Take as many grounding breaths as you need to.
Close in your eyes or lower in your gaze if you haven't already.
And see how long you can sit in the silence of your present state before your mind wanders.
When your mind does wander,
Bring your attention back to your breath.
And note how your body and mind are more intertwined than we tend to be attuned to.
Feel all your body sensations,
Allowing them to reverberate with the soothing movement,
Sound,
And strength your breath provides.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
Take a deep breath in and out,
Seeing where this koan lands.
We will repeat it several times in our meditation today.
So trust that by the end of this practice,
You can and will find an initial interpretation of it for yourself.
I invite you to take a deep breath every time it is repeated,
Furthering your embodiment of the message your inner wisdom provides you from it.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
A drop of water becomes an ocean.
What factors contribute to it?
Turning into ice,
A tsunami,
A snowfall,
A stream.
Is it the weather that dictates the nature of the water?
Or the water's ability to adapt?
Feel the calmness of the waves of your breath,
And note whatever thoughts,
Emotions,
Sensations emerge and float on these waves as the impermanent experiences they are.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
An infant growing leads to moving forward and development.
Whether it is standing,
Walking,
Running,
Hibernation leads to transformation.
One habit sustained can lead to so much creation.
Opportunities to build off of,
Stories to be shared,
Memories alive in the fabric of our DNA.
Will they remain the same?
Or take on a whole new meaning?
See what resonates in this moment,
Deepening your breath and widening the sense of support your body experiences with your insights expanding.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
Walking the same path is never the same experience.
Think of a route you take often and recall all the new sights,
Sounds,
Situations that present with each excursion.
What is it that you are conscious of?
What is it that you may have found to pass your mind's view?
Not seeing it,
But not really noticing its beauty.
Imagine what it is like to give yourself a chance to really see the change around you with the curiosity of a child.
We can turn a mile into a marathon and will with our repetition and consistency.
We can turn a marathon into a journey with our curiosity and our appreciation of the changes along the way.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
Your coming to group has formed a new pattern,
A neural pathway fired and formed,
Created for the strengthening of your interpretation of the world,
The forming of new patterns,
The very nature of one of the most powerful resources we all possess.
Our thoughts.
What thoughts have been most powerful in allowing you to activate positive change in your life?
What thoughts have released you from the previous paths?
Think about how each step has led you to a new level.
Each level,
A new floor,
A vast exploration of the building of a whole new thing.
Recognize how your presence in the space creates a ripple effect for those around you.
Whether this is your first time here or you have been here before,
This group is a whole new thing because you are present.
Notice anything that comes to mind at this point in the practice.
See where the koan lands when we repeat it one more time.
More of the same can be a whole new thing.
As you return your attention to your body,
Take as many deep breaths as you need.
When you return to the space,
Give yourself a minute to notice any changes in how you feel and the space around you.
Feel free to jot down any of your thoughts in a meditation journal or just reflect on anything that comes to mind before fully returning to us for the reflection on what this was like for everyone.
Thank you for your presence and your practice.
