The Stillness of the Lake

An equanimity practice inspired in part by Jon Kabat-Zinn and in part by lazy summer days spent at Walden Pond.

Transcript

So just allowing your eyes to close if that feels comfortable.

Following the sound of the bell as it fades.

Feeling yourself sink into the chair or cushion underneath you.

Just feeling those points of contact where your body makes contact with what's underneath you.

Feeling those sensations.

Letting your body sink like the way water sinks into the earth.

Like a lake is just held by the earth that surrounds it.

Just being aware of your own breath.

Feeling the in-breath.

Feeling the out-breath.

And following each in-breath all the way down until there's that point of stillness where it becomes the out-breath again.

Feeling it back down into your body.

And feeling your body resting in the surface underneath you.

Just as if you're imagining taking a stone and throwing it into the center of a lake and watching it drift down with your breath,

Touching the bottom,

Finding stillness.

And just resting there on the bottom of the lake.

As it just comes to rest in the soft sand.

Meanwhile back up at the surface,

Things may look different.

Maybe reflections of the world around.

Or there may be ripples or something else on the surface of the lake.

And you can just notice the world around the lake.

Perhaps there are trees or grass,

Beaches or mountains.

The sky up above reflecting in the lake on a still day.

And yet underneath it all,

Down below the surface,

At the bottom of the breath,

At the bottom of the lake,

The stone just remains perfectly still.

And some days there may be fog.

Just think in the morning obscuring any reflections.

And yet underneath there's stillness.

The stone is unmoving and undisturbed.

The fog may lift.

The surface of the lake has a mirror perfectly reflecting the world around it.

And yet underneath,

Down below,

The stone is just resting and still.

In the morning the long shadows of the trees,

The bright colors of the sunrise reflect.

And yet underneath the stone just rests.

By afternoon some small waves may ripple the surface.

There's no reflection except for the colors and yet underneath the stone is still.

Some afternoons rainstorms may come beating the surface.

Winds may rip at the surface of the lake and yet underneath all is still.

Stone is undisturbed,

Unmoving.

And by evening the reflection of the gold and purple sunsets.

By nightfall the reflection of the moon and the stars.

And yet through it all,

Deep down below,

At the bottom of each breath there's stillness.

At the bottom of the lake there is a stillness.

And summer days gradually become shorter.

The bright greens of the trees begin to fade to yellow.

Yellow to red,

Red to brown.

The air becomes cool and yet underneath the stone is still and unmoving.

The leaves eventually let go from the trees,

Drifting down to the surface of the lake.

Eventually sinking,

Making their way to rest on the floor of the lake next to the stone and yet the stone is undisturbed by the changes in the world around or even the leaves resting on the bottom.

Eventually the trees are bare.

The sky grows white and the days grow short,

Nights long.

As the earliest days of winter begin.

The water may grow cool,

Deep down underneath the surface the stone just remains still.

Into winter some days snow falls or ice freezes on the branches of the trees.

Slowly patches of ice begin to form on the surface of the lake and yet underneath the stone remains still.

These patches begin to connect and snow falls blanketing the entire lake in ice and a layer of snow.

Perfectly white surface reflecting nothing.

Surrounded by snow drenched trees.

And yet deep down the stone just rests beneath the water,

Beneath the ice,

Beneath the snow.

So that while the surface changes,

Down beneath things remain still,

Calm,

Unchanged.

Winter blizzards,

Snow storms.

And eventually the sun begins to return.

The days slightly longer,

The snow melts,

The ice sheets creak and break.

Cold water melting,

Drifting downward and yet the stone just remaining perfectly still.

Ice melts away completely.

Green buds appear on the trees.

Reflections.

It can even be seen once again on the surface of the lake,

Of the trees,

Beaches,

Sky and whatever else surrounds the lake.

And yet down below there's stillness.

Spring again brings rain,

Storms.

A host of weather,

Fog.

And yet through it all the stone remains still.

Through the changing weather,

Through the longer and shorter days,

Through the seasons and temperature,

Through the changes around it,

The lake may look different.

And yet deep below the surface there is a stillness.

The lake remains held by the earth.

And you can touch that stillness within just at the bottom of each breath.

Feeling that moment of stillness with each breath in,

Right before each breath out.

So that any time during your day when you feel foggy,

Stormy,

Or the world around you seems to be changing rapidly,

You can always come back to that stillness within at the bottom of each breath,

Knowing that there's part of you that is unchanging,

Unmoving,

Is perfectly still,

Is undisturbed by any outside events,

Or even changes at the surface.

You can just remain still,

Always coming back to your breath.

Even after I ring the bell,

You can continue to make contact with the bottom of the breath,

The stillness at the bottom of the lake.

And just listening as the bell fades.

Just allowing your eyes to open,

Bringing your awareness back outward.

As you continue to feel the stillness at the bottom of each breath.

Reviews

This was very calming and centering. I imagined myself being held by the Earth just like you said the lake is. That was a wonderful visualization.

I love the imagery of the stillness below the changing surface of the lake 😊 Thank you 🙏

Always a favorite. It centers me each and every time. Namaste.

Such beautiful and nurturing imagery. This meditation is very grounding and strengthening. Thank you so much.

Beautiful metaphor - a place and meditation I’ll certainly be returning to again. Thanks for sharing.

Great

You are good!!!✌🏻

Very calming. Evocative.

Beautiful and useful imagery

I felt I could go deep very quickly with this meditation. Thank you.

Brilliant! Very helpful

My breath is my guide to the stillness within me which never changes. Thank you, I love this meditation

Lovely voice and cadence; useful image! Thank you Christopher.

This is a really peaceful mediation. It helped me fall asleep a couple minutes after I get into bed. It's perfect for anyone who just wants to breath and relax. Thank you, Christopher Willard for this beautiful mediation.

Very nice voice for a guided meditation. Very detailed description throughout the meditation but I didn't find it distracting and was able to really connect with my breath and experience relaxation.

Nice meditation tonight it is very quiet and peaceful. Thanks!

"The stillness at the bottom of each breath." I love that.