A Meditation From The Radical Act Of Abandoning Hate

“Welcome and entertain them all….
They may be clearing us out for some new delight.”
The ancient mindfulness texts aren’t as big on this.
They say, the path to liberation is to abandon ill will. 
Give it up!
Let it go as if it’s burning your hand – because it is.

Transcript

So finding your posture for right now,

Whatever posture will best support you and bringing real dignity to this moment.

That this is a moment of formal practice,

Not a time to let the mind wander,

Although of course it will,

But a time to really dedicate to the practice,

To pay attention and bring up some joy for that.

Wow,

We've got this time.

So finding that posture and the sense of the body sitting or standing or lying down or walking around or driving,

But just feeling into the body for a moment.

How is this body right now?

And noticing if even right there in attending to the body,

Any aversion arises,

Any ill will arises.

I wish I didn't have that tightness in my neck.

I need more coffee.

Just anything,

The slightest thing and just smile because that's how it is and then let it go.

And then finding the breath,

If the breath is your anchor,

Your refuge,

The breath in the body,

Or if sound is a better anchor,

A better refuge for you and inviting the attention to rest there.

And when the attention wanders,

Because that's what it does,

When the mind wanders,

If there's any aversion,

Any thought that that shouldn't be happening,

Just drop it and come back.

If thoughts arise or if you get lost in thought and that's not what you wanted to have happen,

Just drop that,

Drop that not wanting,

Just notice,

Oh,

That happened.

Drop any opposition to what's happening right now in this moment.

Unwelcome emotion,

Not a problem.

And drop it and come back.

Restlessness in the body,

Drop any opposition to that and then drop the restlessness.

If there's worry,

Not a problem,

That worry is present,

Just drop any problem with that and then drop the worry.

Now just drop any thought,

Any assessment of how this practice went,

Just drop all that too.

And take one last intentional breath.