Morning Meditation For Calm And Clarity | Ancient China

Take a few quiet minutes in ancient China. It is a spring dawn in a garden estate in Chang'an, Tang Dynasty and far beyond the wall, the first drums are sounding across the sleeping city. You wash your face in cool well water and watch a single willow leaf settle on a still pond.
Then an old line from the Tao Te Ching, "have little, and gain; have much, and be confused," helps you choose one quality to carry gently into your day.
Breathe slowly, and begin your day gently.

Transcript

This is Sue. Inviting you. Into a quiet early morning in spring. In ancient China. A few minutes to choose. How you want to meet the day ahead. Let yourself settle. Rest your hands beside you. Or wherever you feel comfortable. Gently close your eyes. Take one slow breath in through the nose. And let it go. Once more. In. . . And I'll. Now. Let your attention settle here. With your breath. Imagine that. You are waking. In a quiet garden estate in Chang'an. 1, 300 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty. Beyond the lattice window. The sky is just beginning to pale. End at the E. Swallows shift in their nest. Then, Far beyond the garden wall, The first dawn-dream sounds. A low slow rhythm. Drifting across the sleeping city of Chang'an. Soon the wall gates will open. But not yet. These few quiet moments. Belong only to you. Now imagine yourself slowly rise and slide open the lattice door. A bronze basin of well water. Rest on the stand beside it. Cup your hands and lower in them. Fuel, How cool it is. Bring it gently to your face. And let the coolness rest there. Look out into the garden. A small pond rests beneath the willows. A single leaf drifts down and touches the surface. Small rings spread slowly across the water. In a few breaths. The water settles. All by itself. Let your mind be like that water. Thoughts may come. Let them touch the surface. Soften and fade. There is no need to make the water perfectly still. Whenever you notice a thought. Gently return to your breath. As you rest here. In the calm of the morning garden in Chang'an. With the still pond before you. Choose one thing to carry into the day. Nor attacks. Nor a list. Just one quality. It might be patience. Steadiness. All kindness and compassion towards yourself. Or simply the wish? To take one thing at a time. An old saying from that Tao Te Ching The Book of Way by Loc Si offers a thought for this morning. Have little and gain. Have match and be confused. Like this scene. You do not need to carry the whole day. Only this moment. And then the next. Whenever the day becomes busy. Come back to the quality you have chosen. And to this quiet moment bind the pawn. Where you can pause. Breathe. And give yourself a little space. One breath. One talks. One conversation. Now let the garden softly fade. The pawn. The willows. And the swallows and are the eve. Feel the surface beneath you again. Let a little movement. Come back into your fingers and toes. Take in one last deep breath in. And slowly breathe out. When you are ready, Open your eyes. Good morning. I wish you a gentle day ahead. With the quality you have chosen resting within you.