Good morning.
My name is Ian Solomon,
And I am the dean of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy here at the University of Virginia.
Welcome to this shared virtual space for our meditation on the lawn.
We are unified by our intentions of peace and connection and presence.
Wherever you are,
Welcome into community with me and with hundreds of others around the world.
Imagine for a moment,
If you will,
That we are not separate beings living apparently separate lives.
But rather,
Imagine that we are interdependent cells of a single living organism.
Imagine that some of us may be blood cells or skin cells,
Bone cells,
Cells in an arm or a leg,
In the heart,
In the stomach,
But we are all connected to the health and well-being of this same organism.
Each of us fulfilled and made whole by the thriving and fulfillment of all of us.
Each of us reduced and incomplete by the suffering or disconnection of any of us.
There is a powerful African concept of Ubuntu.
Ubuntu means in essence that I am because you are.
You are because we are.
We are humans through each other.
Our humanity is intertwined,
Interdependent,
Realized through our mutuality and being in relationship with one another.
So I thank you for joining our community of meditation practice today.
Ubuntu.
I will encourage this bowl to sing and you can allow its vibration to enter your space and your own consciousness.
If you are comfortable,
Please allow your eyes to gently close,
Your jaw to relax,
And perhaps just the faintest of smiles to grace your lips.
Come this new day as a gift.
It is not an entitlement.
We can embrace the miracle of our awareness right here and right now.
Bring your attention to the experience of being alive and let's practice maintaining our attention so that we are conscious of life.
Our practice today is simple.
To sit and to be aware that we are sitting.
To breathe and to be aware that we are breathing.
To hear sounds and be aware that we are hearing sounds.
To periodically get lost in thought and when we do,
To become aware that we are lost in thought so that we can come back to sitting and being aware that we are sitting.
Give yourself permission to let go of everything else other than what you are aware of moment to moment.
Welcome the air to fill your lungs as you inhale.
Welcome the release of air from your lungs as you exhale.
And you might think to yourself,
Breathing in,
I am aware that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I am aware that I am breathing out.
Sitting,
I am aware that I am sitting.
I am aware of the air against the skin of my arms.
I am aware of vibrations in my ears recognized as sound.
I am aware that I am sitting.
I sit just a bit taller and straighter and I am aware of my posture.
I am aware of my feet resting against the floor.
My hands resting in my lap.
Bring a loving awareness to each breath.
Bring a loving awareness to each bodily sensation.
Bring a loving awareness to any thoughts that appear in your consciousness.
Sitting I am aware that I am thinking.
Sitting I am aware that I am sitting.
Be gentle with yourself.
Simply aware of the experience of awareness.
The objective is not to empty our minds,
But rather to steady our minds in the awareness of our present reality.
As we practice this awareness,
Our mind can become our ally in peace and loving kindness.
Breathing in,
I am aware that I am breathing in.
I take a deep and long breath and I am aware that I am taking a deep and long breath.
I am aware of the silence,
The gap between my breaths.
And when you feel ready,
You may open your eyes.
Seeing I am aware that I am seeing.
Looking around I am aware that I am looking around.
You may take this awareness with you throughout your day.
I am because you are.
You are because we are.
We are united in our intention for peace.
May we be happy.
May we be safe.
May we be at ease and free from compulsion.
May we be well.
And may we experience many conscious moments of joy and fulfillment.
Thank you for sharing this time with me today.
