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What is rigpa and how is it recognized in everyday experience?
Rigpa points to the mind’s innate, unfiltered clarity—its ever-present, luminous awareness that underlies every thought and emotion. Not something to fetch or fabricate, it’s the very ground from which perceptions arise, untouched by the mental chatter that usually steals the show.
Everyday life offers little invitations to catch a glimpse of rigpa. That instant before identifying the taste of your morning coffee—when pure noticing simply is—that’s rigpa shining through. Or the kind of flow that sweeps in while typing a work email without interruption: time stretches, phone buzzes disappear, and awareness moves with effortless precision. Sound familiar? Even scrolling through TikTok, the brief pause between videos—when algorithms hold their breath—can reveal that same spacious clarity.
Conversations bring it, too. In genuine listening, when reactive thoughts hit the back burner and there’s simply full presence with another person, rigpa lights up the space between words. It’s like witnessing the unhindered sky behind passing clouds—always there, always open.
Today’s mindfulness apps and retreat centers often point toward this realization, but the real breakthrough comes when guidance falls away and awareness stands alone. Modern life may feel like a tug-of-war between endless notifications and looming deadlines, yet rigpa remains untouched by the turmoil, a quiet partner behind every pulse.
Surfing a wave of pure awareness doesn’t require a mountain cave or months of silent retreat. Every uncluttered moment—whether watching a sunset on Instagram or feeling the ground beneath bare feet—hides the Great Perfection’s jewel. Notice that gap before thought jumps in, that clarity behind emotions, and rigpa reveals itself like dawn breaking through night clouds.