24/7
2026, August, Issue 213
One point,
one point,
that’s all it takes;
When we realize
the Nature of Mind,
we enter awareness,
we remain, we persist
in meditation no matter what;
We are no longer
distracted by our
outwardly projecting mind,
no longer distracted by these
beliefs, concepts, thoughts,
no longer distracted by our own
not knowing, grasping, distaste,
no longer distracted by
ego pounding distractions
into what it is not real,
this dark delusional box;
One point is discovered,
all becomes liberated
in every moment;
One point is realized,
now the challenge becomes
infinitely greater;
One point, one point,
Our Primordial Condition is
recognized;
Rigpa, nondual awareness,
Instant presence remaining
from one moment
to the next, without limits,
being present, relaxing completely,
this direct experience is achieved,
all habits of delusion fall away;
With this one point,
we become accustomed to
Enlightenment itself,
remaining present
in that infinite awareness
beyond all obstacles,
no longer constrained
by relative reality,
Awakening to Ultimate Reality,
remaining aware
in this present infinite
inexplicable moment,
24/7.
A poem by Robert Aho © 2026
If you are just beginning with meditation and are considering this idea of stepping onto the Spiritual Path by Aspiring to Awaken, you can begin with the attitude of bringing everything into your meditation. You can do so with the attitude of making this into a 24/7 practice. You do not need to wait to become an advanced Spiritual Practitioner. By looking inwardly at mind, you tap into an extraordinary power. You discover that you can remain at ease. You discover a place that does not need to be consumed by agitation and distraction. This simple discovery can give you all that you need to step onto the Spiritual Path. You’ve discovered a spark of what is possible.
Of course, when we begin, we do not yet have the ability to remain without distraction; so, our attitude of remaining in awareness is nothing other than an ideal at that point. As we advance, we develop our abilities, sometimes very slowly, sometimes by leaps and bounds. Meditation is your inward journey. Your success depends entirely upon you. There is absolutely no way that someone else can increase your capacity or tell you what enlightenment actually is.
When you Aspire to Awaken, your success is guaranteed; and, it soon becomes obvious that this success will proceed quickly if you apply yourself in every moment of the day and night. A few minutes or hours every day will simply not be enough. You must begin with this 24/7 attitude, increasing this determination as you advance.
When we realize the Nature of Mind, we come to a place in our Spiritual Practice where we can realistically remain in awareness 24/7. Meditation is usually considered to be something conceptual, applying mantras, focusing on breath, trying to achieve enlightenment, or simply sitting comfortably on a cushion staring at a wall, that sort of thing. Meditation is typically devoted to applying mind, looking at mind, working with mind. This takes considerable effort.
When we recognize the Nature of Mind, however, something quite amazing happens—it becomes effortless. We find ourselves being able to relax completely in all circumstances, remaining in awareness, becoming instantly present. We simply remain in this direct experience, this realization.
It is not really something that can be explained conceptually, what this realization actually entails. When it happens to you, it will undoubtedly be the most startling amazing experience imaginable. When it happened to me, my teacher described it as an earthquake. From my perspective, all of existence was shaking, coming and going, phasing in and out. Now I remain in that awareness no matter what happens, in all circumstances.
The term Rigdzin means Awareness Holder. When we are able to remain instantly present in all circumstances, we hold our awareness of the Nature of Mind clearly, unshakable, without trying to do anything with our mind. We observe all appearances as our natural condition, coming from the primordial state beyond all fabrication, which is instantly self-liberated, perfect from the beginning. When you begin, do so with the attitude of a Rigdzin. This is not something unattainable for you, it is in that spark when you Aspire to Awaken.
Within this spark, we have all the reasons in the world to keep our own Spiritual Path in mind at all times. We have all that we need. When you realize this for yourself, without taking anyone’s word for anything, you will be able to increase your capacity, along with your confidence.
It is, perhaps, essential to point out that we already possess all the potentiality of a fully enlightened Buddha. This is for you to discover. When we first look within, we catch a glimpse of that. When we pay attention, when we notice our mind perceiving that spark, we have all that we need to remain diligent, to discover unlimited potentiality within ourselves.
If you are walking around with something extremely valuable, maybe a great jewel of some sort, you pay attention to that. You don’t become careless about it. By keeping this Aspiration to Awaken in mind at all times, daily life, dreams and death become opportunities to Awaken. This most precious jewel, that we do not yet understand, becomes our 24/7 impetus for Awakening.
Blessings of Source,
Rigdzin Robert Aho
Robert Aho is the author of Timeless Luminosity and The Frog: A Spiritual Autobiography, Spanning Many Lifetimes. Both books, written after his death experience, give advanced spiritual advice regarding the complete Spiritual Path, inspiration for living each day and words of encouragement, with the intention of helping people to stay committed to their Spiritual Path, as well as preparing for death. This ultimately leads to discovering your own power within, which leads to Awakening. Both books are available on Amazon, Zenith Bookstore, as well as various other sources.