3rd gear, rigpa, and a crazy thought

If I understand 3rd gear correctly, both Mahamudra's "resting in the natural state" and Dzogchen's "contemplation" (below translated as "meditation") are third gear practices:

"Whenever we lose our motivation, we should remind ourselves [that there is nothing to do or attain] and never have any doubts about our capacity to do nothing!" -- Lama Gendun Rinpoche, Mahamudra master.

"If meditation is simply to continue the flow of rigpa after the introduction, how do we know when it is rigpa and when it is not? I asked Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche this question, and he replied with his characteristic simplicity: 'If you are in an unaltered state, it is rigpa'." -- Sogyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen master

And yet, one can be doing such third gear practice "correctly" without recognizing rigpa "in full." That is, one can be resting as naturally as one is capable at the time, and yet still perceive time to be flowing, or objects to be appearing. Yet in a true recognition of rigpa, there can be no experience of time or objects. So although there's nothing to *do*, there is something that remains undone (complete relaxation of the subject-object grasping).

I can't post details from a restricted Dzogchen text I have, but there are open texts confirming that skygazing is a way to accelerate the process. By mingling one's mind with the sky, one "actively" merges subject and object.

OTOH, one needs a completely panoramic and unobstructed view of the sky. So I thought: why not build Ganzfeld goggles and achieve the same effect? "Ganzfeld creates the illusion of an open field of vision of infinite depth." Exactly what one uses the sky for.

Dunno how it'll go, but I'll report back if it's good. Any thoughts?

I'm not sure if this qualifies or even relates but I have had several deep third gear openings while watching the clouds pass by during rides on a jetliner.

Thanks! That's very interesting. I know in "pure" skygazing practice clouds are considered an obstacle, but it's neat to hear your story. I wonder if there are situations / conditions that others on this board have found conducive. Would be neat to collect them (if this hasn't been done already).

Using cloud and sky in a different sense, here is one of my favorite quotes from Ken McLeod about rigpa..

Tenno asked, "What is the essential meaning of Buddhism?"
Sekito replied, "No gaining,no knowing."
"Can you say anything further?"
"The expansive sky does not obstruct the floating white clouds."
Shobogenzo