So this is a meditation that you can do when you're feeling unwell or you don't feel that you have the energy to do your normal meditation practice.
You would still set your meditation up in the same way.
Even if you are lying down on a bed or sitting upright in a comfortable chair,
Wherever you're sitting.
Let your attention drop deeply into your body and let your body drop deeply into the place that you are sitting in or lying in.
Let your body come to a state of dead weight rest.
So that all the muscles around your bones can completely relax.
Spend a few minutes dissolving all the tension or gripping that you have in your body.
Let your hands completely relax.
Let your arms completely relax.
Make sure you're breathing freely and not holding tension in your belly.
Take a long in-breath and a long sigh out and release any tension in your nerves.
Try to connect to the stillness that is resting in the background.
When we feel unwell,
We often feel that we're shaken up inside.
When we have any infection in our body,
It feels as if it's disturbing our mind as well.
So when we're unwell,
We cannot use mindfulness in the same way that we can when we feel settled and balanced.
We have to allow ourselves to drop into a deeper state.
One that is not far from being asleep.
To do this,
You have to let go the grip of your mind.
Let go the tendency to attend to everything,
To worry about everything,
To try to put things right.
Let go the concern about how you are doing.
In this meditation,
We're going to try to connect to the body's deepest intelligence.
The intelligence that we need to carry us through our time of sickness.
So we don't know in our mind how the body puts itself back together again when it is unwell.
We have to trust that intelligence and try to give it the best opportunity possible to work in our favour.
So we must try to get out of the way,
To let go our worries and concerns for a moment and just trust that life is a powerful process and it's always trying to uphold us and support us.
So rest your exhausted mind and rest your exhausted body.
Bring your attention into that place in your heart and even if you feel exhausted there,
Try to rest deeply.
Settle down through all of your exhaustion,
All your feeling unwell,
Try to come to land upon a quiet place that is deep within you.
When you do get to sleep,
You rest there and while you are resting,
That is when your body is most able to recover,
To repair itself,
To bring itself back into a state of balance.
So if we are spending long hours in bed but are not asleep,
Try to connect to that state of natural rest within you,
That place in your heart that is clear,
That is bright even in the worst of storms,
Even when we feel really unwell.
There is a place of refuge even then that we can drop into.
So again let go the gripping of your mind and the tension in your nerves and body,
Breathe it all out.
And let your mind soften completely.
Tune in,
Tune in with me now to that quiet place in your heart.
Let yourself settle down into it.
It doesn't matter whether you are awake or asleep,
It only matters that you just rest there.
Just rest.
There is a peace in that inner space in your heart.
There is a light in that quiet place in your heart.
There is boundless love in that quiet place in your heart.
Every time you come there,
You will find it.
You do not worry,
It doesn't matter how exhausted you are,
It doesn't matter how unwell you are.
That quiet place,
That inner light and that boundless love are always in a state of natural rest in that deepest part of your heart.
This is your refuge,
It is your relief,
It is your comfort.
Let yourself come to settle naturally.
Just rest in the light of your heart.
Know that you are loved,
That there are many people sending you love now,
Holding you in that quiet place within you,
Sending their love to you.
Feel it,
Rest in the love that other people have for you.
Rest in the love that is always in the deepest part of your heart.
Rest in the love that is always in the deepest part of your heart.
This body,
It is constantly changing.
Sometimes it is strong,
Sometimes it is frail.
This mind is constantly changing,
Sometimes it is calm and settled.
Sometimes it is agitated.
Sometimes it is peaceful and happy,
Sometimes it is anxious and worried.
But the light in your heart never changes,
Never wavers.
The mind comes and goes,
The body comes and goes.
The light in your heart remains.
Rest your exhausted mind.
Rest your tired body in the light of your heart and the love that it contains.
You only need to keep prompting yourself to return to the light in your heart and rest.
Whether you are asleep or awake,
It doesn't matter.
Rest in the clear light of your heart,
In that place of inner peace and calm.
May you be happy and peaceful.
May you find deep rest and relief.
May you find comfort and peace.
May you be surrounded by love.
Sukino agimino hon tu sabbe sata abhavantu sukhita.
Rest in the light of your heart.
Let it fill your body and the space that you are in.
Rest peacefully.
Let your mind soften and fall away.
Only the light of your heart remains.
Your body resting.
Your mind resting deeply.
Gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Para sanghate bodhi suham.
Rest deeply in that vast ocean of loving kindness,
In that brilliant clear light.
Of your heart.
Om gathe gathe bara gathe.
Beyond the disturbances of your body,
Beyond the disturbances of your mind.
There is a quiet place within you that is always in a state of rest and peace.
It is never disturbed and it is full of love.
Rest there.
Find your natural state of rest.
Sukhino wa kemino hontu sabhi satabhahontu sukhitaata.
Be happy and peaceful and free from suffering.
May I be happy and peaceful and free from suffering.
Just let yourself rest deeply for as long as you need.
Do this meditation as often as you need.
Let your tired mind and body rest deeply.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be happy.
Sukhino wa kemino hontu sabhi satabhahontu sukhitaata.
Sukhino wa kemino hontu sabhi satabhahontu sukhitaata.
Sukhitaata.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be happy.
