Just closing your eyes.
And as we begin to move towards practice,
Just knowing that this equanimity,
It's about stability and balance,
Sense of space,
A sense of patience.
And so you might even wanna take a little bit of time right now to make sure that you are sitting or lying down in a posture that lets you physically feel that sense of stability and groundedness and space.
Notice as I start to move in that way,
There's an uprightness,
But I can really feel my feet planted on the floor,
My hands resting in my lap.
There's kind of a lift to the ribcage and it might be something else for you,
Just letting yourself sit in a way that you're embodying some of this sense of groundedness and grounded,
Present,
Spacious awareness.
And as you do,
Just feeling your body at rest and just seeing if you can bring some extra relaxation into the body as you arrive.
Letting the back of your tongue relax.
Letting your jaw relax.
So allowing your neck and your shoulders also to relax.
Noticing how as your tongue and your jaw relaxes,
Your neck and shoulders soften,
That it starts to make it possible for the rest of your body to relax too.
Now,
As you let your body continue to relax,
Just noticing your breath and allowing your breath to be as easeful.
So you might let your out-breath just extend a little longer than your in-breath.
The reason that we do that sometimes is that it actually sends a signal to the nervous system that we can relax even more,
Which is helpful as we explore equanimity.
Just noticing how as you allow the breath to just be easeful,
Extending that out-breath a little bit,
There's even a little more space,
A little more relaxation that might be available.
And just now allowing yourself to imagine or sense or envision that you're standing on top of a big,
Sturdy hill or a mountain.
Feeling your feet just planted firmly on that earth.
Feeling how the steadiness and the stability of that mountain,
That earth,
Just can hold you and support you.
And just noticing how from this mountain,
You can see out in all directions,
Off into the horizon,
Seeing everything below you,
This expansive view all around.
Just noticing how as you find yourself here with this big view,
That you can see things more clearly.
You've got a sense of perspective.
You're able to feel the way that this moment right now is one of many.
There were countless moments that came before it.
And countless moments that will come after it.
Feeling the way that up here,
You can sense into the fact that joy arises and passes.
Sorrow arises and also passes.
All of our experiences and flows.
Here we feel that big picture view.
And just noticing what that feels like.
Feet on the ground,
Supported by the earth.
Able to just be with this expansive mountain presence.
You might even sense into that fact that this mountain,
This earth you're standing on was formed over millions of years ago.
Or so much has arised and passed,
Taken place since then.
And here you are,
Standing in the middle of it all.
Allowing yourself just to look out or imagine now as you stand here on this mountain,
Some situation in life that feels good.
Something that's pleasant for you.
It could be something big,
Could be something small.
And just allowing yourself to experience that pleasant thing from this mountain top view.
Noticing what that's like.
How does this expansive,
Balanced,
Patient view meet that joy?
And then just letting it go.
Returning back to the sense of just being here on the mountain top,
This expansive,
Big perspective.
That can look over everything.
Just resting in that presence,
That stability,
That patience.
All the seasons,
All the storms and sunsets,
All the flowers blooming that this mountain has seen,
Eons.
And just allowing yourself now to bring to mind to look over a situation that feels unpleasant.
Maybe something that you're not happy about.
Something that's painful or difficult.
And just bringing this expansive,
Bigger picture view,
The stability and the spaciousness of this mountain top perspective to meet that difficult experience.
Just noticing what that's like.
How does the spacious perspective influence your experience of this unpleasant thing or difficult situation?
What is it like when these two experiences,
Two energies converge?
If that difficult situation's feeling particularly overpowering,
Might just lean back into that mountain-like perspective and see what can you do to bring just a little more space,
Knowing that this difficult situation will pass.
Just like the years and seasons and natural processes that I have experienced by the mountain,
This too is impermanent.
Just feeling your feet on the ground,
And inviting the stability and balance of the mountain to help hold you.
Maybe even the vastness of the sky.
And just letting go of this.
And just remaining here for a moment with your breath and your body.
Just feeling the ebb and flow of breath,
The arising and passing of sensation.
And as you're ready,
Just coming back into the room.
