Taking It Easy

This recording will help you take it easy. It's simple and kind and within you. It helps to let go of all the things we think are so important, and coming back to our simple selves. It's nice to come back home to the peace within us.

Transcript

Welcome.

It's good to be here with you.

And today we're talking about taking it easy.

And that's a common phrase.

It's even an Eagles song.

But there's something really,

Really nice about it because what it means is it means letting go of the opposite.

The worry,

The fear,

The uncertainty.

And essentially returning to that quiet part of ourselves that gets covered up with all the chaos.

The chaos.

The thoughts of chaos,

You know.

Because there's a real there's a supreme quiet underneath that we don't notice because it's always there.

It's an innate part of us.

And we don't notice things that stay the same,

That don't change.

And our attention tends to go to things that are noisier,

That capture our attention.

The drama.

Our attention tends to go to that.

And that's okay,

You know.

We're basically encouraged to do that.

To put our attention in the direction of what's fearful.

We certainly get that message from the news,

From the internet.

It's like a virus.

A virus of worry and fear.

And that's different from actual fear of something that's happening in front of us.

Like of a pipe bus under our sink.

Or with somebody and they trip and fall and they hurt themselves.

We want to help them.

But most of the fears are unfounded.

They're fantasy.

And we can get habituated to that.

To being in that frame of mind.

I've certainly done that.

I'm aware of how easy it is for that to happen.

So that's why it's nice to be reminded and come back to the quiet.

That's,

Again,

That's within us.

There's a peacefulness already in us.

It's like if you have a floor and it's really dirty.

And you just think of it as a dirty floor.

Like,

Oh,

This floor is so dirty.

But after cleaning it,

Removing the dirt,

There's a clean floor.

It was there all along.

And so is that quiet aspect of all of us.

Something we have in common.

And just being reminded of it,

Maybe you start to get a sense of it.

A feel for it.

Because it's not a dead silence or dead quiet.

There's vibrancy in it.

There's aliveness in that quietness.

And we put our attention on it.

It's like vibrating that quiet,

That quiet aspect that permeates us.

So maybe you get an inkling of it or a sense of it just by putting your attention on it by my talking about it.

And maybe your attention goes back on to something like,

Oh my god,

But what if,

What if?

Or,

Oh my,

You know,

Whatever we can imagine.

That's bad.

That could happen to us.

And the attention might go back to that.

And that's okay.

You know,

It's a habit.

So it's natural for our minds to go back to that.

And that doesn't feel very good.

So we start to notice a discomfort.

So when that happens,

Perhaps you come back to that feeling of that sense of quietude,

A sense of peace underneath everything.

Sometimes noticing our breath can help us connect back to that quiet,

That peace.

There's a lot of comfort in recognizing the breath.

Because that's real.

That's what's happening.

There's no fantasy in the breath.

The breath is 100% here.

And we can feel it coming in through our nose or through our mouth and feel our chest expand as our lungs expand with the breath,

Taking in the breath.

And that oxygen is transported through our entire body,

Enlivening us.

It's happening all the time,

Even when we're sleeping.

Maybe you notice by putting your attention on your breath that there's something very satisfying,

Peace-giving.

A feeling of being at home.

A feeling that everything's okay.

Even in midst of perhaps there is an actual turmoil that's happening around you,

There's still that peace of the breath.

And the great thing is,

You don't have to remember to breathe.

The breath is happening to you all the time,

Even when you're sleeping,

Even when you don't think about it.

If you didn't have that breath,

You wouldn't be able to hear me talk.

You wouldn't be alive.

You wouldn't be experiencing anything.

So this breath is really,

It's quite a gift to be given.

It's nice to remember.

To be aware of that breath coming in and going out,

Coming in and going out.

You feel your mind settle with awareness of your breathing.

That's your natural state.

That's who you are naturally,

Is that peace.

That's what you were born with.

It's been with you since,

Since that time.

Like a loving companion.

And it's so simple.

Noticing your breath is incredibly simple,

Which is why we don't really notice it,

Because it's so,

It's always there.

Sometimes we think in order to feel peaceful again,

Or to be able to take it easy,

That there's something that we have to do that's,

That is difficult.

Some technique,

Or we have to move really far away from everything,

And shut ourselves off,

And from all activity.

But that's not necessary,

Because the breath is there,

And it's available to be noticed.

And it's something we all have in common.

I have this breath coming in and out,

Giving me life,

And so do you.

And it's nice to be aware of that,

Because so much of the time our differences are pointed out to us,

Through media,

Through the internet.

It becomes a source of tension,

Me against everyone.

That's a hard way to live,

But it's a way that a lot of us are used to,

Because it's promoted.

Our differences are promoted in the news,

And social media,

And the internet,

And the news.

So,

We become aware of our breathing,

Of our breath,

Of the natural inhalation,

And the actual exhalation.

Then,

We have an opportunity to go in the direction of that peace,

And to feel connected to others,

Rather than separate.

Because this separateness is exhausting for us,

To feel it's me against the world,

Is demoralizing.

It wears us out,

It hurts our hearts.

When we feel connected,

Then our hearts heal,

And our mind heals,

And our body heals.

Everything.

It's like a wave of healing.

Again,

You don't have to go anywhere for it,

Or buy it,

Or ask someone for it,

Or ask someone to show you how to do it,

Or take courses.

It's like,

It's built in.

Built-in apparatus of peace.

Noticing the breath,

Or thinking about that peacefulness that's underneath all that agitation,

Or the thoughts,

Or the overwhelm.

There's a peace underneath all that,

And that's who we are.

So,

It's not something to be attained.

It's really like a redirection of attention.

And again,

One of the simplest ways is to recognize the breath.

And you don't have to remember this.

It'll come to you,

In the midst of whatever it is that you're doing.

You may get overwhelmed by something,

And you remember,

Oh,

My breath.

And then you feel the peace come back,

Or the peace illumined,

You know,

The hidden peace.

The remembrance,

The remembering.

Oh yeah,

My nature,

You know.

So,

I wish you the best,

And we'll see what happens.

See what happens.

Take care.

Reviews

Wise words from a true Survivor! Thanks 🙏🏻

Love it. Tried this instead of a less helpful habit and it was nurturing, calming and helpful. Brooks’ sincerity of conviction and loving care come through. Doing it over right now! 😌🙏🏽🌸