Good morning.
Let's just settle and I'll say a few words.
I'm going to guide you through a loving kindness,
A short loving kindness.
And then we're going to sit in open awareness.
So I think many of us are probably talking to ourselves most of the day.
I don't like to admit that,
But we are.
There's a narrative going on.
And a lot of this narrative is or can be quite unkind to ourself and others.
If we had a friend who spoke to us like we speak to ourself,
You wouldn't want to spend time with them.
So during the day,
Notice just how you're talking to yourself,
That voice.
It's not you that's doing it.
It's really a program.
It's conditioning.
You're not responsible for it.
We don't wake up in the morning and think to ourself,
I'm going to think lots of unkind thoughts today.
That's what I'm going to do.
We don't do that.
Lots of negative thoughts.
We don't wake up in the morning and think that to ourself.
They just start kicking off.
So notice the tone of voice.
Just notice how that voice talks to you.
And just,
In a sense,
Disconnect from it.
Don't pick it up.
That's what my teacher used to say.
Just don't pick it up.
Leave it where it is.
It's nothing to do with you.
If you don't pick it up,
It's nothing to do with you.
It's just passing through like a cloud.
The sky doesn't take ownership of the cloud.
It doesn't grab onto the cloud.
It just leaves it be.
It doesn't care whether it's a heavy rain cloud or a thin cloud.
It doesn't matter.
Let's settle into the body.
Make sure you're comfortable.
And then rest the attention in the heart area.
Sense into the heart.
It's more a heart space.
You're not looking for an object.
You can put your hands on the heart if you wish.
On that heart space.
When we take attention to the heart,
We soften.
It's resting there.
Maybe give yourself an inner smile.
Anything that's a little uncomfortable or painful is welcome to be around.
Don't push anything away.
And if you wish,
Just drop in these words something like,
May I be well.
May I be happy.
Just drop them in.
And stay in the heart.
Don't listen to mind.
Get out of there,
Into the heart space.
Don't try to force anything here.
Just leave yourself alone.
Just rest in the heart space.
May I be free from pain and suffering.
Just wishing yourself well.
Just because we can.
Come out of mind if you're lost in thought.
Just release the thoughts.
Be like the sky.
Now into this heart space.
I want you to invite a good friend.
Be aware of some of the troubles of your friend and they're welcome too.
And the joys.
See what happens when you invite them in.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
Just sitting in the heart space with your good friend.
They want to make a gesture of kindness.
Maybe a hand on their shoulder or a smile.
May you be free from troubles.
May we both be well and happy.
May we all be well and happy.
Because your heart is infinite.
It's as big as the world.
The world is in your heart.
It's not separate.
Even those that we don't get on with very well just want to be happy.
You can relax this practice now.
Just sit as the sky.
Open.
And just see what arises.
See what appears to one or more of the senses.
A thought may arise.
Be sky-like.
Sound.
Just relax into presence.
That is the sky.
It's open.
Clear.
Allow yourself to relax.
The sky doesn't strain.
Neither does presence.
Therefore you're not looking for something that's not here.
An experience.
Just relax.
It's just mind with its stories.
No objective here.
There's no aim.
The destination is each moment.
And bring this session to a close.
Open your eyes and have a little stretch or something.
And that's it.
Thank you,
Guys.
See you tomorrow.
Bye-bye.
