Welcome meditators.
This is day 10,
And today we will reflect on the true nature of reality,
That is impermanence,
Meaning everything is changing.
This meditation has the power to break your old,
Limiting views of reality.
If this is your first day,
I would recommend starting from day 1.
And now,
Please sit in a comfortable position,
With your back upright,
Not uptight,
And let your body relax.
Gently close your eyes,
Or keep them slightly open.
Now bring your body into a state of relaxation,
Stillness,
And vigilance.
Now breathe naturally.
Spend some time letting your mind settle down in the present moment,
Using the next exhale to relax,
And release any tightness or tension in any part of your body.
When your mind is calm and settled in the present,
Generate a positive motivation for doing this meditation.
May this meditation liberate me from suffering and its causes,
So that I can help all beings become free of suffering.
Begin the meditation by observing your breath,
And slowly becoming aware of the impermanence of your breathing.
Each breath is different from the one that came before it,
And is different from the one that comes after it.
You are breathing in different air with each breath,
And your body is changing with each breath.
There are different sensations around the nose,
And inside the nostrils.
Your lungs expand and contract.
Your abdomen rises and falls.
So in each moment,
With each breath,
There is a change,
Flux,
And flow.
Now think about other changes that are taking place in your body,
In each moment.
Think of how your body is made of different parts,
Arms,
Legs,
Head,
Skin,
Blood,
Bones,
Nerves,
And muscles,
And how these parts themselves are made of yet smaller parts,
Such as cells.
If you don't feel comfortable at any point,
Simply bring your awareness to your breath.
Be aware of the movement that is going on each moment,
The beating of your heart,
The flow of your blood,
And the energy of your nerve impulses.
On a more subtle level,
Cells are being born,
Dying,
And disintegrating.
On an even subtler level,
All the parts of your body are made of molecules,
Atoms,
And subatomic particles,
And these are in constant motion.
Try to really get a feeling of the change that is taking place each moment in your body.
Then turn your attention to your mind.
It is also composed of many parts,
Thoughts,
Perceptions,
Feelings,
Memories,
Images,
Following one after the other ceaselessly.
Spend a few minutes simply observing the ever-changing flow of experiences in your mind,
Like someone looking out of a window onto a busy street,
Watching the cars and pedestrians passing by.
Don't cling to anything that you see in your mind,
Don't judge or make comments,
Just observe and try to get a sense of the impermanent,
Ever-changing nature of your mind.
After reflecting on the impermanence of your inner world,
Your own body and mind,
Extend your awareness to the outer world.
Think about your surroundings,
The cushion,
Rug,
Or bed you're sitting on,
The floor,
Walls,
Windows,
And ceiling of the room you're sitting in,
The furniture,
And other objects in the room.
Remember that each of these things,
Although appearing solid and static,
Is actually a mass of tiny particles whizzing around in space.
Stay with that awareness of the impermanent,
Constantly changing nature of these things.
Now let your awareness travel further out,
Beyond the walls of your room.
Think of other people,
Their bodies and minds are also constantly changing,
Not staying the same for even one moment.
The same is true for all living beings,
Such as animals,
Birds,
Insects.
Think of all the other objects in the world,
And in the universe,
Houses,
Buildings,
Roads,
Cars,
Trees,
Mountains,
Oceans,
And rivers,
The earth itself,
The sun,
Moon,
And stars.
All of these things,
Being composed of atoms and other minute particles,
Are constantly changing every moment,
Every millisecond.
Nothing stays the same without changing.
When you're meditating,
If at any point you experience a clear,
Strong feeling of the ever-changing nature of things,
Stop the thinking or analyzing process,
And hold your attention firmly on the feeling.
Concentrate on it for as long as possible,
Without thinking of anything else or letting your mind be distracted.
When the feeling fades,
Or your attention starts to wander,
Again return to analyzing the impermanent nature of things.
You may have realized that it is unrealistic,
Frustrating,
And self-defeating to hold on to things.
Whatever is beautiful and pleasing will change,
And eventually disappear.
So we can't expect it to give us lasting happiness.
At the same time,
Anything that is unpleasant or disturbing won't last forever.
It might even change for the better.
So there is no need to be upset about it,
Or to reject it.
Now,
Send this positive energy out in the world,
And pray that all beings be filled with happiness and freedom from all suffering.
When you're ready,
Slowly move your body and open your eyes.
I will highly recommend doing this meditation a couple of times,
To fully understand the nature of reality.
We first learned how to walk,
Then run,
And now it's time to fly.
Tomorrow we'll expand our view through open,
Spacious awareness meditation.
Keep practicing,
And I cannot wait to meditate with you tomorrow.
