The Zoom Sessions No 10: Saturday Meditation Drop In 30th May 2020

Hello,

My name is Matt Albury.

This is the 10th Zoom session from the Saturday night meditation groups that were running during the pandemic.

This session on the 30th of May 2020 starts with a Maya Kosher meditation,

Which means we will focus on the five layers of existence.

This will then move into a compassion work,

Which is a variation,

A hybrid of the Tonglen practice,

And then we will finish with a review of the day.

So just allow yourself to bring your awareness to your feet on the floor.

So first we'll just notice the physical sensation of the floor under your feet.

And then take your awareness then up to the chair that's supporting your body or the cushion.

Just notice that sensation being supported by that chair or that cushion.

And then take your awareness to the sounds that you can hear all around you.

So the sounds that you can hear in the room that you're in.

And then the sound of what you can hear outside of the room.

And then we'll start by taking our lovely breaths.

So we take two breaths,

Moving in through the nose and sighing out through the mouth to help us settle.

So take a lovely deep breath in and then breathe out through the mouth.

And we'll do that again.

Lovely deep breath in through the nose.

And just allow yourself just to settle.

And then when you're ready we'll start to do a body scan.

So again take your awareness to the bottom of the feet again.

Up to your toes,

The top of the feet and the ankles.

Just notice the physical sensations in your feet.

And then take your awareness then up through the lower legs and the knees,

Thighs and the backside and the hips.

Just notice the physical sensations there.

And then take your awareness then up through the hips up onto the belly and the lower back.

Taking that awareness then up onto the upper back and the chest.

And just notice the sensations there.

Then take your awareness then up onto the shoulders,

Out onto the shoulder joints.

Flow any awareness down through the upper arms and the elbows,

The forearms and the wrists,

The backs of the hands and the palms of the hands.

Just notice that little hollow that forms there in your palm.

And then taking your awareness out onto your thumbs,

Your first fingers,

Second fingers,

Third fingers and fourth.

And then when you're ready just flow your awareness all the way back up through the arms just noting what physical sensations are present in your arms at this moment.

And then take your awareness across onto your throat,

The back of the neck.

Taking your awareness onto your jaw,

Your mouth,

Your lips,

Your teeth and your gums,

The insides of the cheeks,

The roof of the mouth,

The tongue and the space underneath your tongue.

And then just notice the tastes and the physical sensations present at the moment.

And then flow your awareness when you're ready up onto your nose and your nostrils.

Taking your awareness around onto your ears,

Noticing the physical sensation of your ears.

Taking your awareness around onto your eyelids,

Your eyelashes and the eyes themselves.

And just notice the physical sensations present there in your eyes.

And then take your awareness up onto the forehead,

The back of the head and then finally onto the crown.

And then when you're ready,

It's as if somebody has opened a tap on the bottom of your toe,

Just allow yourself to be emptied out.

Just allow yourself to flow through your body just as if you're being emptied out.

And as you do this just let go of anything that you want to let go of.

Anything that's been bothering you,

Anything that's been worrying you.

Just allow it to go out,

Flowing out into the earth below.

Just allowing the earth to take everything away that you want to let go of at this time.

And then when you've done that,

As if you're being filled afresh,

Just flow all the way back through the body,

Just noting as you go all the way up to the top of the head,

Out onto the tips of the fingers,

As if you're being filled afresh.

And then when you reach the top of the head,

Just take a moment just to be aware of your presence.

That unique presence of yourself just in your body,

In the space that you're in.

This wonderfully unique experience just to you.

And then when you hear the bell I'll start to guide us then in the Mayakosha Meditation.

So the Mayakosha Meditation takes us through the different layers of existence.

So the first place to bring observation to now is the physical body.

So we just take some time now just to notice what it feels like to be in our body.

And just with a sense of acceptance,

Noting what is present in our body.

Just allow yourself to settle there.

And any time that you get distracted that's fine,

That's quite normal.

You just come back to noticing what's present in the body at this time.

