MA 43 Unwrapping The Inner Gift

Meditation from the Thai Theravada tradition following a modernized interpretation of Boran Kammatthana. This meditation attempts a play on words to show how the time between the past and the future can be a gift as well as the present - and that gift will unwrap itself if we are able simply to be content, let go and relax.

Transcript

So,

Just before we start the meditation,

I'd like to invite all of us to take a moment to adjust ourselves.

Whether you're sitting inside or outside,

Take a moment to adjust your posture for meditation.

So when it comes to adjusting for meditation,

Bear in mind that more haste makes for less speed.

Take the time you need to make sure that your body is comfortable and the position in which your sitting is relaxed.

Whether you're sitting on a chair or sitting on a meditation mat,

The key is to make sure your body is relaxed first of all.

You can consider getting yourself relaxed as a down payment on the success of your meditation ahead.

And to this end,

Each time you sit to meditate,

The main thing is to bring two things into balance,

Namely being conscious and being calm in equal measures.

So when we start out we focus simply on relaxing the body.

Whether we're sitting on a chair or on a meditation mat,

Wherever you're sitting don't overlook the simple task of adjusting your body to be relaxed.

Even if you're sitting outside in the open air,

You may need to have a blanket to hand to keep you warm and comfortable if it becomes chilly.

Relaxation is at the heart of meditation,

Because only by starting from a certain level of relaxation and calm can our mind truly settle.

So having found a position that is comfortable and relaxed,

You can slowly and gently close your eyes,

As naturally as if you were about to go to sleep.

Because this is a time we have set aside for ourselves truly to relax,

Recharge and replenish our body and mind.

Once we've closed our eyes in a natural and relaxed way,

We can simply forget about using our eyes anymore,

Because in order to access inner experience,

In order to visualize the meditation,

We no longer need to use our eyes,

But simply use our feeling of relaxation and of contentment.

So let's take a moment to check our body to relax and release,

Making sure that all the muscles in our body are free of any tension or hidden stress.

Whether we've meditated many times before,

Or if this is our first time,

We shouldn't overlook the importance of scanning down through the whole of our body.

By making a body scan,

We take the time to check the way we've closed our eyes is as relaxed as possible,

And that our eyebrows are free of tension.

You might try conjuring up a small but contented smile on our face,

As if we are embracing a tide of relaxation throughout our body,

Relaxing and releasing any tension in our shoulders,

Arms,

Hands and fingers.

Being sure to relax our back and our legs,

All the way down to our feet and our toes.

We may even scan back and forth for a few moments just to make sure that any inadvertent tension is gone.

We take a deep and soothing breath all the way in,

Feeling the cool and refreshing air as it fills up our body,

With relaxation,

Calm and contentment.

And as we exhale slowly and gently,

We allow that relaxation and contentment to spread out,

Blanketing us with warmth and comfort,

As we fill ourselves with a feeling of relaxation within and around us,

Allowing us to feel calmer and more relaxed.

Just as if our body has become weightless,

Free of any constriction or tension.

And now that our body is relaxed,

Our mind will start to become relaxed as well,

Because the two are interconnected.

But to help our mind to become calmer,

More relaxed,

We just need to put all our mental chatter to one side,

To bring our mind back to the present.

There's no need to worry or plan,

Because worrying about tomorrow only detracts from our peace in the present moment.

Although each of us has so much love to give,

But we need to start by allocating some of that love to ourselves,

To make sure our mind is in the present,

To make sure our mind is in the right place,

To be positive,

To be brighter.

For every second that your mind is in the present,

Contently and patiently observing,

We'll be engaged with the beneficial energy arising from our meditation.

This is why every step of the way during our meditation should be a pleasure.

We need to feel ever calmer,

Ever more relaxed,

So it's not necessarily about getting to a destination or a goal,

But it's about enjoying the journey,

Enjoying the meditation session every step of the way.

If you can engage with your meditation in contentment,

It will ensure our inner journey is smooth and fluid,

And before you know it,

You will have reached the destination you set for yourself.

But for now,

Don't focus on the destination,

Because that will pull you away from the present moment.

Bring your mind back from any expectations or anticipation to the here and now,

And just simply relax for the interim.

And to help our mind stay in the present,

We bring our attention to a focus at a single point,

A point which essentially can be anywhere we like,

Whether it's at the center of our body,

Elsewhere in the body or even outside of us.

Realizing the mind by whatever method we feel comfortable with,

It is easy for us to use,

Whether it's to visualize,

To feel an imaginary object,

To observe what is already there or use a mantra.

The key is to apply our mind gently.

If we are imagining a meditational object,

It can be something like the full moon,

A sun,

Or a shining star within.

We can imagine it however or wherever we like,

As long as it leaves us feeling calm and relaxed.

Visualization or the mantra inside is just a skillful means to keep us in the present moment,

To keep us relaxed,

Helping our mind to become calm and still.

