Let's begin with a bell.
Hello and welcome.
Settle in.
Make yourself at ease.
You can be standing,
Seated,
Or lying down.
Eyes open or closed.
I recommend doing this in the least energetic posture possible.
Whatever that means to you.
Letting gravity take over.
Letting muscles relax.
Letting stillness enter and quiet descend.
Going inward.
Maybe you need to stretch or yawn,
Shake or shimmy.
Adjust.
Whatever you need to do to be comfortable and at ease is best for you.
There's not really a right or a wrong in meditation.
There's just a doing it,
Getting better at it,
Getting more relaxed,
Having more practice,
Learning to slip into a state of relaxation quicker and quicker,
And when you are distracted as you will be,
Because that's your brain working alive,
Returning as quickly as possible.
Learning to stay attuned to my voice,
Your body,
Your sensory experience.
Being grateful that you have cognitive processing,
But using it less in meditation.
How's your breathing?
Symmetrical?
Awkward?
Happy?
Expansive?
Just take note.
You don't have to use words.
You don't have to judge it.
Just observe where your breathing is starting.
And maybe you start stretching it out,
Deeper in,
Slower out.
Using the breathing to become expansive,
Stretch into stiff joints and muscles,
Letting it become a guide for your meditative reflection.
Scan your body with a generous awareness from toes to head,
Up and down,
Maybe back again,
Noticing places where you feel good,
Places where you feel uncomfortable,
Warm,
Cool,
Flesh,
Skin,
What do you notice?
Using that generous body awareness to trigger presence and reflection without ruminating,
Fantasizing,
Or regretting.
Just coming into this moment,
And then this moment,
And then this moment.
Slow and steady,
Still and quiet.
We'll reflect upon the lessons that a thief can teach us,
As explained by Rabbi Zuscha of Hanipol,
Centuries ago.
Breathe in for the first lesson.
A thief keeps to oneself.
We can be private and reserved,
Not take up space we don't need to.
Breathe into that.
Let that simplicity and reserve enter itself within you.
Take it in.
Becoming more private,
More quiet,
More internal,
Approaching the interior,
The limitless inner self.
Just letting it flow inward to a private,
Maybe even secretive space that is just yours.
Second,
A thief takes risks.
Where do you need courage?
What risks,
Safe risks,
Are out there that you are avoiding?
What are you being called to do that you might shudder at?
Things with integrity and morality,
But risks nonetheless.
Explore that feeling,
The potential for risk.
Use your breath to safely go into those tricky spots.
What is the risk?
Why is it a risk?
What would be a safe and low-stakes way to approach that risk,
That new experience?
Breathe deeply as you might consider it.
Third,
A thief doesn't distinguish between major and minor things,
Between care and detail.
Could you be more precise,
More specific,
More nurturing of the particulars?
Thinking kindly of yourself,
Are there places where you're vague,
More exact?
Let your mind float around those possibilities,
Places to focus with clarity and precision,
Letting it snap into detail with your breath.
Fourth,
A thief invests great effort in what they do.
Breathing,
Settling,
Remaining slow.
Are there places you only work half-heartedly,
Give partial effort when a stronger more vibrant effort would be better,
Would be important?
Are there times to give your all when you don't?
Explore that in this meditative state.
Where can you be more private,
Adventurous,
Clear,
Committed?
Consider all of that as you breathe,
Settle in stillness,
Listen to quiet and observe your body.
Fifth,
A thief is swift.
Where do you find yourself to be sluggish?
Don't judge yourself,
There's nothing wrong with taking a nap,
Resting a little.
But maybe you're avoiding some things by procrastinating,
Moving slowly.
You're not just gathering information,
Dragging your feet.
Consider those times and moments.
Even as we slow down for meditation,
You might become aware that at other times you may want to speed up,
Walk quicker through the woods,
Complete a task more swiftly.
Examine yourself.
It's possible you're already working too fast,
I can't say.
But breathe into that,
Be open to a possibility.
Places to go a little quicker,
To be swift.
Zusha of Hanipol says,
Sixth,
You're always optimistic.
Where do you experience cynicism or pessimism?
Or a bit of despair?
How's that serving you?
How's that working out?
Is it warranted?
Do you like to or even prefer to feel optimistic?
At every moment,
One could say,
Good things are coming to me.
It doesn't invalidate pain or difficulty or distress.
But that is an honest optimism.
Good things are coming.
It's an honest possibility with attention and strength.
Becoming private,
Courageous,
Focused,
Invested,
Swift and optimistic.
Breathing.
Returning to this meditation.
Making a choice.
And the last trait of a thief that is observed is when he fails,
He comes back time and again for another try.
You may be disappointed when things don't work out as you hoped,
As you may have wished.
Can you forgive yourself and try again?
Can you renew your effort?
Can you come back at it with bravery and resilience?
Where can you be more resilient?
Try and try again.
Breathe into it.
Consider it.
See where you can absorb these lessons of the thief.
Perhaps you want to take a moment to give thanks to Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol centuries ago,
Teaching us the merits of a thief.
Maybe you want to take a moment to be grateful for the time you have to meditate.
Or proud of yourself for doing all of this and being open.
Breathing.
Remaining slow,
Even when you hear the bell.
