Welcome to active meditation.
In this meditation,
We practice a form of self-inquiry and analyze and process our experiences.
We are going to practice the form of self-inquiry.
Let's prepare for meditation by becoming relaxed.
Close your eyes.
Begin relaxing your physical body by taking a few deep breaths.
The outbreaths being longer than the inbreaths.
We enhance our relaxation by removing all expression from our face.
Relax your face muscles.
Scan the physical body now for any remaining tension and let the tension go with your outbreaths.
We note that we are usually very attentive to outer sensations,
Voices and other sounds we hear.
Move your attention now from outer sensations.
Internalize your awareness.
We observe the thoughts and feelings moving through us as they pertain to our usual activities and the interchanges we have with friends and associates.
As our body,
Emotions and mind quiet down a bit more,
We become mindful of our capacity to be aware.
Not so much of the sounds we hear or the objects we see.
Not even the thoughts that pass through our mind.
We become aware of our ability to watch all this stuff.
We know there is something deeper in us that monitors what is happening around us.
We know that our ability to become the observer is a capacity that differs from what we actually see,
Hear or feel.
As we move toward this capacity to observe and be aware of what is happening around us,
We can move closer into our ability to simply be aware of things.
In this conscious state,
We can comprehend that there is a power and presence in us that differs from our ordinary state of awareness.
In this conscious state,
We can sense the capacity for intelligence and power.
A power and intelligence that is greater than ordinary events and common sensations.
In this conscious state,
We can sense that there is a strength that is greater than any outer weakness.
In this conscious state,
We can sense a power greater than many things we fear.
In this conscious state,
We experience an inexpressible feeling of goodwill,
Stronger than any outer worry.
We experience a peace greater than outer unrest.
Spend a few moments here.
Now.
As we become immersed in this state of peace and comfort,
Direct your attention to recent experiences.
Some of them quite good,
Productive,
Rewarding.
Some of them just ordinary experiences.
And a few of them that were difficult,
Perhaps annoying,
Perhaps embarrassing,
Perhaps an outright failure or mistake.
From this detached perspective,
We can begin to understand that difficult experiences can give us the equivalent of psychological indigestion.
From this detached perspective,
We can see that remorse,
Worry,
Or anger can accompany any of these events.
Where the experience was positive,
It is helpful to review these experiences and uncover what we did,
The actions we took that led to a beneficial outcome.
What is it we said or did that contributed to success?
What is it we want to be sure to repeat in our future?
What is it we can do to foster similar results?
Now,
Take a few moments to identify a situation in which you contributed to a successful outcome,
A positive experience,
What you said,
Or the actions you took that contributed to a successful outcome.
I'll be quiet while you do this.
Now,
Identify a painful or embarrassing experience.
What was the cause?
What can you learn from this less than perfect experience?
Was it all due to bad people sabotaging you?
Was it all due to an accident that no one caused?
Or were there things you should have said or done that could have affected this outcome?
I'll be silent.
Now,
Thinking about this experience,
What is the message or lesson,
What would be the genuine takeaway we can identify from our disappointing experience?
And this is what the true sweep is actually.
Yes,
We know how to feel guilty,
Angry,
Or disappointed.
We now comprehend,
From this detached perspective,
These are just feelings.
With a judgment attached.
What is the underlying message?
What is the lesson we need to learn?
So that the next time,
We will do better.
Or,
If there is not a next time,
At least in our thinking,
We can see how things should have been.
If we were treated badly,
Excessively criticized,
Or condemned,
How shall we handle this in the future?
The initial anger,
Guilt,
Or sadness may seem justified.
But is this where we want to leave it?
Probably not.
If we have honestly made a mistake,
Or done a poor job,
Then we need to apologize and make amends,
If we can.
If an apology would not be realistic,
At least we can make a commitment to do better next time,
And keep this commitment.
Perpetual guilt is unnecessary in situations like this.
If we suffered a setback or failure because we could not control all the conditions involved in our activities,
From this detached perspective,
We can recognize we could only do our small part,
And that others needed to contribute their effort for total success.
In these type of failures,
We understand that the total effort was shared among several agents,
And therefore we are not responsible for the final result.
For a complete understanding,
It is appropriate to take in the entire picture.
What was the contribution of others?
What was the impact of external conditions,
As key factors in the success or failure of events?
It is always helpful to view the bigger picture,
And look for hints about what can be learned from these experiences.
We can harvest the wisdom of these events.
We can harvest the knowledge that can make us more competent,
More resourceful.
If we insist on blaming ourselves for failures and mistakes,
We are missing the real message in them.
So let's review the previous painful experience again.
Identify the experience.
Ask yourself what facts or required skills were lacking that are now obvious.
Ask yourself where was the misstep?
Can it be corrected in the future?
Ask yourself what abilities should be strengthened to produce more success in the future?
Ask yourself,
Was there a trap that was missed that will be recognized in the future?
Ask yourself,
In what way will I be more alert and more able to cope with events like this in the future?
If we are alert to the possibilities,
We can engage each day as if it is full of possibilities to learn more about our self and what we do.
We can be more adept,
Alert,
More able to do and say the things that bring success in all that we are and do.
Think about this perspective on your daily experiences,
Especially the ones that are less than perfect.
Note all the things they can teach you if you are willing to look and listen.
I'll be quiet as you reflect on these possibilities.
I'll be quiet as you reflect on these possibilities.
I'll be quiet as you reflect on these possibilities.
I'll be quiet as you reflect on these possibilities.
I'll be quiet as you reflect on these possibilities.
It's time to return to our regular levels of thoughts and feelings,
To time and space.
And when we do return,
We will retain a greater awareness of our strengths and possibilities.
When we return,
We will have a more effective working relationship with our higher self.
We will truly be able to say,
I am aware.
I am.
I am.
I am aware.
I am.
I am.
I am.
