Hello,
This is Sturramanis at the London Buddhist Centre.
Today's practice is focusing on simply letting go.
So one of the most satisfying experiences of meditation is just some time and space just to really let go.
And this is something that with confidence and with a certain amount of courage even,
Is something that we can do on deeper and deeper levels,
Really beginning to let go of that sort of that tightness and that holding on to who we think we are that is at the root of why we experience suffering.
So we can just start by relaxing our body and I'll lead us through that.
So setting yourselves up to meditate.
Making sure that you're really comfortable so that you can really let go.
And just notice if you're holding on at all in your face.
If you're holding any expression on your face,
In your forehead,
Your jaw.
And just letting that go.
Not manipulating it.
Not trying to push it away.
Just bringing your awareness into any holding on and just letting it let go of its own accord.
And notice if you're holding in your neck,
In your throat.
Just allowing your throat to relax and open up.
And your shoulders.
Just letting your shoulder blades just melt down your back.
Nice.
Noticing any gripping in the belly.
Just allowing that to unclench like a fist.
And drawing your awareness into the large muscles of your thigh.
And into the large muscles of your thighs and your buttocks.
Noticing any bracing,
Any holding on.
If you can just let that guide just a little bit.
And a little bit more.
And becoming aware of the whole body.
And of the breath as it comes and goes.
A wave of sensation through the body with the breath.
And one good way of really letting go in meditation is to just pay really close attention to the out-breath.
So just watching the whole of the out-breath as you let go more and more deeply.
From right at the start of the out-breath.
All the way to the end as it turns back towards an in-breath.
Noticing any tension that arises anywhere in the body.
And just letting it go with the out-breath.
And just letting it go.
Experiencing the relief of really letting go.
And just letting it go.
And if there are any discomforts in the body.
Just any uneasy,
Unpleasant vedanās,
Feeling tones.
Just relaxing into the experience of that.
Letting go of any tendency to push it away,
To try and change it.
Letting things be.
And just letting it go.
Following the whole of the out-breath.
And just letting it go.
And if there are any sensations that are pleasant,
That are pleasurable.
See if you can let go of them as well.
Just let them be there.
Not trying to make more pleasure.
And just letting it go.
And as you watch the out-breath.
Noticing if any thoughts,
Any narratives,
Concerns or ideas about yourself roll through your mind.
You can just drop them.
Just let them go with the out-breath.
Don't need to be anyone right now.
Just let them be there.
And just letting them go.
Just noticing any ways in which you're not letting go.
Which you don't want to let go.
Or won't.
And as you breathe out,
Just trust that you can let go completely.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
And just letting them go.
