Cloud Exercise

This is a guided meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, featuring long sittings of silence. I will invite the bell at the begining of the meditation and also at the end. I will also wake the bell before each set of guidance and then there will be a period of silence so that we may meditate on the image described in the guidance. I hope you enjoy the practice.

Transcript

Dear friends,

In a moment we can enjoy three sounds of the bell.

This is a guided meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

There will be periods of silence.

I will be waking the bell and reading guiding sentences and then allowing space so that we may use the guiding image to meditate.

I will wake the bell before each set of guidance.

I hope you enjoy the practice.

So let's start with three sounds of the bell.

Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh Thich Nhat Hanh Breathing in,

I know I am breathing in.

Thich Nhat Hanh I know I am breathing out.

In,

Out.

Breathing in,

I acknowledge what is present for me right now.

In thoughts,

Feelings and body sensations.

Breathing out,

I allow and accept what is present for me right now.

Naming what is present,

Allowing and accepting.

Breathing in,

I allow and accept.

Breathing in,

I visualise my mind as the vast open blueness of the sky.

I see my thoughts as clouds.

Breathing out,

I smile at the clouds in my mind.

Mind is the sky,

Thoughts as clouds smiling.

Breathing in,

I smile at the clouds in my mind.

Breathing in,

I smile at the clouds in my mind.

Breathing in,

I simply let the clouds come and go.

Just watching them float past,

Some hanging around for a while,

Maybe taking up the whole sky,

And some smaller,

But whatever size,

They move along after a while.

Breathing out,

I recognise the impermanent nature of my clouds.

Clouds coming and going,

Impermanent nature.

Breathing in,

I realise the impermanent nature of my clouds.

Breathing in,

I enjoy each breath,

Enjoy each moment,

Not chasing the clouds,

Not affected by the clouds.

Breathing out,

I just sit in the spaciousness of the sky,

Simply watching the clouds,

Spaciousness.

Breathing in,

I realise that I'm not connected to the clouds.

The thoughts and feelings in my clouds aren't good or bad,

They just are.

They're not permanent,

They aren't who I am.

Breathing out,

I realise that I decide if I want to focus on the clouds,

And make them grow into thunderclouds,

Or let them drift by,

Or dissipate.

My clouds are not me,

Not controlled by my clouds.

Breathing in,

I know that everything I need is right here in this moment.

I am just like the sky,

Fast,

Spacious,

Without end,

Cultivating clarity,

Spaciousness and awareness.

Breathing out,

I see my essence,

My true self,

Endless.

I see myself as a rainbow in somebody else's sky.

Clarity and spaciousness,

A rainbow in someone else's sky.

Breathing out,

I am home.

Breathing in,

I have arrived.

Breathing out,

I am home.

Arrived home.

Reviews

Beautiful in its simplicity, whilst also being a profound reminder of important truths.

I absolutly love this practice! The guiding words and silence are perfect to focus my intentions. This meditation has helped me find rest every time I have listened to it and that is very much apperiacted.

Good visual cues. Soft voice.

Difficult at least after all this time but helpful!

No music, long silence periods and clear enuntiation. Wonderful!!! Thank you!

“Good Ideas”—
Doors open—I simply follow. This is another way—new for me. Namaste.