And then when you're ready,

In your own time,

Start to bring your awareness away from the physical body to the Prana Mayakosha,

Which is the breath.

So the energy body.

So you're watching the breath rolling into your body,

The breath rolling out.

So this is like a mindfulness practice like we do with observation of the breath.

So just watch the breath coming in,

The breath coming out,

All the lovely physical sensations of the body moving with the breath.

So this is the Prana Mayakosha.

This is the Prana Mayakosha.

.

.

.

.

And then when you're ready in your own time,

We move the observation away from the breath to the Manomaya Kosha,

Which is the mind.

So we watch the mind doing its thing.

So it's a bit like watching traffic passing down a road,

Watching it come and go.

Or you could use the analogy of watching the mind like watching clouds passing through the sky.

But the key with the practice here is that you just observe the thoughts as they come and go without putting any labels on them whether they're good or bad,

Or why am I thinking this.

You just notice what's present,

And so we do it with a sense of acceptance.

So just bringing our awareness to that level of human existence,

The processing of the mind.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And then when you're ready now,

Bring your awareness away from watching the mind to your emotions.

So this time you're dropping your awareness to the Vinyana Maya Kosha,

Which is the emotions.

So you just watch what's present,

And again it's with that sense of acceptance.

So whatever's there,

We don't beat ourselves up for how we feel.

We just acknowledge that emotional state that we're in.

We just bring our awareness to there with that sense of acceptance.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And then when you're ready,

We bring our awareness then to the final layer of observation,

Which is the Anada Maya Kosha,

Which is the sense of bliss.

So in some traditions this is that sense of stillness.

So it's quite useful to drop down to your heart centre with this practice,

With this bit.

So you drop your awareness away from the busyness of the mind and physical sensation of the breath.

You drop down into your heart centre and just allow yourself just to sit.

Just allow yourself to sit in that place of bliss,

That place of stillness.

And this is our final stage of the Maya Kosha practice.

.

.

The thing to be aware of as you observe this this layer of existence is this is like a still water.

So regardless of what's going on on the surface of the water,

In life,

Whatever life is throwing at us,

What we're experiencing,

We can drop into the Anada,

This place of bliss,

Which is untarnished,

Unbothered by whatever's going on outside.

So just allow yourself just to drop there,

Allow yourself just to get lost in that sense of Anada,

Knowing I'm watching the time for us.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Then when you hear the bell it will start to then move us into the compassion practice,

But Just stay in that place of bliss at the moment,

Stay in that anada until I start to guide you.

So with this compassion practice,

Bring your awareness then down to your heart centre and just picture your heart as a part of,

Pima Chaturan calls it the furnace of the heart.

So as you're at your heart centre,

Really picture the intensity of existence,

That passion that is there in the centre of your being.

And as you do this,

Start to bring to your mind people you would like to bring compassion to.

So a bit like we do with loving kindness,

You could picture these people stood in front of you.

And also don't forget we need to show compassion to ourselves if you want to put yourself in front as well.

Just picture a group of people you want to bring compassion to and just allow them in your mind's eye to be stood in front of you.

And then return your awareness then as you look at these people to the heart centre and picture things like goodwill,

Empathy,

Kindness,

Love being generated in this heart centre.

Maybe even picture it as a bright light coming out of the heart.

And firstly picture this kindness,

This compassion flowing to every single part of your being.

So this light surging through your body down to the tips of the toes,

The top of the head,

Down to the tips of the fingers so that you become this glowing beacon of compassion.

And then picture this light starting to break out from you,

Passing to the people in front of you.

This group of people that you want to show compassion to.

Just picture all that goodwill,

Kindness,

Empathy just radiating out from your being into the people in front of you.

And as we do this we are aware of the movement in the body of the breath.

So our breath is moving and rolling into us and rolling out.

This powerful compassion is flowing out of your being to these people in front of you.

And then when you're ready allow this compassion to grow even more powerful.

So it passes through the people in front of you and then starts to radiate out to the whole planet.

