Hello,
My name is Nora and welcome to today's meditation.
I am sitting by the river,
Watching the water flowing by.
There is no point where it pauses.
The river keeps going,
Keeps flowing,
Endlessly.
There is no part of the river where the water stays the same or come back.
And this reminds me of a powerful Buddhist mantra.
GATE GATE PARAGATE PARATANGATE BODHISVAHA The meaning of this mantra is Gone,
Gone.
Gone beyond.
Completely gone to the other side.
Awakening.
So be it.
So let's reflect on what this means in our life.
There are three types of patterns that shape our life.
Lines.
These are predictable paths.
We know where we are headed.
Circles.
These are cycles we repeat again and again.
And spirals.
Spirals move outward and upward where we grow,
Evolve and expand.
Take a moment now.
Can you identify which areas of your life are moving in a line or predictable paths?
And which ones are caught in circles?
And which are spiraling outward into growth?
Now gently turn your attention to the areas of your life where a circle keeps repeating.
It may be a relationship pattern.
Or a recurring emotional challenge.
It could be a belief.
Or a cycle of pain,
Self-doubt or fear.
Or maybe something about your physical health.
The cycles keep repeating and the patterns keep coming back until we learn the lesson that they are here to teach us.
So what lesson is this circle here to teach you?
What do you need to learn from it?
What part of you is projecting this pattern?
Sometimes we stay in a pattern because a part of us feels it meets a need.
Maybe to feel safe or to feel seen or heard.
Or maybe because it is very familiar.
The pain sometimes becomes so familiar that we are used to it and we even seek it unconsciously.
So what part of you is projecting this into your world?
Today you don't need that old story anymore.
You are ready to let it go,
To let it flow with the river.
Let that pattern rise to the surface.
Be aware of it like a leaf floating on the surface of the river.
And now with intention let it go.
Release it into the flow of the river.
And let's begin.
Sit comfortably and gently close your eyes.
And take a slow deep breath.
And release.
Let's do that one more time.
Take a slow deep breath in.
And let go.
And repeat after me out loud.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
Let's repeat it out loud.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
And then whisper it.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
And then silently repeat it in your heart.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
Gone gone.
Gone beyond.
Completely gone to the other shore.
Awakening.
So be it.
Repeating it silently in your heart.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
Let it wash over you.
Let it carry away the cycle.
If your mind drifts into thoughts,
Sounds or physical sensations,
Gently return to the mantra.
Gati gati paragati paratham gati bodhi swaha.
Gati gati.
One more time take a long deep breath in.
Feel yourself open to a new beginning.
You are not the same person who started this meditation.
You have made a conscious choice of breaking free.
Of breaking the cycle.
Of breaking the pattern.
To trust the river of life.
And if you ever find yourself drifting back into old habits,
Simply remember.
Gati gati.
It's gone.
Completely gone.
Thank you for taking this sacred time for yourself.
Thank you for listening to your soul.
And thank you for letting the river flow through you.
I love you.
Namaste.
