So there's an oft-used expression,
Which is,
This too shall pass.
And I think the intention of it is good.
It's like,
If this is good,
It'll pass.
If this is bad,
It'll pass.
And I think the way that we often use it,
Or it's most commonly used,
Is if something bad's going on,
It's like,
Well,
This too shall pass.
So it actually can lead to a form of clinging,
Of wanting this to pass.
It can be an expression of wanting this to pass,
Clinging to a future,
A possible future.
And it does have that impact as well,
Where it takes you into another time,
And perhaps another place.
This too shall pass.
So a past,
So you start to go,
Your mind starts to go to what it may pass to.
So perhaps it's more effective to abbreviate that expression to just this too.
And today I thought that might be a good approach for our practice.
Whatever arises in your practice today,
Consider it as another legitimate experience,
Not something that you need to get past,
Not something that you need to overcome,
Just this too.
And so to see it as something that has arisen,
And to see it as it passes away,
Because it does.
It may not pass away during this practice,
Or it may,
But it will pass away.
We know that.
So just with whatever arises today,
Like a gentle welcoming,
This too,
This too.
So with that said,
I invite you to settle into your posture,
Your meditative pose,
As it were.
Awake,
Relaxed,
And perhaps take a deep breath or two to settle into this space now.
And to allow relaxation to unfold.
Part of the settling,
As you settle,
It's likely that things,
Parts of you will relax.
Allow that,
Don't get in the way.
Whatever arises,
I don't know if you can hear my dog panting,
But whatever arises,
This too.
A tendency for me perhaps,
If I heard my dog panting right next to me while I was trying to meditate,
Maybe I would think,
I wish that would stop.
I need it to be quiet.
And thoughts like that arise,
Just see that thought as of this too,
The experience as of this too.
And continuing to allow relaxation,
So just dropping,
Dropping,
Dropping,
Like a small stone in a well.
And as you relax,
As relaxation occurs,
Noticing perhaps how some things seem to open up,
The vista grows,
Or perhaps thoughts diminish a little,
And how it becomes easier to notice sounds,
Sensations,
Experiences that pass by and through us.
And when thoughts arise,
This too.
When sensations arise,
This too.
Sounds,
This too.
Occupying a space as best as possible,
Where you are not the doer,
But you are the seer,
The experiencer,
The one that sees,
That which sees.
So you can observe the experiences happening rather than be caught up in them.
Noticing when you do get caught up in them,
That the this too disappears,
And it becomes all about the this thought or this experience.
And if you've been able to relax some,
And if you've been able to notice these things as this too,
It's possible that things have gotten a little quieter inside the mind.
You still notice where there's commentary.
Sometimes it's very subtle,
Wherever you notice the commentary,
This too.
And have you noticed that even this too is a form of commentary?
What is it that notices that which says this too?
See if it's possible to go there.
Is there a space that just sees,
Doesn't comment,
Doesn't judge?
Space perhaps of curiosity,
But with no need for an answer,
Just curiosity.
The curiosity is safe.
Space that may be unmoved by whatever arises.
Space of awareness,
Unmoved but not heavy,
Unmoved and aligned.
Space perhaps of freedom and clarity.
So an awake space,
Not a drifty space.
One that sees,
That experiences all of it,
The entire diorama,
All the this too's.
Noticing if you're trying to make something happen,
Trying to attain a certain state or experience,
Trying to not think,
Any form of striving or even any form of thinking you know what this is supposed to be.
As best as possible,
This too.
Recognizing it as another mental state,
Striving or efforting.
It's a mental state.
Wanting something to be a certain way,
Expectations,
Mental state.
Thinking you know,
It's a mental state.
It's all just another thing to this too.
And if things quieten down any,
And all that remains is this too.
See if it's possible just to see from the space that sees the this too,
Rather than the space that says the this too.
So an invitation to concentrate concentrate whatever it is that you're experiencing now.
See if it's possible to concentrate,
Condense it into the heart space.
Bring it in.
Hopefully some sense of aliveness,
Awakeness,
Maybe some joy,
Some compassion.
Whatever it is,
Is it possible to condense it all into the heart space.
Allow it to reside there,
To emanate from there,
Radiating over the world,
Upwards to the skies,
Downwards to the depths,
Outwards and unbounded.
Allow that to carry you through the day.
Giving you something to return to again and again,
When needed.
When things get a little cray cray,
Turning to the heart space,
And a sense perhaps of boundlessness,
And remembering and remembering this too.
Thank you for your practice.
