So it'll only be about half an hour meditation and then you'll have some time to meditate silently by yourself.
So if you can continue now it's good.
You might want to readjust your posture and just giving yourself all the time in the world to relax,
To settle into your posture.
Just letting the concept of time slip away for a while and just connecting with some sensation that tells you you have a body is seated,
Embodied in this present moment right now.
Perhaps checking through your posture to see if you really are comfortable and don't let the mind decide this,
Let the body decide.
Don't give the body space to just sit as it needs to sit.
Perhaps not in the same way you've been accustomed to sit in so far.
Noticing the points of contact of the body,
Maybe areas where the sensations are strongest,
Maybe the ankles or the hips,
The buttocks,
Touch of the palms or the hands on the legs.
Noticing that many of the other senses to some extent faded away.
If you do have your eyes closed the world of sight and sight has disappeared along with the complexities of that world.
The eyes can really rest.
The sense of smell may be quite latent,
Sense of taste the same.
No busyness there to attend to.
Three senses at least have become quiet.
Perhaps you notice some distant sound or maybe local sound.
Allow yourself to just experience it as it changes.
Here we have an airplane.
Doesn't matter what the source is,
Just notice any contact at the ear sense door and resultant sound.
Sound of my voice,
The space between the words.
Noticing also if thoughts come into the mind,
Thoughts about the five sense world.
Sometimes pleasant memories of places you've seen,
Meals you've eaten,
Laughing with friends,
Just echoes of that five sense world.
Sometimes pleasant,
Sometimes unpleasant,
Often just fantasies.
Without pushing thinking away,
Just noticing the nature of the thoughts and stepping back,
Looking on with equanimity.
And it can help to find a place to rest the mind,
Perhaps with physical sensations in the body.
Getting a sense again of your body sitting,
Noticing that every sensation you experience is happening now.
Perhaps beginning by noticing any pleasant sensation in the body.
Pleasant feeling perhaps on the palms of the hands or the top of the head.
Any place that you're not feeling pain or aching or anything that could bring up aversion in the mind.
Just a fairly pleasant or neutral sensation in the body,
Just to rest the mind there.
Often pleasant sensations are found on the skin,
Maybe tingling,
Lightness or warmth.
And see if you can notice that the sensations are changing.
They're not static or fixed.
Just by staying present for a while,
Just looking on,
Happy to be here,
Curious and content,
Keeping the awareness gentle,
Not staring at the sensation,
But just being present to receive whatever it is sensitive to change.
You may start to notice pleasant feelings elsewhere in your body.
Just allow the mind to receive anything pleasant that you notice,
Physical or even mental.
And then notice your relationship to that.
If any clinging arises,
Just notice,
Perhaps notice the tension around that.
And ask yourself,
What is equanimity?
And I allow the mind to incline toward that.
Just looking on as these sensations arise and pass,
Allowing the mind to sink more deeply into this present moment,
Aware of anything fairly pleasant and contented,
Just to be here with what is,
Settling any business,
Ruling the whole world down.
Noticing if your mind is pulled outside like the turtle's limbs into the five sense world,
And just gently bringing those limbs,
Your head,
Two arms and legs back inside your shell to find a contented place in the mind where you can rest for a while.
And if you wish,
You may also notice any unpleasant sensation in the body.
Maybe just choosing one that's not too intense.
See if you can stay present long enough with the disagreeable,
That it too starts to reveal its nature of change,
Noticing its nature,
Maybe throbbing or pulsing sharpness or heat,
Maybe a combination of these things.
What is it that we really call pain?
Just changing sensations arising and ceasing,
Noticing the mind looks on,
Just resting in the peace of equanimity,
Allowing these sensations to arise and pass away,
Staying close,
Staying inside the mind to find a comfortable abiding,
Even amidst the pain,
The discomfort in the body,
And just noticing the mind,
The quality of the mind,
Noticing any peace,
However subtle,
Any contentment you've developed in this meditation,
Contentment wide enough to contain it all,
The pleasant,
The unpleasant,
The fleeting sense impressions,
Memories,
Fantasies,
Wholesome or unwholesome thoughts,
All of it conditioned,
Arising due to causes,
Nothing to concern yourself with,
Just being content,
Happy to be here with whatever this moment presents.
