Contemplating Heart Mind -From Day 6 Of An Online Retreat Aug-Sept 2021

This recording firstly guides the listener in warm benevolence as a background resource to bring attention to the heart-mind. It then provides audio guidance to a meditation based on the third establishment of mindfulness, contemplating heart mind. It is the second meditation of Day 6 of a 10-day silent online retreat with Malcolm Huxter and Lisa Brown Aug-Sept 2021.

Transcript

Contemplating heart-mind.

So you're invited to construct your posture so that it is dignified.

If you're sitting upright,

Stable.

If you're lying symmetrical.

And rouse an intention for this practice.

And having rouse an intention.

You're invited for a few moments to cultivate warm benevolence.

Heart of loving kindness.

And perhaps if it feels right for you,

You can put a hand over your heart or other place of your body that gives you a soothing touch.

And bring to mind this quality.

This quality of warm benevolence.

And drop from your head to your heart.

And see if you can find that place of warm benevolence.

Warm friendliness,

Kindness,

Gentleness.

Receptive openness that lies in the hearts of all beings.

Find that place within yourself.

And open your heart.

Open the heart of kindness and warmth to yourself.

And let it radiate beyond the bounds of what we call this self.

Boundlessly open.

Kind and friendly.

And you're invited to put warm benevolence.

It's loving kindness into the background now.

And into the foreground.

You're invited to bring attention to your heart mind.

Just as a loving and kind healer.

Would bring kind attention to their patience.

You're invited to bring kind and warm benevolent attention to your heart mind.

What is the state of your heart mind right now?

Is your heart peaceful and calm?

Or is it disturbed by craving and longing?

Is the state of your heart mind aversive?

Prickly,

Frustrated or angry.

Condemning and judgmental.

Or is it open,

Loving,

Soft,

Kind and accepting?

Is the state of your heart mind contracted and frightened?

Or is it open and expansive with qualities of generosity and kindness?

Look into your heart.

Look into your heart mind.

Notice the conditions of your heart mind.

Be honest.

Look deeply.

Be honest.

See what's actually there.

Is the predominant state of the mind sad,

Depressed and miserable?

Or is it buoyant,

Light and joyful?

Is it confused and uncertain,

Restless and distracted?

Or is it clear,

Confident,

Calm and focused?

The heart mind changes.

Whatever the state of your heart mind is right now.

As best as you can.

Be open and allowing and kind.

See it honestly and objectively and clearly.

Rest in awareness and knowing.

Rest in awareness knowing that the open and mindful state of mind can cradle and hold all experiences.

Know that all experiences change.