Meditation is often framed as a tool for personal growth—calming the mind, reducing stress, or cultivating compassion. While these goals are valuable, the experience is centered on the individual. SPHERE meditation, however, assumes a transpersonal approach. Rather than focusing on breath, emotions, or personal healing, this practice leads meditators into a direct encounter with the interconnected nature of all things.
Each concept in SPHERE serves as a gateway to spacious, non-dual awareness. Instead of engaging in self-referential contemplation—such as forgiving oneself or letting go of a personal struggle—practitioners reflect on energetic principles that transcend personal identity. This shift dissolves the sense of self, revealing the deeper, interconnected flow of existence.
Using the SPHERE acronym, meditators contemplate principles that open the mind to boundlessness—a state of immersion and absorption into everything. This goes beyond the dichotomy of inner and outer worlds, unveiling a reality where distinctions fade into a spacious and unified non-dual awareness.
This practice invites meditators into the paradox where emptiness and fullness, nothingness and everything, are experienced as one and the same. This echoes insights from Zen, Taoism, and mystical traditions, where the void is not a negation but a vast and vibrant presence. As Thich Nhat Hanh describes “interbeing” and the Heart Sutra states, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form,” SPHERE meditation guides practitioners into directly sensing this unity beyond conceptual thought.
By moving beyond self-improvement and into pure awareness, SPHERE meditation offers a profound alternative for those seeking to explore meditation as an opening into something greater than themselves—where nothingness is not absence, but the presence of all things.
Before beginning this meditation, read through the six principle ideas. Each principle is expressed as a script to assist you in deeply embracing the idea on an experiential level rather than an intellectual level. The seventh principle is the integration of all six principles, culminating in the contemplation of the word “Sphere.” This can be repeated slowly, similar to chanting a mantra, either quietly or silently.
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S – Spaciousness
Become fully aware of Spaciousness. Let attention expand beyond the boundaries of the body, beyond thoughts and emotions. Feel the vastness extend in all directions, the openness that holds all things. Allow everything to arise and dissolve like clouds in an open sky. There is no need to reach for something or hold onto anything. Simply enter…vastness, openness, and freedom.
P – Presence
Experience Presence, where all that exists is simultaneously present in this moment, now. No effort is needed to seek, create, change, or rearrange this constellation in any way. The sense of presence—of simply being and existing—is palpable. This awareness merges with all sentient beings and the innumerable presence of non-sentient forms, flowing effortlessly in unity with all that is. In this state, there is no separation, only the fullness of being—unfolding, infinite, and complete.
H – Healing
Observe Healing energies that arise when everything is allowed to be as it is. There is nothing to mend, only wholeness to recognize. Notice that suffering is not something to fix but something to meet with openness. Allow healing to emerge as the dissolution of separation, a return to balance and wholeness that is naturally present. Healing is active and ongoing.
E – Empathy
Recognize that all beings are part of this immense, interconnected whole. Experience Empathy not as a personal emotion, but as a deep, shared awareness. Notice the interconnectedness of all things. Kindness flows effortlessly to and from this place, a natural expression of the shared being of all. Intuition, inspired caring, and attunement are all manifestations of empathy, whether given or received.
R – Resilience
Let Resilience develop not through struggle but through organic exposure to many changes and challenges. This flexibility facilitates movement with the currents of life, not against life. Resilience has no need to fight against this flow—it allows change and challenge to come and go, remaining in harmony with its ever-changing directions. Every experience, whether gentle or difficult, is part of the greater whole. In this flow, resilience is not forced but simply unfolds.
E – Equanimity
Rest in the natural balance that emerges when there is no sense of self that grasps or rejects experience. Bask in the deep, abiding peace that holds all things without preference or fear. Equanimity is not cultivated through effort but is revealed when there is no interference with what is. In this space, discover the stillness beneath movement, the silence within sound, the fullness within emptiness.
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Once you have gained an understanding of these concepts as they relate to SPHERE meditation, you can let go of the script and merely focus on each word in a meditative manner. If your first language is not English, you may wish to translate these words to your native tongue. On the home page of SpherologyInternational.com, you will find the acronym listed vertically, which you can refer to during your meditation, or write these on an index card until they’re memorized.
If this meditation resonates for you over time, you may wish to create images for each of the six principles. What picture comes to mind for Spaciousness? For Presence? Etc. Alternatively, you may associate a different color with each principle, a sound, or a musical note. Some meditators may find that all principles of the SPHERE meditation collapse into one meditative experience and are no longer addressed separately. Additional meditation practices that incorporate non-dual awareness are included in the Advanced Course for Spherology International.
To prepare for SPHERE meditation, assume your usual meditation position. If you haven’t meditated before, the posture is generally as follows:
Meditation Posture
Sit with legs crossed and your buttocks slightly elevated on a cushion, allowing the pelvis to tilt forward and support the natural curve of your spine. Keep your chest open, shoulders relaxed, and hands resting on your thighs—palms facing up if comfortable. Let your head be gently lifted. The eyes may be closed or slightly open with a soft, unfocused gaze. Whether eyes are open or closed, direct your awareness to a point in front of the face, aligned with the area often referred to as the third eye, at a distance similar to an extended reach.
If sitting unsupported isn’t manageable, consider lying in a relaxed supine position with arms slightly outstretched, palms up, and legs comfortably apart. Alternatively, use a chair or a Zen bench for support while maintaining an open, relaxed posture.
Choose somewhere relatively free of distractions and at a time when you’re unlikely to be interrupted. Some people like to use sound, such as the gentle strike of a Tibetan bowl, to indicate when they begin and end their meditation. If your timer is a cell phone, choose a pleasing tone before you begin. Seven minutes is a suitable amount of time to complete this meditation, evenly dividing the time between the six principles and concluding with a final minute of contemplation on the word “Sphere.” You can extend the meditation in seven-minute increments, either by repeating the sequence or lengthening the time spent on each principle.
Keep a visual reminder of the principles to refer to as you meditate. You may open your eyes to glance, as needed, if your eyes are closed. If you prefer an audio recording, record your voice as you speak each principle clearly and slowly, with or without soothing ambient music. Then, end by slowly saying “Sphere” several times (in whichever language you prefer). You may discover a different process that works better for you, such as foregoing the timing of meditation or adding new elements.
May you feel encouraged and intrigued, as you explore spacious and awakened dimensions of meditation. Karen Hannah, LPC
References:
- Nhat Hanh, T. (1993). Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism. Parallax Press
- Red Pine. (2004). The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism. Counterpoint Press.
- Hannah, K. (2024). Spherology International. https://www.spherologyinternational.com