So maybe we can just take a moment to just notice what's the best anchor for you.
The sound,
Listening to the rising of sound and the space in between the sound.
Is it the breath?
Is it the gentle in and out?
Or is it the sensation of your body sitting?
Maybe your feet on the floor,
Maybe your butt on the cushion or your chair,
Maybe it's just your hands touching your body,
Touching each other.
Just sitting here,
Relaxed together,
Connecting to that neutral resource to help us steady ourself and create space,
Create permission and willingness for accepting whatever arises.
Not trying to do anything,
Not trying to make anything happen,
Just being a protection for the mind,
Using that mindfulness to protect the mind,
Just giving the mind time to settle.
If you work with imagery,
You could think of your body as a large,
Still pool of water.
It's like glass,
It's still.
In that stillness,
If you threw a pebble,
There would be ripples in the water.
If a fly,
A flying insect touches the water,
Just gently,
There would be ripples from where the little feets touch the water.
If you try to get rid of the ripples,
You just create more ripples.
Instead,
You could just let it fade out on its own,
In its own time,
And the stillness of the pond just helps us do that.
That's all.
Just noticing what's dropping into the pond.
Little ripple here,
Little ripple there.
Maybe a thought,
A sensation.
But this stillness we've cultivated,
Can we hold that thought or that sensation in that stillness?
Just let it be.
Let that start.
You may also want to use this time to work on what Enrique was talking about last night of rain.
You could notice,
What is it that's happening?
Is this planning going on in the mind?
Is it projecting going on in the mind?
Is there an emotion?
Is this judging?
Evaluating?
What is it that's going on?
Or what Khalilah said yesterday morning,
Is this aversion and anger?
Is it restlessness?
Is it sleepiness?
Just what is it that's happening?
Recognize what's going on.
And the A being,
Can you allow it to be?
Now try to push it away.
We're all sitting here together.
Can you allow it with this kind of kindness that we've been talking about?
This everyday kindness.
The kindness you've shown each other.
Can you just allow it to be as it is?
Maybe get curious about it.
Investigate it.
When I have those thoughts,
What's going on in the body?
How does the body feel when I'm in the thoughts?
If I have some self-criticizing thoughts,
What's going on in my feet?
What's happening with my hands?
What about the elbows?
The back of the knees?
The back of the knees?
See if there are spaces where I'm not agitated or I'm not critical.
And then finally,
Can you just let it arise and pass away in its own time?
And remember this innate quality of goodness that we've all been noticing about each other.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Do you know what's happening right now?
Are you giving it space to be able to just be?
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
Relax.
A pine needle in an ocean of trees,
Timeless serenity here and now in this very moment.
A pine needle lying in a stone garden,
Timeless serenity in this very moment.
A pine needle flying through the stormy wind,
Timeless serenity in this very moment.
Relax.
Relax.
