So we start by closing our eyes very gently and we allow our whole body to become relaxed.
We relax our body all the way from the top of our head right the way down to the tips of our toes.
Almost as if our body seems to disappear or as if our body becomes as light as a feather.
Also so that our mind can become light,
We let go of all the things that we normally think about.
It's like we're about to set off on a long journey.
If we travel with too many bags and boxes,
Then it's not very easy to make that journey.
So if it's a journey then we leave behind all the things we don't need and it's much easier for us to travel.
And our thoughts are rather like that excess baggage.
So we're going to put our thoughts away for a little time now.
We would like to connect our mind with the happiness and joy inside ourselves.
And we allow our attention to come back to a center point inside ourselves.
Sometimes for all you folks who've meditated so much already,
It's possible to see a sun or a star inside you.
In which case you just put your attention right at the very middle of what you can see.
For those who can't see it yet,
Just imagine you can see or feel it at your center.
Our daily life is full of challenges.
It can range from tiny gusts of wind to category 5 hurricanes.
But as with all hurricanes there's an eye to the storm,
A peaceful spot.
A place where nobody can touch you,
Where you are safe.
There's also a peaceful spot like this within every one of us.
No matter how weird or chaotic our life becomes,
We can always safely observe it from this point until the winds die down.
It's the point of equilibrium or the point of the center of gravity.
And that point is called the center of the body and it is the home of the mind.
All things in this universe have a center point.
The center of gravity that holds everything together.
The sun is at the center of the solar system.
A city also has a city center.
A spider stays in the center of its web.
If anything throws us off center,
Then we will lose our balance.
The center of our body is the home of the mind.
Because when we're at home we can relax,
Feel safe,
Comfortable and free.
At home we're not worried about where we came from or where we have to go.
When we're at home we can enjoy the moment as we sit back and relax in a nice comfy chair.
Allowing our mind to be at the center of the body is allowing our mind to be in the present moment.
It's an open invitation to enjoy everything that surrounds us in the here and now.
Sometimes our minds dwell in the past,
Sometimes our minds wander to the future.
But we must remember that the past is history and the future will always be a mystery.
So it's best just to enjoy the gift of the present moment.
If our mind gets caught up in the past or the future,
We will miss life.
Whether it's the blue sky,
The green trees,
The smell of the flowers,
Or the smiles of our friends and family.
In the present moment there are so many things to be happy about.
And being alive is the greatest of them all.
The more we meditate to keep our mind at the center throughout daily activities,
The more our mind will begin to return to this peaceful spot on its own.
It will become more and more natural to be at the center.
Life will become less stressful,
Less hectic,
But more enjoyable as it becomes natural to live life like we are safe in the eye of the storm.
You you So how can we be in our center?
This may be new to you,
But you don't need to put 100% of your attention on your center of your body to complete any task.
Maybe just use 80% of your attention,
Focusing on what you're doing while keeping 20% at your center.
But before you do anything,
Start recollecting your attention at the center first.
In fact,
You can take a shower while being at your center,
Drive a car while being at your center,
Brush your teeth while being at the center,
Or even eat your dinner while being at your center.
It just depends on how you divide up your attention.
You can even be on the phone while having your mind centered inside you,
Or hold a conversation or read a book while being at your center.
But if you're able to bring your mind back to the center before doing any activity,
Then you will always have the full awareness while you're doing that activity.
It's only normal for your mind to wander away now and then,
But don't worry,
You'll get it back again.
To keep your mind at the center,
You might like to visualize a picture as if you see or feel something at your center in the middle of your stomach,
Such as the sun,
A shining star,
Or a bubble.
If it's the sun,
Then feel its warmth and brightness radiating from inside you.
Don't feel frustrated if it's not clear the first time around,
And don't feel upset if the mind wanders off target.
We need to be patient and understand that it may not happen immediately.
It may not happen today or the next day,
But eventually it's got to come to us easily.
At the same time,
Don't overdo it.
Visualizing the object too hard may do the equivalent of waking the baby,
And it may never stop crying.
So always be gentle when you're meditating and keep it fun.
All you have to do is keep restarting,
Gathering your mind back again when it wanders.
Again,
The percentage of time your mind stays in the center will gradually increase from zero to almost 100% in some meditations.
Meanwhile,
While we are doing other things,
We try to keep our mind at the center until we master it.
And keeping the mind at the center will come as naturally as breathing if we practice often enough.
So having that presence of mind will be helpful to us.
Whatever activity we do,
It can increase your happiness and fulfillment from day to day.
Thank you.
Some people place their attention too heavily,
But this will not help them to see it more easily.
Some people put their attention too lightly,
But it just makes them get sleepy.
What we need to do is place our attention just right,
Not too heavy and not too light.
How can we know when it's just right?
Well,
When it's just right,
The light inside will start to grow.
It will become as large as your whole body.
It may become bigger so that it spreads all around our body.
And in this way,
We spread our light as far as we can.
Because the further we can spread our light,
The more people we can touch with our love.
And this love is sometimes called the light of peace.
And the more people we can spread our light to,
The more people we can bring the peace to.
And if we spread our peace to the whole world,
Then we will have a world full of peace or a peaceful world.
A long time ago,
There was an expert meditator who spread the light in just this way.
And even the animals in the forest did not want to fight one another anymore.
Even the lion and the lamb wanted to be friends when they were touched by this light of peace.
And any dangerous animals could no longer stay in that area.
So this is why we have to spread the light of peace as far as we can.
If we spread it for our family,
Then our family will have peace.
If we spread it for our school friends,
Then our school friends will have peace.
If we spread it for all the people in our country,
Then our whole country will have peace.
If we spread it for all people in the world,
Then the whole world will have peace.
So in this way we spread our light of peace as far as we can for a few more moments in silence.
You
