Find Ease In Our Work With Relaxation And Aimlessness

Lets begin So wherever you are,

You can let your eyes be either closed or gazing down toward the floor and you can begin by noticing whatever it is you're sitting or lying on and just notice where you're touching that,

Where you're in contact with whatever is supporting you.

Let yourself feel that contact and just remembering how whatever you're sitting or lying on is itself being supported by the earth.

It might be directly supported by the earth or it might be several stories below you but it is being supported by the earth and the earth has always supported you and always will so you can allow yourself to trust in that support.

Then you can also sense the space around you just feeling the safety of that space that you're in and if it's helpful to you to open your eyes and just look around to verify the safety of the space you're in.

You can look behind you to both sides above and below and just notice that you're in a safe space so allowing your nervous system to settle even more and bringing your attention back to your body and your connection with whatever you're sitting on or lying on.

Notice your breathing and if it's helpful you can take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale it through your mouth like a sigh settling even more fully into the support underneath you.

Just reminding yourself that for these next moments that we're practicing together that you don't have anything else that you need to be doing.

There's nothing you need to figure out nowhere else you need to be so you can give yourself wholeheartedly to this next breath to this next moment to this ease in your body and becoming aware of your feet and legs and noticing what your feet and legs are touching,

Becoming aware of your hips and glutes,

Maybe feeling the weight of your body if you're sitting upright in your hips,

Noticing your back,

Spine,

Shoulder blades,

Shoulders,

Noticing your arms,

Hands and fingers,

Just noticing what your hands may be touching in this moment and what that feels like.

And then sensing again the top of your shoulders,

Your neck,

Your head,

Your face,

Sensing your eyes,

Eyebrows,

Eyelids,

The skin around your eyes,

Your cheeks,

Your ears,

Inside and outside,

Your nose,

Outside of your nose and also the inside of your nose,

Maybe noticing the breath inside your nose and then your mouth and lips.

You might notice if your lips are touching or separated,

Your tongue,

Teeth and gums and then sensing your throat and your neck,

Sensing your heart and chest,

Lungs,

Sensing your rib cage,

Belly,

Sensing your belly button,

Lower abdomen and to your groins,

Just sensing your whole body now,

Your whole body,

Whatever feeling of wellness or unwellness is there,

Just sensing the whole body and finding the breath in the body,

Noticing the inhale in the body and the exhale in the body.

Again,

There's nothing you really need to be doing but just enjoying this ease and the body just as it is and just knowing that this moment,

My body feels like this and that in past moments it may have felt different and in future moments it may feel different,

Just passing through this moment and this experience.

And also making note of how this body is made of our ancestors and their bodies and it's made of all of our experiences as we've lived in this body and it's made of all the foods and liquids and gases that we've taken into this body.

It's also made of all of that.

It's a living,

Breathing,

Moment to moment thing this body.

It's been influenced by everything,

Really doesn't have an eternal existence,

Really we can only say hello to it in this moment just as it is.

And in this moment the body is at ease,

Maybe,

And just notice what does it feel like when the body is at ease like this.

Is there more that it needs than just this moment of ease?

Can you let this ease expand even more in your body?

Just let this easefulness get so big that's all you know is just this ease in this moment.

And the breath keeps coming in and going out.

There's nowhere you need to go,

Nothing to figure out.

Get to rest on the earth,

Be held by the earth,

Held by the space around you,

Held by the others practicing with you in this moment.

And just letting your mind rest on the breath,

Coming in and going out.

And if you fall asleep that's totally fine.

And if you feel restless that's also totally fine.

And just being with all that is in this moment.

And just letting your mind rest on the earth,

Holding on to the earth,

Holding on to the earth,

Holding on to the earth,

Holding on to the earth,

Holding on to the earth.

And I'm gonna read now from Thich Nhat Hanh.

And just letting this reading come into you like rain and just see what lands and don't worry about remembering any of it.

It says,

Master Lin Chi exhorted his students to be business less.

It means to not be getting busy all the time,

To be free from busyness.

If we can be business less,

We can touch the spirit of aimlessness in our daily life.

Not being carried away by our desires,

Plans and projects.

We don't do things to get praise or status.

We don't try to play a role.

Wherever we are,

We can be sovereign of ourselves.

We're no longer swept away by our environment.

We're no longer pushed or swayed by the crowd.

But you may ask,

If we are happy in the present moment with nowhere to go and nothing to do,

Then who will help living beings become liberated?

Who will rescue those who are drowning in the ocean of suffering?

Does being aimless make us indifferent to the suffering in the world?

If our priority is to be free and happy,

Doesn't that paralyze us and lead us to avoid the challenges and difficulties of trying to help others?

The Buddha was no longer looking or yearning for anything,

No longer striving.

And yet he was someone who never ceased to help liberate all beings.

Throughout the 45 years of his ministry,

He continued to help liberate others from their suffering,

Even to the last moments of his life.

Being aimless doesn't mean we are without compassion and loving kindness.

As soon as we have compassion,

Loving kindness and understanding,

We naturally have a strong motivation to act and to help.

What's essential is to bring a different quality of being to the situation of suffering in the world.

If we are suffering just like everyone else,

How can we help them suffer less?

If doctors have the same sickness as their patients,

How can they help them heal?

Our energy of peace,

Joy,

Compassion and freedom is essential.

We have to nourish and protect our way of being.

It is possible to work,

Serve and engage as a free person without getting lost in our work.

We don't miss out on the present moment,

Striving or struggling to achieve a future goal.

We live deeply each moment of our work.

This is the meaning of aimlessness.

The peace,

Freedom,

Compassion and loving kindness we radiate already helps those around us to suffer less.

We are not passive.

To be passive means to be pulled,

Pushed and swayed by circumstances or the people around us.

But our freedom and sovereignty means that we don't become a victim of circumstances.

With compassion and insight,

We ask ourselves,

In this situation,

What can I do to stop things getting worse?

How can I help the situation improve?

When we know that we are doing our best on the path of relieving suffering,

It is possible to be at peace every step along the way.

The bell is invited.