Meditation

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Transcript

So we'll begin with the meditation and before we actually get into the set i just share just a few reflections on the meditation itself. You know, In the buddhist tradition and in other traditions of meditation as well there are very many different forms of meditation And in many of these forms were trying to cultivate or develop particular states. Of heart and mind or body, Whatever. For example, If we're doing a concentration meditation, We're trying to. . . You know, In a gentle and kind way, Get the mind. Really focused you know focused and one-pointed and malleable, But also that focus. And so we're trying to, You know, In a sense, We're trying to create a state or generate or cultivate a state. Similarly, If we're cultivating loving kindness or compassion. You know, We're inviting those qualities to arise in us. But with mindfulness meditation, We're not really. . . Excuse me we're not trying to develop any particular state we're not you know calm may be part of what comes up or joy may be part of what comes up but It's not the states that we're looking for. We're really, What we're cultivating is a way of being with our experience. And essentially that is one of. . . Welcoming or accepting whatever is arising in the body and the heart and the mind. So what that kind of means is that we're. . . We're bringing, I think of it as a kind of non-controlling attitude to our experience. We're not trying to make it something, You know, Or change it from something, But we're really allowing what is here to be here. To come and to go. When things are ready to go. So not clinging to anything, Not pushing anything away, Not judging what's happening for us. But bringing this open, Receptive awareness to our experience. So with that, I just invite you to. Come into a posture that's comfortable and relaxed. No sitting with your back straight. Maybe let your hands rest comfortably in your lap or on your knees or on your thighs. Maybe inviting their shoulders to relax. Letting the chest be open so you can Breathe easily. And if you're comfortable, You could let your eyes gently close, Let your attention come inward. Or if you prefer, You can just keep your eyes open with a soft, Unfocused gaze. And you might find it helpful to just take a few longer, Deeper breaths. A nice full deep in-breath. Filling the chest, Filling the lungs. And then a long, Slow out breath. Releasing letting go on the out breath Breathing in. Calming the body breathing out. Calming the mind. Letting the deeper breathing help you just to settle into being here. Being here. And open to whatever is present for you right now And if you feel comfortable, You might invite a smile or a half smile. Activating the muscles around your eyes and around your mouth maybe thinking of someone or something that It brings you some joy or happiness. Inviting the smile maybe inviting the smile down into your body into the heart area When we do this, We gladden, Gladden the mind, Gladden the heart. We bring create the conditions for happiness joy to be present or it can be helpful as we begin the meditation. Just letting the breath be as it is returning to its natural rhythm. Breathing in. Breathing out. As you breathe in, Just know you're breathing in. And as you breathe out, Know you're breathing out. We can see this practice as a really a practice of attunement attuning ourselves like we would with you're a wee find the dial on a radio and tune in to a particular station. We can tune in to different aspects of our experience. So you might just tune in to Your body right now. And just notice anything that stands out for you. Maybe there's some tension in a particular area of the body. You can just Let your awareness come to that area and. . . Notice what feelings are present and just let them come. Let them be. When they're ready let them go Maybe notice something in another area, Maybe some. . . Excitement or some energy and just let your attention kind of tune in to that. Maybe there's a feeling of. . . Pressure. Where the body touches the chair or the feet touch the floor you can tune in to that It's letting the sensations come and go in their own time. Allowing whatever is present to be here to come and go in its own time so we're not holding on to anything. Not pushing anything away. Not judging our experience, Resisting it. Is simply being aware of it with kindness. And in the same way as you. . . Tune in to the body You might. Now tune in to your mood or emotions. Notice what's present, If anything, Right now. There might be a sense of peace. Or there could be some sadness. Or some tension or worry. If you can again make space for whatever is here right now. Again letting whatever feelings. Sensations thoughts whatever's present letting them come and go in their own time. You might, If you feel ready, Tune into the mind. You know tune in to noticing whether there's a lot of thinking in the mind or whether the mind is fairly settled and calm. However it is, Just allow that to be as it is. So we're putting our awareness at the center. Making our awareness. Or resting in awareness may be a better way. Tuning it to where we We want to pay attention. And if you find yourself poured into a lot of thinking, Just choose to let the thoughts go, Not follow them. And just come back to the awareness. Notice the difference between awareness of thinking and being caught up in thought, Pulled along by our thoughts. They're just resting in this attitude of accepting with kindness whatever is arising. It might find it helpful to just let your attention rest on your breathing. In breath and the out breath and let that be your home base. While you rest your attention. Something strong calls for your attention you can move to that Be aware of it. When it passes, Just come back to the breath again. Thank you. Thanks. Notice where you're tension is right now. And any time you Notice that you're caught up in thinking planning or remembering or Daydreaming. Just gently and kindly. Let your awareness come back to the body, Come back to the breath. Come back to. This moment being here. Thank you. Thank you. Might just take a moment to check in with your body and notice if there's any area where there might be some tension or some of unconscious holding. Resisting. And invite that area to relax. Relax, Centre being here. Nowhere to go, Nothing to. . . To. . . Just simply to be. Here with your experience as it is. And just noticing where the attention is right now. And knowing that you can begin again in any moment. The better how. Many times the mind has gone off or for how long can always just Come back. To this breath. This feeling. This sound, This moment. Thank you.