There are certain qualities that are crucial for a meditation practice. Without them, meditation can become a mere mechanical exercise, disconnected from its deeper purpose . It is not incorrect to say that meditation happens, it can not be achieved or forced. We can only lay a solid foundation for it to happen, just like we can only prepare the soil and sow the seeds while seeds sprout on their own because of nature's will.
In this blog, we will explore one of the essential qualities without which we don’t experience meditation.
This quality is called practicing with ‘Sakshi-Bhav’.
The term "Sakshi Bhav" has no direct English equivalent, though "non-judgmental witnessing" comes close. Sakshi Bhav refers to the quality of being a witness—observing your thoughts, emotions, and experiences without becoming attached to or entangled in them. This witnessing is done without judgment, preference, or the need to change anything. Sakshi Bhav means, watching as it is without any judgment.
Irrespective of the technique you are practicing, Sakshi Bhav is the foundation of any meditation practice. Without Sakshi-Bhav, there is no meditation.
Imagine you are watching clouds pass across the sky. Some clouds are dark and stormy, others are light and fluffy. Sakshi Bhav invites you to watch both types of clouds with equal interest, without wishing the storm clouds away or clinging to the sunshine. In the context of meditation, this means observing everything that arises—thoughts, emotions, sensations—without labeling them as good or bad, without trying to hold on to the pleasant or push away the unpleasant.
For example, let’s say you are meditating on your breath, and suddenly your mind is flooded with thoughts about a party you attended last night. Instead of criticizing yourself for being distracted or trying to force the thoughts away, you simply acknowledge them. You recognize that they are there without judging them. In the same way, if you experience physical discomfort or an unpleasant sensation, Sakshi Bhav encourages you to observe the sensation as it is, without wishing it to go away or engaging with it too intensely. You remain a passive observer of your experience. p>
What Sakshi Bhav is not?
It is not rigid concentration: Sakshi Bhav should not be confused with rigid concentration. In fact, it is a relaxed watching, a soft and open attention that embraces whatever arises. Whether you are aware of the sound of birds outside your window, the sensation of your breath, or the thoughts swirling in your mind, the key is to remain gently attuned to it all without grasping or resisting. The essence of Sakshi-Bhav is in observing all experiences as they are—without trying to change, judge, or cling to them. Your awareness is like a clear mirror, reflecting whatever comes, but never holding on to it.
Balanced effort: Effort in meditation is paradoxical. On one hand, there is some effort required in the form of attention. On the other hand, pushing too hard is counterproductive. Meditation is not a performance, nor is it a task to be accomplished with sheer willpower. The harder you try to focus on a particular object of meditation or silence the mind or force yourself into a state of peace, the further you move from genuine meditative experience.
Gentle effort involves allowing things to unfold naturally without forcing anything. If you find yourself getting frustrated because your mind won’t "settle down," that’s a sign you might be trying too hard and you have already lost Sakshi Bhav. The mind’s nature is to think, and your job is not to fight against that nature but to observe it with ease. By letting go of the need to achieve, meditation becomes a process of unfolding rather than forcing. It’s about holding the practice lightly, with a soft touch, rather than gripping it tightly with the intention to control.
Why is Sakshi Bhav important?
Let us first understand what meditation is and why we do it. Meditation is about being present and aware of whatever is arising in the moment. When we are present, there is a sense of ease and calmness. Now when are we not present? When we are lost in thoughts, ruminating about the past or anticipating some future event. If there is no Sakshi Bhav i.e. non-judgmental witnessing, this means we are trying to change what is, and we get lost in thinking again.
Also, Sakshi Bhav creates a necessary space between ourselves and our thoughts. Without this witnessing, we remain trapped in identification with our thoughts, emotions, and mental narratives. It’s as though we are swept away by the current of the mind. But when Sakshi Bhav is present, a gap emerges—a spaciousness that allows us to observe our thoughts without getting consumed by them. This space is transformative because it offers a sense of inner freedom, where the peace of being fully present begins to unfold naturally. It is only in this state of detached observation that true inner silence, peace, and clarity can arise. Sakshi Bhav acts as the doorway to this state, making it an essential aspect of meditation and mindfulness practice.
Is Sakshi Bhav only relevant during your meditation practice?
Sakshi-Bhav, that is non-judgmental witnessing, is a key to living in the present and welcoming all events of life with equanimity without pushing them away. There is a famous Zen story teaching us non-judgment.
Once there was a farmer who lived with his son on a farm. They had a horse that helped with their work. One night, a strong storm broke part of the stable, and the horse ran away. The next morning, when the neighbors heard about it, they were surprised. Losing the horse was a big deal for the farmer. “That’s really bad luck,” the neighbors said.
The farmer calmly replied, “Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad. Who knows?”
The very next day, the horse came back, but this time it brought along three wild horses with it. The neighbors couldn’t believe it and shouted, “Look at that! Your horse is back, and you have more now! What great luck!”
The farmer just said, “Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad. Who knows?”
A few days later, the farmer’s son was trying to train one of the wild horses, but he fell off and broke his leg. Again, the neighbors came over and said, “That’s terrible luck!”
The farmer replied the same way, “Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad. Who knows?”
Later that week, soldiers came to the village to take young men to join the army. But since the farmer’s son had a broken leg, they didn’t take him. “Your son is the only one who’s staying behind. You’re very lucky,” one of the soldiers said.
The farmer, as always, replied, “Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad. Who knows?”
In essence, Sakshi Bhav and presence are inseparable. You cannot truly be present without this quality of non-judgmental witnessing. It is the key that unlocks the deeper realms of awareness, where the mind can rest, and the serenity of the present moment is fully experienced.
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