Please sit upright in a relaxed and comfortable position but with your spine as straight as possible without being uncomfortable or tense.
Now close your eyes.
With your mind scan your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
Observe all of the different parts of your body individually and see if they are relaxed,
Free of tension or strain.
Anywhere you find tension or strain,
Concentrate your mind on that area and allow it to release and relax.
Now observe your whole body and think,
My whole body feels very clear,
Almost transparent,
Very comfortable and relaxed.
My mind is open,
Still and clear like space.
I feel clear and alert,
Completely at ease and very relaxed.
Having cultivated a powerful motivation by establishing a clear compassionate objective for your practice,
Now turn your attention to the subtle sensation of the breath.
Experience it at the rim of or just inside your nostrils or near upper lip.
Feel the subtle sensation associated with each inhalation and exhalation of your breath.
It may be a warming sensation,
A cooling sensation or perhaps a subtle pressure within the nostril.
Wherever you find it,
Focus your attention on it and maintain your focus there.
If you are distracted by a thought or a feeling or a sensation,
Bring your attention back gently but firmly to this part where you experience the subtle sensation of the breath associated with each inhalation and each exhalation.
Again and again,
Each time if you are distracted by a thought or a feeling or a sensation,
Bring your attention back gently but firmly to the spot where you experience the sensation of your breath entering and leaving your nostrils.
Bring your attention back to the point and maintain your focus there and only there.
If your mind is wandering,
Bring your attention back gently but firmly to this part where you experience the subtle sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves,
Enters and leaves.
Focus on that point and maintain your focus there.
Having now strengthened our concentration and achieved some peacefulness and stability in your mind,
We turn our attention from the breath to the mind itself.
We change the focus of our attention to what's happening in our mind itself,
To the uninterrupted stream of thoughts,
Images,
Feelings and sensations occurring in our mind but without intruding on this stream of consciousness in any way,
Without trying to prevent it or control it or to influence it in any way with an attitude that is non-judgmental,
Calm and kind.
We simply watch the mind itself.
We watch this uninterrupted stream of images and thoughts,
Sensations and feelings but with an attitude of a calm observer.
A silent watcher observes what comes and what goes but the watcher does not get involved.
Like a person sitting quietly and hidden at the edge of the pond in the middle of a forest,
They observe the different animals that come out of the forest to the pond to drink.
He observes the small animals.
He observes the large animals,
The beautiful ones,
The ugly ones.
He does not really mind which animal comes and what animal goes.
He is not attached to the beautiful ones or he is not repelled by the ugly ones.
He is not frightened by the large ones,
No different to the small ones.
He simply observes with detached interest whatever comes and goes.
The silent watcher simply observes the uninterrupted stream of thoughts,
Images,
Feelings and sensations which arise and pass away moment by moment like water bubbles rising and dissolving back into the still clear water.
Notice thoughts and feelings as they arise.
Notice images and physical sensations as they arise.
Observe their characteristics.
If they are unpleasant,
Observe the unpleasantness without trying to make it go away.
If they are pleasant,
Observe the pleasure without trying to prolong it or make it stay.
If they are neutral,
Observe them anyway without diminishing their importance or ignoring them.
Watch them rising and passing away.
Maintain an attitude that is non-judgmental and respectful toward whatever arises.
Watch thoughts instead of thinking them.
Watch them arise and pass away.
Watch feelings and sensations without identifying with them,
Without taking it to be I or mine or something happening to me.
Just watch them rising and passing away.
Watch whatever comes up,
Sounds,
Smells,
Images,
Feelings or whatever experience present itself to you briefly in the present moment and then disappears.
Observe these without becoming involving them,
Without reacting to them,
Without clinging to them,
Without pushing them away.
When a thought or feeling rises as you watch it,
Understand that it has no substance,
No permanence.
It has risen and it will pass away.
Watch it without getting involved and see how long it lasts.
Maintain an attitude of a calm attention toward whatever arises in your body and your mind.
Like a very good host who gives calm attention to all the guests without prejudice,
Not forcing unpopular guests to leave,
Nor forcing popular guests to stay.
And an attitude which realizes I really don't determine what arises and what passes away and I don't determine when it arises and when it passes away.
Whatever it is,
Allow it to arise and pass away.
Don't grasp,
Don't push away,
Just watch.
From this island of peacefulness,
This island of tranquility in your mind,
Observe what arises within your mind and what arise outside you and around you.
Different sounds,
Smells and other sensations without becoming involved with them or reacting to them in any way.
At all times,
Maintain your posture of complete neutrality and respectfulness toward what you are observing.
Now think to yourself,
These many things that arise in my mind do not belong to me.
When I think that they are mine to do with as I wish,
To cling to,
To push away or to ignore,
I generate enormous suffering in my life and in the lives of others.
May I continue to develop great regard,
Respect and kindness toward all of the many contents of my mind.
May I remain compassionately aware of all that is happening within my body and my mind.
Thinking through the special understanding and energy that I have generated in this meditation practice,
May others as well as myself derive much benefit.
May all living beings be released from their suffering and find perfect happiness and joy.
Now observe your mind,
Observe your body.
Your body is relaxed,
Your mind is calm,
Tranquil and peaceful.
Make a strong determination to practice this meditation every day,
Regularly,
With diligence and patience.
Understand how important this meditation practice.
Keep your mind well,
Happy,
Peaceful and balanced.
May peace be with you,
May you be well,
May you be happy,
May you be peaceful.
Choose loving kindness.
Thank you very much.
Please open your eyes.