This compassion flowing out through your back,

Out through your chest,

Out through your legs,

Out through your arms,

Out through your face.

So that you're this bright beacon shining compassion to everybody around you in this world.

You become this breathing beacon of compassion.

And as you practice this I'll say the words of matter that you can repeat quietly to yourself as your compassion flows out to everybody.

You can repeat these words to everybody as well.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be safe.

And may all beings live at ease.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be safe.

And may all beings live at ease.

So just continue just to be that radiant beacon,

That goodness flowing out to these people in front of you and all this whole planet.

This bright light shining out from you.

And watching the movement of the breath and the body as you do this.

You are this vibrant living beacon of compassion.

So those words again.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings be loved.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings live at ease.

And when you're ready,

Picture these people just gently fading away.

And as they do,

Picture this light returning back into your being.

So this light is coming back into your heart centre.

Blowing into your core.

Passing through every fibre of your being and just returning home to the squareness of the heart.

And then picture those wonderful qualities of kindness,

Mercy,

Compassion,

Love,

Empathy.

All coming and resting on you.

So that you benefit from the practice as well.

And as you picture this,

Use this time to say words of kindness to yourself.

Just saying the things that you need to hear at this time.

Maybe simple things that you're saying.

I'm okay.

I'm doing okay.

Just bring in those sort of words that you would say to a really good friend,

To you.

And then we'll say these words of kindness over ourselves.

May I be happy.

May I be well.

May I be safe.

And may I live at ease.

May I be happy.

May I be healthy.

May I be safe.

And may I live at ease.

Happy,

Healthy,

Safe,

At ease.

Happy,

Healthy,

Safe,

And at ease.

And then just finally know,

As we move away from this part of the practice,

Just picture your heart centre just sealing back up.

That fairness of the heart closing gently,

Holding all those qualities,

All those intentions,

Deep in your core.

Just nourishing your being.

And just allow yourself just to settle there for a moment.

And then I'll start to guide us in our examen of the day.

Thank you.

We begin by lighting a candle.

Come home to yourself.

Come home.

Lovingly welcome into your home the person that you are.

Come home.

Let your hands find rest.

And allow your hands to hold the weave from your day.

Come home.

As we remember the day as it was,

Remember a moment that brought life,

That brought light.

And gently revisit it,

Allowing to live again in your mind's eye.

In particular,

Focused on the qualities of that experience that brought life.

Be still.

Be grateful.

As we remember the day as it was,

Remember a situation or an experience that was difficult or challenging.

And gently revisit this,

Again focusing on what it was about this experience that made it difficult.

Be still.

Be accepting.

Now gently take the moment of life and light,

The moment that was difficult or challenging,

And bring them to your heart centre.

Just release them to the divine love within you.

Allow that divine love in the centre of your being,

Absorbing these moments from you.

Be still.

Be still.

And as we think of the day again as it was,

Think of anything where we may need to ask for forgiveness or make amends.

If there is any situation set,

An intention for yourself to talk to the person tomorrow about that situation,

Unless it would cause more pain in doing so.

And then in the final stages of our practice,

Think about tomorrow and the things that you might want to do tomorrow,

Things that you might need to do.

And then gently trust your tomorrow.

And then as I blow out the candle,

Just return your awareness back to the breath.

Just allow yourself to settle with your breath until you hear the bells.

And then we'll do our grounding technique and we'll open our eyes together.

So then gently return your awareness to the sounds around you.

Perhaps noticing the sounds in the room that you're in first.

And then taking your awareness to the sounds further afield.

And then take your awareness then back to the chair or the cushion that supported you as you've practiced.

Just notice that sensation of being held.

And then take your awareness to the sensation of the feet firm on the floor.

If you like,

Really push your feet into the floor.

Feel that firmness of the floor there.

Keep your toes a bit of a wriggle.

And plant them back down.

And then we'll take two breaths before we open our eyes.

We'll breathe into the nose and sigh out through the mouth.

A lovely deep breath in.

Take a lovely deep breath in again.

And then gently begin to move when you're ready.