The purpose of this meditation is to realize the all-embracing peace that is available underneath,
Within,
And surrounding every moment of experience,
Even those moments when it doesn't feel possible for a sense of peace to be present.
This peace may not be readily apparent in the circumstances and commerce of life,
With all its pressures,
Demands,
Different points of view,
And conflict.
We may wonder if peace is even possible in our world,
Where we experience so much polarity and conflict.
Yet outer conflict comes from inner tensions.
Aggression and conflict arise when we feel tension within and project it onto others as the cause of our dissatisfaction.
To resolve these tensions,
To bring peace to ourselves and the world,
It takes persistent,
Compassionate action within ourselves and with others over an extended period of time.
Peace in the world is not an instant process.
This practice of compassion for self and others requires time,
Patience,
And an openness to recognize the subconscious tensions within us and hold them within a deeper,
Wider space of peaceful awareness,
Again and again.
If we are firmly set in our point of view and closed to looking inward,
Inner tensions remain subconscious and multiply.
Peace and compassion lie distant,
Unrealized.
So the ability to be compassionate is based on our openness to turn inward and recognize tensions that are present within a deeper,
Wider space of abiding peace,
A peace that is available right here,
Right now.
To realize this deep,
Abiding peace takes a different kind of attention than we normally use in our day-to-day activities and interactions.
We approach this ever-present,
All-embracing peace through interoception,
Through our inner senses,
Where we find a deeper layer of peaceful awareness underneath and beyond our habitual ways of judging ourselves,
Others,
And the world,
An awareness that transcends our likes and dislikes.
We can learn to recognize this all-embracing peace of awareness here,
Now.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable,
Upright posture,
Feeling a sense of awakened clarity up through your spine so you're sitting nicely upright.
Feel the soles of your feet flat on the ground and parallel to each other.
Soften and relax your feet and toes so they rest deep down into the firm support of the earth.
Feel the grounded presence of the earth underneath you.
Rest your hands palms cupped in your lap,
One resting in the other,
With the tips of your thumbs touching lightly.
Relax and soften your hands so they feel open and light.
This openness and lightness in your hands supports you to be open and light,
Relating to your inner experience with equanimity.
Lightly close your eyes.
Take a moment to check in inside.
Notice how you feel right now.
What feelings are present?
Be open and accepting.
Allow yourself to be open and accepting of any feelings that are present.
Feelings give us information,
They carry energy.
What feelings are present?
See if you can open to and embrace each and every feeling,
Ones you like,
Ones you don't like.
Feel any sensations in your body.
There may be sensations of comfort and relaxation.
See if you can be open and allowing of any and all sensations,
Those that feel good and those that don't.
Notice any sensations that come to the fore.
See if it's possible to accept any and all feelings and sensations within a wider,
All-embracing space of peaceful awareness.
Notice that this attitude of openness and acceptance is naturally peaceful.
Now,
See if any feeling or sensation calls your attention.
Is there any feeling or sensation that comes to the foreground and wants to be known in this moment?
Perhaps there's been something on your mind or some issue that you need to address.
See if you can allow any background feelings or sensations that want to come to the foreground and be known.
Just allow them to show themselves,
To speak.
Is there anything that comes up?
Is there anything hanging out on the periphery of awareness,
Something you may have pushed aside,
Something that you have not wanted to be aware of?
See if there's anything like that that would like to come to the fore and be known.
There may be some sadness,
Some anger or frustration.
There might be a sense of disappointment,
Feeling of hopelessness.
Anything that's been pushed to the periphery,
See if you can invite it to come forward.
See if it's possible to hold whatever is present within a wide space of awareness,
Of presence.
Be present with whatever arises.
If something arises that carries tension or feels uneasy,
See if you can welcome this too.
Notice how holding a space of openness and acceptance brings a sense of peace underneath and around what feels difficult or challenging.
You can rest in this peace of openness and acceptance and allow anything to arise and dissolve.
This peace is all-embracing.
This peaceful,
Open space of awareness embraces everything and pushes nothing away.
Rest in this peace of openness and acceptance and allow feelings to flow.
Become aware of the felt quality,
The sensations of breathing that move with any feelings that arise.
You do not need to breathe in any specific way.
Just notice the felt sensory qualities of breathing that accompany whatever is present.
Notice how your body breathes naturally with your feelings and it adjusts the depth and pace of breath with any feelings or sensations that are present.
Allow the breath to be as it is and feel it.
Notice the peace in awareness of breathing as it moves naturally with feelings and sensations.
Feel the breath moving naturally in this peaceful,
Open space of awareness.
Allow awareness of the breath to fade to the background and rest in the peaceful,
Open space of awareness itself.
Rest in the all-embracing peace of open,
Spacious awareness.
You don't have to do anything here.
Simply rest in this peace of awareness.
Open to each moment.
Rest the activity of the mind in this abiding peace of awareness which embraces everything and pushes nothing away.
Rest in the all-embracing peace of awareness.
All-embracing.
All-embracing.
All-embracing peace.
All-embracing awareness.
All-embracing peace.
Now,
In this all-embracing peace,
This open space of awareness,
Become aware of the body with its sensations,
The heart with its emotions and desires,
And the mind with its thoughts and plans.
These capacities are simply momentary expressions happening within the all-embracing,
Peaceful,
Open space of awareness.
Within and from this all-embracing,
Peaceful space of awareness,
Call to mind a situation you are dealing with or a coming event that carries tension.
What happens if you hold this situation or event within this all-embracing peace,
This open space of awareness?
What if you simply allow this situation to be present in this space of peace,
Of awareness,
With compassion for yourself and others involved?
Instead of trying to figure it out,
Plan it or control it,
What if you simply allow this situation to be present in this open space of all-embracing,
Peaceful awareness?
What happens if you bring this all-embracing,
Peaceful openness to this situation or event and allow it to unfold within this space?
So this situation is permeated with peace,
Openness,
Awareness,
And compassion.
Notice what happens.
Notice how it unfolds.
Notice what happens as this situation is permeated with peace,
Openness,
Compassion,
And awareness.
When you have a clear sense of seeing this,
Knowing it,
Or a sense that you can let this go for now,
Simply rest in this all-embracing,
Peaceful,
Open space of awareness.
Rest as this peace,
As this awareness,
Which embraces everything.
Now,
Notice the space of your body.
Feel your soft,
Open hands.
Feel your feet on the ground.
And notice how you feel now.
Notice any shift in feeling or sensation from when you began this meditation.
Take a moment to record the felt sense of all-embracing peace,
This openness of awareness in every cell of your body.
So you remember it.
Bring it with you to challenging moments.
Share it with others,
And can return to it anytime.
What would it be like to move through life as this all-embracing peace?
As this openness?
As compassionate awareness itself?
Playing peacefully as the worlds of forms?
Peace is always available,
Ever-present,
Underneath,
Within,
And around.
Every moment of experience.
It's simply a matter of turning toward it,
Welcoming it,
And recognizing it.
Allowing it to embrace everything that happens.
Take a moment to write down anything you'd like to remember from this meditative experience,
Including any insights and inspirations.
Well done.
