So this is a short guided meditation about pausing for pleasure.
So often our meditation practice is something we have to do to improve ourselves,
To quiet our mind,
To get somewhere.
What if there was peace and delight and stillness in this moment?
In our culture it is radical to feel well-resourced,
To not feel we're depleted or have to do more or buy more.
It's an act of rebellion to be happy in a moment,
To not need anything else,
Anything extra outside of ourselves.
So we'll sit together in this moment and rest into it.
Feel the surface you're sitting or lying on,
How it holds you up.
Lean in,
Have a sigh.
Get comfy.
Bring to mind something in your life that's going well right now.
It can be a taboo to congratulate ourselves,
To feel proud of ourselves.
Take a moment to cultivate that sense of,
Ah,
I did well,
I did good on that.
Bring to mind something in your life that brings you joy.
Your dog or the tree outside your window or a baby or a book you're reading.
Notice the good things that are nourishing you,
That are replenishing you,
That are inspiring you.
Turn towards what is working,
What is wonderful.
They likely won't all be perfect,
Yet there is great grace in noticing what is going well for us.
Notice any sensations of comfort in your body,
Maybe where your back is touching a pillow or your hands are against your legs or where a fleecy sweater is touching your skin.
Find what feels good.
Our minds have momentum and as a society we tend towards the negative,
Towards seeing what needs to improve so we can take the path of radical refuge.
Spend the next few minutes sitting quietly together,
Soaking in what is good,
What is going well,
What is pleasing,
Resting into a sense of wellness.
And bring to mind a sense of gratitude for what is good.
Your lives may not be perfect but give thanks for the connections you do have,
For the things that are lifting you up,
For the support you can feel underneath you from the floor and maybe for the support from other areas of your life too.
Know that throughout your day you can turn towards joy,
Turn towards goodness.
It doesn't have to be a path of denial to see the good.
It can replenish us,
Refill us,
Re-inspire us,
Restore us so that we can show up in the world.
Give ourselves permission to be happy,
To be here,
To be grateful for this life we're living,
This precious life that will pass on too swiftly.
So we'll finish with moments of gratitude in our heart.
Your silence and tears.
And I thank you for taking this time to engage in a moment of pleasure,
To engage in being present with the human experience with what is good,
With what is working.
And I acknowledge that this too is practice and I thank you for your practice,
For your willingness to sit to be part of this community.
And I wish you delight in the rest of your day.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at peace.
