Let's do a short practice together.
This morning we did the Nakama practice,
And I think it would be nice to do it again.
It bears repeating,
So give such nice results.
So let yourself find your seat,
Let yourself feel settled.
Let your body come to rest.
Let your heart and mind settle as well.
Nakama is one of the parameters,
And it can be translated as renunciation,
But I think really at the heart of it is not to give anything away or push anything away,
But to feel that we have a choice.
Feel where we want to look,
Where we want to be and move to.
So settle in and find some clear,
Comfortable object.
It may be your breath,
And if that's not clear and comfortable for you,
Which it's not for many people,
You can feel your feet on the earth.
You can feel the resting of your hands,
Maybe the cool air on your hands as well.
See what's clear and simple for you,
And let your mind find this.
Take some time and choose to do that.
And let your attention rest there.
Feel that resting,
Feel that ease.
As you feel it and you know it,
It becomes familiar.
And then it grows very naturally,
And your mind finds your way back to this place.
And sometimes,
As peaceful as this is,
As much as this is said to be a place of ease,
Your mind will stay someplace more familiar,
Even if it's more difficult,
Even if there's unrest.
And what to do now if you feel that is approach it as if we're having this experience,
Letting it come to rest in a soft open palm,
And let yourself find that now.
Whatever unrest you may feel,
Whatever difficulty,
See that as if you're holding it with a soft open palm.
What this does is it lets you see the extent of this experience.
These experiences feel as if there's a whole world.
It's the only thing you'll ever know or feel is this difficulty.
But when you hold it this way,
You can really see that it's just temporary,
That it's going to change,
That it's not as huge and compelling as it presents itself.
See if you can do that now.
Looking at whatever is difficult,
Just holding it,
Letting it have its life,
Choosing not to struggle,
Letting it rest in your soft open palm.
And you're seeing this difficult experience that may be so familiar.
You're seeing that it's not the whole world,
But it still may be that it feels very persistent now.
What you can do here is to send yourself kindness,
Knowing this is your reality.
This is your reality.
It may not be all encompassing,
But it's here right now and it's difficult.
And send kindness to yourself,
To the experience as best you can.
A way to do that is to very simply feel that kindness in your body and see is there some place where that can be right now,
This sense of kindness,
Whether you can get your shoulders to rest and feel some ease.
For some people,
Not everyone,
But for some people,
You can have your breath feel some ease as well.
Perhaps in your heart center,
See what it is for you.
How in this face of this difficulty,
Can you send some kindness,
Experiencing some rest in your body?
See what you find.
So it's a choice to see the extent of this experience.
It's a choice to send kindness.
There's another choice that you can make once you've literally put this experience in hand,
And that's to choose to move your attention.
So it's here and it's real.
Maybe it disentangled and maybe it didn't,
But you've looked at it.
And now see if your attention is willing to go to some place that's more restful.
See if you can make that choice just now.
Remembering peace and beingness and choosing to find that again.
Sorry.
Let this peace and ease become familiar.
That this choice become familiar.
Every time you feel it.
Every time you become aware and know it.
It becomes easier.
It becomes your new habit.
Something that will quickly come to mind and just taking that possibility.
Taking this possibility that peace and ease just naturally grow.
And that we come to feel more safe.
We come to feel more well-being.
And send the wish that just as you can come to feel safer.
Just as you can come to feel more well-being.
Send the wish that all beings can feel this.
That all beings will feel safe and at ease.
That all beings will feel cared for and respected.
Take care.
