Dear friends.
Welcome to this meditation which is designed to be listened to alone in your own time.
Or in the company of other people.
Such as the opportunities for joint listening that are provided here in our groups in Insight Timer.
The idea for this meditation came to me as I was sitting in the chair in the quiet room that I use for meditating.
In the window of the room.
There is a sculpture.
It's made of bug oak.
The wooden sculpture is of two abstract figures standing together on a shared base.
At first,
The figures appear to be two birds,
Their beaks almost touching.
But then again,
They could be considered to be two abstract human figures.
The taller figure curves gracefully over the smaller one,
Almost as though offering shelter,
Reassurance or encouragement.
The smaller figure stands close,
Seemingly drawing strength from the presence of the other.
The two figures are not identical,
Yet they clearly belong together.
The taller appearing to offer food to the smaller one.
As you listen to this reflection and thinking about that bog oak sculpture.
Do you imagine this sculpture as representing a parent and a child?
How about two friends?
Or maybe a teacher and a pupil.
Or is it meant to suggest someone who has supported another person through the years?
The sculpture clearly shows one offering support and the other receiving it.
It reminds us that as we go through life,
We all take turns being the person who offers support.
And at other times the person who needs it.
So welcome to this meditation which you might call a guided meditation on companionship,
Encouragement and support.
Let's begin by coming to a place of stillness.
There are no instructions laid down as to whether you should be sitting or lying down.
Whatever is most comfortable for you.
If you are listening to this meditation in a group setting online please you might like to keep your eyes open so as to be able to respond to any comments on the chat.
But feel free to close your eyes if that's more comfortable for you.
Allow yourself to relax.
Notice you're breathing in and you're breathing out.
Notice the chair or cushion supporting you.
The chair or cushion holds your weight.
In turn,
The floor supports the cushion or the chair.
And then there is the earth somewhere beneath the floor.
You are being supported.
A reminder that none of us stands entirely alone.
All of us are supported at all times in so many reliable ways that we hardly notice our dependence one on another.
We're supported by the hard,
Dedicated work of so many people that we'll never meet.
Not to mention the kindness of friends and the love of family.
Let's have a pause for reflection now.
A forced pause for reflection.
This is your time to come to an awareness of some of the gifts and supports that are brought you to this moment.
Just one minute,
60 seconds.
Welcome back.
I invite you to think again about the two figures standing together in that sculpture.
It's carved from dark wood.
The two slender figures rise up from a shared foundation.
Do you see a parent and a child?
You see a grandparent and a grandchild.
What about a friend supporting another friend?
Maybe the figures represent someone who has travelled a difficult road.
Now offering reassurance to someone just beginning the journey.
Or maybe it's an image that conjures up memories of a particular support which we have received sending us on our way.
We'll have another opportunity for reflection now.
A time to remember some of the people who have supported us and encouraged us.
So we'll take a minute to think back briefly over our lives.
Consider the people who have helped us become the people we are today.
Think of the people whose presence made a difference to you.
It might be a teacher who recognised a talent in you before you recognised it in yourself.
Maybe a parent who offered a quiet word of encouragement when you were unsure of yourself.
You might be fortunate to have had a friend who listened without judging when you needed someone to listen.
An employer who gave you a break.
In all our lives,
I'm sure there is someone who came along only briefly.
Yet they said a word or they performed an act of kindness you'll never forget.
So in the moment for reflection that follows,
Bring one or more of these benefactors into your awareness.
Recall the encouraging word,
Or the kind deed.
And notice how that influence has made all the difference to you.
I can tell you from my own experience that words of encouragement spoken decades ago continue to leave me feeling a sense of gratitude.
And renewed energy to keep going.
In the case of the people I'm thinking of just now.
The support and kindness received long ago stays with me.
Even though the persons are long since passed on.
And as you recall the people who have made a difference to you.
Silently offer these people your own words of thankfulness.
If you're listening to this meditation in a group setting,
Feel free to share your thoughts with the other participants.
And considering what we have to think about,
I think we need a two-minute pause for this one.
Welcome back.
When we look back over the years,
We see how encouragement is the most wonderful thing.
Money comes and goes.
And as for physical objects,
They come and go as well.
But encouragement has a permanent quality to it.
Notice how a few simple words said at the right time.
Can change the direction of someone's day or even their life.
Words such as well done.
You can do this.
I believe in you.
Take your time.
I'm here if you need me.
And not forgetting the reassuring thought,
Yes,
Things may not turn out exactly as you hoped.
But whatever happens,
You won't have to face it alone.
Words like that.
And there's a mutuality in all this.
Because life is seldom a simple state in which one always gives and the other always receives.
The person who supports me today may need my support tomorrow.
A person who appears confident,
Maybe carrying worries that we cannot see.
The cheerful person may be grieving inside,
But managing to put on a happy face.
The person who appears to have everything under control may,
Underneath it all,
Feel the need of support.
But be unable to express that need.
We have to pay attention.
And lock beneath the surface.
To see beyond the obvious.
There are times in life when we are able to give,
And undoubtedly times will come when we must learn to receive.
Because we're all caught up in an interdependent web of all existence.
None of us stands alone without the support of others.
The message of this reflection is a simple one.
And there are two sides to it that need our attention.
Let's never forget to be grateful for all we have received.
And two,
May the awareness of those kindnesses send us out into the world refreshed.
And ready in our turn to spread kindness and love wherever we go.
Namaste.
And just to say to you that the background music will continue for a little while.
To enable you to continue to reflect on these things if you have the time.
It will also allow you to exchange thoughts if you're listening to this in the company of others.
