Hello and welcome to The Daily Insight.
My name is Hugh Byrne and I'm a meditation teacher here on Insight Timer.
This 10-minute meditation is an invitation to find peace here and now.
This meditation invites us to find peace in this moment however it is.
To find peace amidst the hustle and bustle and the stresses of daily life.
We don't need to go to a quiet serene place to find peace although this can be a wonderful experience and a gift to us but we can find peace whatever the circumstances or conditions of our life.
Have you ever experienced a time of peace in the midst of a difficult situation where you were able to sit quietly and let go of the stories and the worries in your mind and open to this moment just as it is?
This peace is available anywhere anytime.
So sit in a comfortable and relaxed posture sitting on a chair or a cushion or bench or lying down if you prefer.
Let your body be at ease.
Relaxing your shoulders,
Letting your hands rest in your lap or on your knees or thighs.
Close your eyes if that's comfortable for you or leave them open with a soft unfocused gaze and let your attention drop down out of the thinking mode into your body feeling your body here now.
And you might take a few longer deeper breaths filling the lungs and the chest on the in breath and relaxing and letting go on the out breath.
Breathing in,
Relaxing the body.
Breathing out,
Relaxing the mind.
And when you're ready let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
In breath and out breath.
You might see how it is to invite a smile to your face.
It can be helpful to think of someone you love or a dear friend,
Child or a pet.
Someone who easily makes you feel happy and joyful.
Letting their image come to your mind and into your heart.
And inviting the smile.
Relaxing the body and the mind.
And you might think of two or three or a few things in your life that you would like to do and you might think of two or three or a few things in your life that you feel grateful for.
Allow yourself to take in whatever feelings come up for you as you reflect on gratitude.
Things in your life that you are freely given.
And take that in.
This is a poem by Dorothy Hunt,
Peace is this moment without judgment.
Do you think peace requires an end to war or tigers eating only vegetables?
Does peace require an absence from your boss,
Your spouse,
Yourself?
Do you think peace will come some other place than here?
Some other time than now?
In some other heart than yours?
Peace is this moment without judgment.
That's all.
This moment in the heart space where everything that is is welcome.
Peace is this moment without thinking that it should be some other way.
That you should feel some other thing.
That your life should unfold according to your plans.
Peace is this moment without judgment.
This moment in the heart space where everything that is is welcome.
Peace is this moment without judgment.
This moment in the heart space where everything that is is welcome.
Now sit in a way that's comfortable and relaxed.
Keeping a gentle awareness on your breathing.
And you could send yourself some wishes of peace and well-being.
Using these words and phrases if they're helpful.
Or using your own words.
Or none at all.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and with kindness.
And if your mind wanders just bring your attention back to your body and to your breathing.
And the phrase is,
May you be safe.
May I be safe.
Peaceful.
Live with ease and with kindness.
Whatever comes up for you have the intention to meet it with acceptance and with kindness.
Peace.
You might ask yourself is peace possible in this moment whatever you are experiencing?
Is peace possible in this moment whatever you're experiencing?
Notice anything that might be in the way of being at peace right now.
An ache or a difficult memory or a worry about the future.
And you might ask yourself can I be at peace right now in the midst of this?
Can I be at peace right now in this moment just as it is?
Peace.
Peace.
Peace.
Appreciate the effort that you've made and if you like you might sit for a few minutes after the bell sounds with this question.
Is peace possible in this moment just as it is?
Peace.
