And as you settle into your meditation posture,
Just noticing the quality of your body,
How you experience your body following that simple period of movement,
Noticing your breathing,
How your breathing is just now.
Taking a moment to just acknowledge and contemplate your body,
This field of experience in and with and through which our life is expressed that we call body.
And of course our bodies are sometimes tricky,
Sometimes difficult for us,
Not always as we wish them to be.
But in truth we're very fortunate to have a body.
We could reflect upon this.
As one teacher observed,
Yes,
It's quite difficult to practice with a body.
That's true,
But you know it's much more difficult to practice without one.
We can so easily focus on the limitations or the challenges of our bodies,
Our lives,
Our selves.
And yet equally important at times it is for us to attune to a sense of appreciating,
Of acknowledging our good fortune,
Which isn't to deny the challenges or the difficulties.
And so perhaps just taking a moment to sense if there's any part of your body that you kind of feel particularly grateful for or appreciate right now,
Or you just kind of want to say,
Hey,
Thank you,
You know,
Legs for getting me to the meditation hall or,
You know,
Butt for putting up with the weight of my body when I'm sitting on it all the time.
Or just simple things,
Any sense of that in a light but not frivolous way.
What is it to appreciate this body?
And again to turn towards that possibility.
The Buddha spoke of our capacity of heart as something we can develop and cultivate by turning towards what we appreciate.
Not denying or disregarding what is difficult,
But turning towards what we appreciate.
And so I'd invite you if there is some part of your body that you just have some sense of appreciation for,
And you might feel you'd like to just place the soft open palm of your hand in contact with that part of your body,
Maybe your knees that still bend after all these years,
Or your jaw that chews the food that nourishes you.
There might not be somewhere particular and then you could just place your hand again only if you wish,
Maybe on your belly or your chest,
Just notice where it's in contact with your thigh.
And what is it to allow your hand to express a sense of appreciation,
Just in touch,
The soft ripple of sensation that comes through our hands,
To our body,
Through our body,
To our hands,
With a sense of maybe thank you,
Or just,
Hey,
Well done,
You're still going.
What is it to then extend a sense of well-wishing to our own body?
This quality of appreciation is something the Buddha spoke about as the basis for turning towards kindness and well-wishing.
We open our hearts quite naturally in those directions where we find appreciation.
And we can train and cultivate that capacity.
What might we wish for our body?
It doesn't mean we can make that happen,
But in our caring for and appreciating this body,
What would it be to wish it well?
May this body be healthy and strong.
May it be safe and at ease.
May it be nourished and filled with vitality,
Or whatever you might wish for your body.
And it may be you find words that wish to express that it might be just a sense of friendly touch or an inner gaze of warmth and caring,
As if warm water rippling or soft sunlight dappling upon our body as we give it attention.
And it may also be there somewhere at this time where our body we know is struggling.
Maybe it's hurting.
Maybe it's under pressure or impacted by injury or illness.
And again,
If that's the case,
We might wish to just extend a sense of care with a soft touch of an open hand to just some place where we feel what's there.
And just expressing again that caring wish for healing and well-being.
Without trying to make something happen or fix something,
But just aligning ourselves with the caring and kindly well-wishing for this human body that we have.
This body that provides us our ground for practice.
And yet isn't always an easy place to be.
And yet at the same time is nonetheless precious,
Mysterious and remarkable.
And just sensing what it might be to fill this body with a bright,
Warm,
Kindly and caring well-wishing.
We don't need to know how to do that.
Just being interested to do so is enough to see what's possible.
Okay?
And if you find yourself distracted or reacting in some way to this invitation,
It's okay.
Just seeing what's possible for you right now,
Just for now,
By way of well-wishing and kindness that you might offer to your body.
This body that we have for now,
But not forever.
How remarkable.
And if you'd like to continue extending a sense of kindliness and friendliness of care and well-wishing towards your own body,
Please feel free to do so.
And it may be that you'd like to just include the other bodies nearby and a little further afield within this meditation hall.
These other precious human bodies,
Remarkable,
Mysterious,
Tender bodies,
Each of them.
Touched at times by sweetness and at times by pain,
All bodies share in this sensitivity to life.
And seeing what it might be to extend a sense of well-wishing to the bodies around you.
May these bodies too be safe and well.
May they be healthy and strong,
Nourished and vital.
And again,
You might have some words you would offer expressing that kind wishing.
Or it might just be that with the out-breath there's a sense of a flowing of kindness,
Rippling like warm water,
Shining like soft sunlight,
Just flowing out around to touch the lives and the bodies nearby and a little further afield.
May these bodies be at ease.
May each body be well,
Including our own.
And just practicing in this way,
Extending kindness.
And well-wishing to your own body,
To the body and the bodies of others nearby and maybe a little further afield.
Being sensitive also to the good wishes and kindness that others are extending to you,
To your body.
As we share this intention to wish well,
Expressing kindness and honoring the support we receive from each other and that we offer to each other in our presence here.
If you find the invitation gives rise to some struggle or resistance,
Just being very kind with yourself in that.
It's okay,
Whatever comes,
Just seeing what's possible for you,
For your heart just now.
And giving yourself complete permission to adjust your posture if your body would appreciate some ease or release or relief in any way that might be possible for you.
Just including any such movement within this sense of extending kindness to this body,
To the body.
And I'd like to invite you if you wish to just give some of your attention to the region in the middle of your chest,
Our heart center,
Where the breath moves in and out of the middle of your torso.
And just sensing whatever you might feel there without expectation for anything particular.
And if you don't feel much at all,
You could,
If you wish,
Put the soft open palm of your hand in contact with that part of your body,
Middle of your chest,
The heart center.
And just feeling the breathing moving in this part of your body.
And just allowing however that might affect you to be found.
And if it doesn't seem to have any effect,
Allowing that too.
Just really gently,
Softly,
Extending the sense of appreciation and kindness to your heart,
To your body,
Sitting here breathing just as it is.
And feeling too how this body sits upon and rests with the vast body of the earth beneath us and around us.
Without having to make something too special of this,
Just gently acknowledging the support of the earth beneath us upon which our body rests,
Within which our heart rests.
And taking a moment if you wish to just appreciate that support for our body and our heart.
And if you should like or feel moved to,
You could extend a sense of well wishing to the very body of this earth that is beneath and in fact all around us.
Wishing well for this body too.
May this body of earth be safe and protected.
May it be healthy and well.
May she,
He,
They,
However we sense this living earth,
This body of life,
May this earth be well.
And may it feel our care,
Our well wishing.
And again we might have words we would wish to offer to the body of this living earth,
But maybe more just a felt sense of touch,
Of rippling water or softly shining light.
And just for this remaining time of our practice together,
In whichever way you feel moved to continue,
Extending a sense of friendliness and kindliness to this body we call our own,
To the bodies of those we are amongst that we call each other's and or equally to this body of the earth.
Whatever you feel moved to or if you feel more drawn just to sit in that simple quiet of contemplative presence,
It's equally welcome to practice in this way for another few minutes together as we are.
And coming back again if you wish to the heart center.
Feeling the movement of your breathing in this part of your body.
Just offering any last wishes of well wishing in any way that you feel moved to.
Starting with your heart.
Sweetagonists.
Wizard.
The End
