Hello everyone and welcome.
My name is Mackenzie.
I'm honored to hold space for you.
Thank you for being here.
Make yourself comfortable in a sitting position.
Whether you cross your legs,
Sit on your shins or in a chair is up to you.
Wherever you feel most supported is best as it's important to remain as still as possible for the duration of our time together.
Now that you're still,
Close your eyes.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Now,
You're ready to breathe.
Supported by stillness.
Now,
Submerge in silence.
Notice the art of deep listening.
Rather than listening to respond,
Listen to understand.
Consider your thoughts.
Feel your breathing.
Notice your level of awareness.
Imagine people in a rowboat.
They could be rowing and rowing,
Exerting tremendous effort and energy.
But unless someone remembers to untie the boat from the dock,
Their effort will be fruitless.
Meditation can be like this.
Our effort is meaningless.
Unless we remember to carry it with us.
Off our cushion.
Into the world.
Everything is connected.
As within,
So without.
So without,
As within.
What we believe inside affects how we behave outside.
How we behave outside affects how we feel inside.
Consider your daily interactions with others.
How we behave outside affects how we behave outside.
In Buddhism,
There are five precepts that outline right livelihood.
In Pali,
The word is sila,
Meaning code of conduct.
These five guidelines for morality help us quite literally clean up our act inside so that we may live a life of integrity outside.
Plant these phrases in your mind.
Let them refine your motivation now so it's easier,
Even after meditation,
To act kindly to others.
May I refrain from harming.
May I refrain from stealing.
May I refrain from sexual misconduct.
May I refrain from lying.
May I refrain from taking intoxicants.
At first,
These may sound obvious.
But think of the subtle ways these can manifest.
Search your memory for tiny microaggressions invisible to the untrained eye,
Toward yourself and others.
Like when we use hurtful words,
Steal credit from others,
Tell white lies,
Or become intoxicated by addiction,
Lost in obsession.
By not engaging in this type of behavior,
How might you better be able to show up for yourself and the world?
These five precepts save us from creating complex conditions within so that our efforts are fruitful without.
Our lives become more pure,
Cleaner,
Lighter,
And brighter.
This way of living gives you the gift of fearlessness.
Because when you abide by these,
You don't have to worry about whether you're doing the right thing.
You no longer suffer from guilt,
Remorse,
Confusion,
And delusion.
You can know that your boat is untied from the dock.
Your effort is helping you sail toward liberation.
You've become immortalized.
You Take a deep breath in.
A complete breath out.
As you blink your eyes open,
Don't let this practice end.
Carry this clarity off your cushion and into the world.
Namaste.
