditation Coaching, delivers three online programs -  The 21 Day Meditation Challenge to help guide people gradually from the basics of mindfulness and relaxation to profound states of awareness. Breath-work to help manage stress and go deeper into meditation and The Bliss of Inner Fire which is a Buddhist tantric method for purifying energy blocks and contacting the clear light of bliss. AND you can also now get Chad's free e-book Insights Along the Way.