If the thoughts in the mind are still persistent,

We can simply call to mind the mantra,

Samma Arahang,

Samma Arahang,

Samma Arahang,

Or even a simpler mantra like the words,

Bright and Clear,

Bright and Clear.

Every time we repeat the mantra,

It's like a soothing lullaby that will coax our mind back to a natural state,

Free of any extraneous thoughts,

While allowing the mind to relocate itself in the present moment.

Eventually we will come to a point where all we want to do is relax.

An alternative technique that we can use is just to follow our feeling,

Which means doing nothing more than allowing ourself to relax,

To do nothing and to let go.

When in your own estimation you feel ready,

Then allow your thoughts to grind to a standstill,

In accordance with the advice that is the legacy of the founder of our Dhammakaya tradition,

That stopping the mind is the key to success.

The way to stop is simply to be relaxed and to be calm.

The thoughts will stop and grind to a standstill on their own,

Through the relaxation that we feel in the here and now.

The key is just to be content,

To focus,

To appreciate what we have right now,

And not to worry about what's to come or what's lacking.

We already have everything we need to succeed in meditation.

As long as we feel calm,

Comfortable and relaxed,

All we need to do is to surrender to a sense of patience and calm.

By patience,

I mean the patience not to interfere with the process.

In any case,

Before we know it,

This relaxation will begin to grow and expand,

Allowing us to feel more and more content,

Because inner peace,

The gift of true happiness,

Has always been there within us.

The key to unwrapping that gift is simply to be content,

To let go and relax.

The gift of inner peace will unwrap itself,

Releasing the inner contentment and brightness that has always been within us,

Waiting for us to reconnect with it.

So let's take this precious time together,

Simply to follow the feeling of relaxation,

To allow it to guide the mind back within us.

With every second that passes,

That we feel a little more calm and relaxed,

Our mind will become clearer,

Brighter and more relaxed.

And before we know it,

The darkness,

The negativity in our mind will be displaced by contentment,

Calmness and brightness.

But remember the key is always to remain relaxed and contented.

So if at any point along the way,

On your journey within,

You lose touch with that sense of relaxation,

Either physically or mentally,

It's perfectly acceptable to adjust and make a fresh start in our meditation,

Because the moment we adjust to be more relaxed and contented,

Our meditation will shake itself free of that dead end and begin to progress again,

More easily and smoothly.

So let's continue with this meditation together,

Simply by remaining relaxed and allowing that relaxation to grow.

The best way to allow it to grow is just to remain content.

As long as we feel content,

The relaxation will grow on its own,

And through that relaxation,

The clouds in our mind will disappear,

Revealing the full,

Shining nature of the mind within.

Just like the full moon that shines its brightness on everything and everyone,

Inside of us we can all have the gift of contentment,

A brightness that can shine,

That will unwrap itself within,

Simply by remaining relaxed and calm.

So for now,

For a few more moments,

We continue to immerse our mind in this inner calmness and relaxation together,

For a few more moments in silence.

Normally,

We would think of a gift being a present and a present being a gift.

We've already said that we have a present waiting to be unwrapped inside us.

There's a second meaning of the word present that is really important for our meditation,

Which is the present that is not the past and is not the future,

But which is in the here and now.

The present is actually the only time in our life that we have complete control over.

To master our present through meditation and examine the benefits our present holds for us in spiritual and worldly ways,

Will help us appreciate the incomparable opportunity we have of being alive and well.

Every moment of life since we were born has been the potential opportunity to improve ourselves,

Which is why Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously said we should live each day as if life had just begun.

This is appreciation of all that we have and the chance to improve,

That we sometimes refer to as our beginner's mind.

So the key to the beginner's mind and benefiting from our present is learning to be content,

Not just for success in life,

But also in meditation,

Which is to keep our mind in the present,

Which means enjoying things as they happen.

Johann Dr.

Seuss famously said we shouldn't cry because it's over,

But we should smile because it happened at all.

Otherwise our mind is in the past or the future instead of the present.

So the key thing is,

Especially in meditation,

That we not focus on what's lacking,

But on what we actually have in our present.

So the moment you focus on what you have,

You're going to appreciate what you have more.

But when you focus on what's missing,

For example that you want more spectacular inner experiences in your meditation,

It's going to rob you of your contentment.

And the moment that you're not content with what you have in the meditation,

You'll run up against a dead end.

Without feeling contented you're not going to feel still or calm,

Which is why in meditation we need to let go of hankering and anticipation.

And if you want your mind to come to a standstill,

To become immersed in contentment,

You need to start from a place of comfort both in body and mind.

If it happens that for any session we have only a small amount of comfort when we start out,

If when we're sitting and even after we adjust our body we're still not quite as relaxed as in previous sessions,

But if we're still able to sit and if we still feel comfortable up to a certain point,

Where you're not in pain or suffering unduly,

Then you can work with that.

