What Comes After Your First Glimpse of Awakening?

Evelyn Reed · 2026-09-15

In a recent conversation, meditation teacher Loch Kelly sat down with host Michael Taft to explore what happens after that first taste of awakening. You know the moment—when you suddenly recognize the openness, the stillness, the absence of a separate self. It feels like coming home. But then what? ### Waking Up vs. Waking With Kelly draws a clear distinction between "waking up" and "waking with." Waking up is that initial recognition of open awareness. Waking with, on the other hand, is when you start to see that everything arising—sights, sounds, thoughts—is inseparable from that awake awareness. It's what some traditions call "one taste." Nothing is outside of it. This isn't just philosophical. It changes how you move through your day. Instead of trying to hold onto a peak experience, you learn to live from that awareness. As Kelly puts it, "You don't have to manufacture wakefulness—you just have to notice it's already here." ### Flow States and Awake Awareness The conversation also dives into flow states. You know those moments when you're so absorbed in what you're doing that time disappears? That's flow. But Kelly suggests that flow isn't the goal—it's a doorway. When you're in flow, you're temporarily free from the usual self-referential thinking. That's a glimpse of what it's like to live from awake awareness all the time. The key difference? Flow depends on conditions. Awake awareness doesn't. You can be in the middle of a stressful day and still recognize that openness. It's not about chasing bliss; it's about seeing what's already there. ### Bringing It Into Daily Life So how do you actually do this? Kelly offers a few practical pointers: - **Start small.** Notice the space between thoughts. Even a micro-second of recognition counts. - **Don't force it.** You're not creating anything new—you're just shifting attention to what's already present. - **Use everyday moments.** Waiting in line, washing dishes, walking your dog—these are all opportunities to wake with. - **Drop the story.** When you catch yourself narrating, gently let it go and notice the awareness behind it. ### The Takeaway The big idea? Awakening isn't a one-time event. It's a continuous unfolding. And flow states can be a helpful reminder, but they're not the destination. The real shift happens when you realize that ordinary life—with all its messiness—is not separate from that awake awareness. It's all one taste. So the next time you find yourself chasing a peak experience, pause. Take a breath. Notice the openness that's already here. That's it. That's the practice.