Take a moment to sit up tall in a way that feels comfortable for you.
That allows you to breathe easily and remain calmly alert.
Let the breath travel easily in and out of the nose without forcing it to be a certain way.
Just breathing as you naturally would.
Notice your breath and how it moves easily through the lungs,
Even the muscles,
The bones.
Sitting comfortably,
Also attentive with yourself.
Tara Brock says that the wing of clear seeing is often described in Buddhist practice as mindfulness.
Clear seeing is the quality of awareness that recognizes exactly what is happening in our moment-to-moment experience.
To practice this clear seeing today,
We'll work with the two wings of awareness.
Underneath these wings or held by these wings,
We're able to see clearly ourselves,
Our patterns,
And learn how to be with them just as they are,
Just as we are here today in this moment.
Just like the breath rises and falls in this moment.
The first wing of awareness is noticing or seeing clearly.
And the second wing is allowing or accepting with compassion.
As we see clearly and notice our thoughts,
Our feelings,
Our sensations,
We then learn to accept,
Allow,
Just as they are,
Even if it's a little bit uncomfortable in the moment.
Continue to breathe naturally,
Easily in and out of the nose,
Sitting tall in a way that feels comfortable and alert.
And begin to notice,
Just as they arise,
Any thoughts or sounds or sensations,
Practicing the first wing of awareness,
Noticing,
Seeing clearly whatever rises and falls in the moment,
Just like the breath.
And if it's too uncomfortable in this moment,
You can even notice that discomfort and let it go for the time being,
Knowing you can always come back to it later,
Bringing your attention back to the breath to recenter on this first wing of awareness,
Just noticing what comes up for you.
It might be a recurring thought or sensation,
Even a distracting sound.
It might be a new emotion,
Something unfamiliar.
If it's helpful,
You can name or label.
It can be sadness or joy even,
Irritation or excitement.
You can even just label it generally as feeling or thinking.
Resting with your breath in this first wing of awareness,
Allowing the wing to hold whatever it is that arises for you as you recognize the thoughts,
The sensations,
Whatever it is that comes up in this moment for you here today with this breath and this body.
And with the recognition of these things,
Moving to the second wing now of awareness,
Allowing,
Accepting with compassion,
Meaning we now allow it to be there just as it is without judgment,
Holding space for these sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions to exist just as they are without trying to change them or force them away.
Just like a mother bird would wrap her wing around a baby bird,
Letting that wing hold whatever it is that comes up with kindness,
Gentleness.
Seeing clearly what arises for you and holding that with deep acceptance.
Or at least just with a little bit of compassion for today,
If it's challenging for you.
If and when you feel distracted,
You can simply return to the breath in the moment.
Returning to the wings of awareness as you're ready,
Recognizing and allowing or noticing and accepting.
Tara Brock explains that both wings together help us remain in the experience of the moment just as it is.
When we do this,
Something begins to happen.
We feel freer.
Options open up before us.
We see with more clarity how we want to proceed.
It helps us to heal and move on free from unconscious habits of self-hatred and blame.
She continues by saying,
Gradually,
As we let go of our stories of what is wrong with us,
We can begin to touch what is actually happening with a clear and kind attention.
We release our plans or fantasies and arrive open handed in the experience of this moment.
Whether we feel pleasure or pain,
The wings of acceptance allow us to honor and cherish this ever changing life as it is.
Allow your breath to settle again.
If you like,
Taking a bit of a deeper breath in and out of the nose to guide your attention back to this space,
This body,
This moment.
I'm deeply appreciating yourself for taking time to sit with yourself today,
To sit and practice clear seeing.
As much compassion as possible for you today.
Thank you.
