The peaceful place in the heart,
Equanimity.
Make yourself completely comfortable and set your intention that for the next 10 or 15 minutes,
You'll tune into being at peace and balanced within yourself.
Firstly,
Relax and settle your mind and bring your attention into your body.
Let thoughts,
Sounds and other experiences happen on the edge of your awareness and let the focus of your attention be in your body.
Let your body be sensual.
As you bring attention into your body,
You can use your breathing to help you relax and become centered.
Bring your mode of awareness into your body and feel it.
Scan with awareness and feel any tension that might be present.
And when you find some tension,
Simply let it go with the breath.
Perhaps you can feel tension in your shoulders.
Feel these parts of your body.
Breathe in,
Breathe out and let go of tension.
Perhaps you can feel tension in your face.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Let go of tension as you breathe out.
Wherever you feel tension,
Wherever you feel discomfort,
Wherever you feel tightness,
Simply let that go.
Let it go with the breath.
Even when thoughts,
Unwanted thoughts seem to invade your consciousness,
You can also let them go with the breath.
Just breathing in,
Breathing out.
Letting them come and letting them go.
Being able to let go of tension in your body,
Being able to let go of disturbing thoughts,
You can enter a space of quietude that is free from hassles and concerns.
Now reflect on peacefulness.
Know that deep in the hearts of all beings,
There is a place that is peaceful,
A place of equanimity.
Know that deep in the heart of yourself,
Deep in your own heart,
There is a place of peacefulness.
If it's not obvious,
Perhaps it's sleeping deep in your heart.
You can awaken this quality by remembering a time when you are completely peaceful.
Or you can remember or imagine your special place.
By remembering this place,
It can awaken this sense of peacefulness,
This deep sense of security.
It's a place where you can feel completely safe,
Calm and serene.
Perhaps this place is your favorite forest or creek or cave.
Wherever or whatever this place is,
Let it awaken the deep sense of peace that is in your heart.
Imagine that you're there.
And as you're there,
Seeing the sights,
Hearing the sounds,
Smelling the smells,
Being in this place,
Let it awaken the heart of equanimity.
Let it awaken the heart of peacefulness.
Let this peacefulness grow and permeate your being.
Let it grow from the heart.
Let it calm and soothe your body,
Touching every cell and every aspect of your life.
Let it calm and soothe your mind,
Bringing you deep peace.
Feel the depth of peace in your heart.
And know that this place is a safe refuge for you.
Nothing can get you in this peaceful refuge of your heart.
This peaceful place is unshakable or unshaken by the natural ups and downs of life.
This peaceful place or equanimity is centered and stable,
Emotionally balanced and unshaken in the midst of life's changes.
Like flexible bamboo in the wind,
This peaceful space or this equanimity is not broken by the difficulties of life.
Equanimity is at peace with things,
Regardless of whether they are pleasant or painful.
Equanimity is totally cool about whether people criticize you or take no notice of you.
Equanimity is unshaken about whether you become famous or nobody hears about you.
Equanimity is like a mountain buffeted by storms.
It is strong,
Stable and unshakable.
The peace of equanimity is like the still and quiet center of a storm.
Equanimity is the spacious stillness of the heart.
See if you can find this place,
If you can't find it right now,
Know that it's there.
But if you can find even just a whiff of a scent of equanimity,
Go into it,
Dwell in it,
Emerge yourself completely in it,
Feel nourished by it,
Let it take over your being,
That your being is one of peace,
Calm,
Serenity and stillness.
Feel nourished by being aware of the peacefulness that is deep in your heart.
This peacefulness is untouched by hassles.
It is quiet and still.
It is at peace with whatever happens.
Let yourself sink into it and think,
May the stillness and peacefulness of my heart be unshaken by hassles.
May the peace and stillness of my heart be unshaken by the inevitable ups and downs of life.
May I have the peacefulness to accept the things I cannot change and change the things I need to change.
May I be peaceful.
May I be at peace connecting with the spacious stillness of my heart.
Completely submerge yourself in it.
Dwell in the heart.
In a few moments we'll bring this recording to a close.
But if you wish you can continue to dwell in the heart,
Abide in the spacious peacefulness that is called equanimity.
Let it pervade your being and let it bring peace to you and all those you contact.
You