Just avoid making comparisons with past meditations and keep your mind in the present.

And it will make your meditation progress easier.

So it's very important to accept what you have right now and not to compare with the past.

Similarly,

To give yourself a gift of the present and to avoid letting your mind get ahead of itself by anticipating the future.

So the key thing here,

Other than being comfortable both in body and mind,

Is to be contented.

Even starting out from a small amount of relaxation,

The amazing thing is that if you regard that small amount of relaxation as a gift,

And you accept it and are thankful for it,

Then the gift will start to unwrap itself,

Allowing you to access something that's hidden inside.

That small amount of relaxation,

Even though it may not be as spectacular as you want,

But if you contend in the present moment and you simply accept it,

When it comes to the unboxing you'll find something as miraculous as a diamond inside that unremarkable packaging.

So the equivalent of the diamond in meditation is the inner peace and contentment that awaits you within.

Although you start from only an unremarkable level of relaxation,

No matter how little you start with,

If you're content with it and keep your mind in the present,

It will blossom on its own,

Just through the appreciation that this gift,

That's been with us since we were born,

Can be unlocked at any time,

Anywhere,

Just by closing our eyes to relax.

Just by maintaining that balance of consciousness and calm during our meditation.

You And if we find our mind wanders we just bring it back again.

Often times you can understand the way the mind works by the metaphor of an old leaky garden hose that has lots of holes in it.

So instead of reaching the nozzle all the water is seeping out of the holes before it ever gets there.

Any water that reaches the end of the hose is very weak and feeble.

But if you were to plug all those holes in the pipe then you transform it into a power hose.

The mind works in the same way.

When we've got a lot of distractions,

Pulling our attention off to the past or to the future,

To thoughts,

Theories,

Daydreams or any sort of thing,

Then the focus of our attention becomes feeble.

However,

When we learn to focus our attention it's like plugging the holes in the pipe.

We can recover a very powerful and focused attention that when it gets to a certain level of refinement we could call Samadhi.

The mind that's concentrated in a state of Samadhi can know things on a very,

Very subtle level,

Such as attaining a state of one-pointedness and unification of the mind.

Some people already think that they are there when they detect joy in their body.

But if it is really Samadhi it will be a state of uninterrupted knowing of a mental object.

So it's not an object that we know through the five senses.

It's not a bodily sensation.

It's a mental object,

Often times but not always perceived as a light.

And it becomes possible to know that object uninterrupted for hours at a time.

The uninterrupted knowing means that no interrupting thoughts arise.

No sound around us disturbs us anymore.

No sensation in our body can distract us.

We don't even notice the passing of time.

Our awareness is completely absorbed into our object of meditation and this is accompanied by a natural sense of bliss and joy.

That's what's meant by plugging up the holes in the garden hose.

All of the mind's attention is going on just one thing for a long time.

And as our mind becomes calmer and more peaceful within,

You may start to notice that your mind is beginning to feel positive,

Clear and bright.

Almost as if we can feel the warmth,

The brightness within shining like a candle or the full moon.

Just simply relaxing our body and mind can help us to remove the darkness from our mind,

The negativity.

When our mind is clear,

Bright and positive,

It will attract into our lives things on the same wavelength.

Whether it be positive things,

Situations,

People or opportunities.

That's why it's said that when your mind is in the right place,

The rest of your life will also fall into place.

So now that our mind is brighter,

Clearer and more positive,

Let's take the time to spread this positivity.

To spread our brightness as if we would spread our smile.

But in this case it is our inner smile,

Our true smile,

A smile from within,

That we can spread,

That we can share.

The mind is a powerful thing,

Which is why this positivity can be shared for the benefit of our friends,

Our family or our loved ones,

Simply by imagining their face or their name.

Wishing that they be happy,

Be healthy,

As well as also having the chance to meditate,

So that they too can find their own inner contentment,

Their inner peace.

We can imagine,

Almost as if the calm that we feel within,

The relaxation we feel right now,

The warmth,

The brightness within us,

Is growing,

Shining outwards to pervade all sentient beings with warmth and contentment.

As that light of positivity grows beyond ourselves,

To our family,

To our friends,

To others sharing our neighbourhood,

Transcending differences and distances,

As we are connected together through this positivity,

By this peace that we feel.

This is how the world can become a brighter place,

Starting from ourselves.

A better you,

Essentially means a better world.

So we continue to spread our positivity,

Our good intentions,

Our good wishes for ourselves,

For our family,

For our friends,

Wishing them to be healthy,

To be happy,

To be protected from any negativity,

Dangers,

Sickness,

Now and forevermore,

For a few more moments now in silence.

Reviews

Just love the calming instructions and peace that comes from being present. Thank you! ☮🤟🙏