Resting On The Edge Of Inner And Outer Worlds

A common habit is to meditate with eyes closed, so it can be interesting to practice with eyes open. This can allow us to notice a way that we keep ourselves separate, by shutting out the the external world we can retreat into our inner world. But what is there is no separation? What if outer and inner world are in fact one? Our breath helps us to stay at the intimate edge of this interface, as we witness our breath drawing inwards from our outer world and our breath moving outwards from our inner world.

Transcript

Good morning and welcome. Take our seat. And as you settle into You'll see, Just notice. What's here? I notice what's here in sensation. You might notice yourself connecting with ground. There might be a fairly automatic response of closing the eyes. Perhaps for today. We can try practicing with our eyes open. Maybe settling the gaze somewhere. Just nearby. No doubt. So that the gaze can be restful. The practice today is around equanimity. And breath. So maybe it's interesting how. We want to close our eyes. When they practice. Kind of withdraw into the internal world. Connecting with something intimate, Deep, Personal that's within. But closing off. Our gaze on the outside world. What is it like to remain open? To the outside world. In your practice. Is it possible to be with both the outer and the inner world? As you take your seat. Our breath helps. A breath carries. Our awareness from outer world to inner world on the in-breath. And from inner world to outer world on the out breath. Can we be with the breath without turning it into some big project? Some big statement of I am with my breath instead just Being with breath. Breathing is happening. And as we practice this, Being here. Open to outer world and inner world. We might notice. We drift away. Perhaps the eyelids close. Perhaps we fixate on our breath. We can use the word awake. To bring us back. And just notice what that does. Each time. Notice. That you're clasping on to something or wandering away towards something. Silently. Introduce the word awake. And see what that does. You Maybe it's difficult to stay here. On the interface between outer and inner worlds. Maybe the eyelids just want to drop. Maybe there's sleepiness. Or resistance. Close your eyelids if you if you will it's fine And if you close them, Just notice. How that changes your experience. What is it that becomes easier? And if you call on the word awake. What happens. Can you let your breath be? Does something happen just by my mentioning of breath? Really big. Yeah. Mmm. Practicing with the eyelids open. Maybe something that's easy for you And for me, It helps me to see the ways that I separate. Eyelids down. Offers me. A way of being. Separate. From the outer world. And so practicing with eyes open. Is an entirely different practice. In being present. Letting the breath be. Is an entirely different practice to pranayama. Without some project or focus. It can be harder. To be with the breath. And so these practices are simple but not necessarily easy. And the word awaits. Can be helpful. Bringing awareness into our hearts as we offer the fruits of our practice. To ourselves. To one another. And to all beings. Namaste friends.