Good morning.
If you have just joined us for the first time.
Welcome and just join in the long pauses.
They are intentional.
It is not that I have fallen asleep or anything like that.
So we have this idea.
Let's look at a basic error.
We come along to meditation normally,
Even if we have got some experience.
Can you hear me okay?
Can you give me a thumbs up by the way?
And the basic error is that we need to get something.
We need to get rid of something.
That's not the case.
What we are is already here.
What we are looking for is already here.
So in one sense there is no path to presence.
How can there be its presence?
But what we do,
We spend our time listening to mind.
To the egoic mind.
Self-centered mind.
And to the mind this is never enough.
Because the mind deals in concepts.
Deals in thoughts about something.
An egoic mind is never satisfied for very long.
So off we go on another journey.
Looking elsewhere for it.
For something.
For some experience.
So looking for some experience to make it all okay.
And it's already okay when we stop listening to mind.
So the instruction is really simple.
All you got are two things to do.
One of them you are already doing.
You are already being.
You are aware.
So you are aware of what mind keeps presenting to you.
Just keep watching it.
There is a show going on.
That's what's happening.
There is a show going on.
And we keep getting pulled into this show.
Into this cabaret.
Sometimes a comedy.
Sometimes a tragedy.
And we lose ourselves there.
And anything can happen there.
So watch the show.
When you notice that you are lost in it.
Just back.
Back to what's really happening.
Rest in the body.
Rest in presence.
And the other thing is just to experience what is actually here.
Just on a very logical level.
Why would we be interested in what's not happening over what is actually happening.
A young boy says to his mum.
Mum,
Mum.
If you were chased by a group of tigers.
I don't know what a group of tigers is called.
But a group of tigers.
And they are chasing after you all growling and snarling.
And you come to a cliff edge and they keep running at you.
What would you do?
Oh Johnny,
Johnny.
Oh I don't know.
Oh I'm scared.
What would you do?
So I'll stop imagining mummy.
It's over.
Stop imagining.
We bring all these imagined problems into this present moment.
Into this nowness.
And suffer from these made up imaginings.
Not in our problems they are made up.
But when you see the vast majority are.
Let's settle.
Some quiet time.
Eyes open or closed.
Settle down into the body.
Not going anywhere.
Maybe in the imagination.
Or settle down into the lower belly.
And just feel into there.
Just feel the breath if you wish.
Rising and falling.
Just feel what you find.
When you find yourself lost in thought.
Just release.
And just relax back.
Relaxing back into the body,
Into presence.
If you're not in one of the five senses you're imagining.
And it's okay.
Just come back home.
Keeping it simple.
Just releasing yourself from thoughts.
Leave them alone.
And feel into presence.
Feel into the body.
Rest the attention on the body.
Feel the breath if you wish.
Rising and the falling.
Just check that you've not gone tense.
You're not trying.
Don't try to be here.
You relax.
The mind will offer you a ride.
An emotional ride.
Just decline it.
Or just hop off it.
Come back home.
It's as simple as this.
Just feeling what's felt.
Hearing what's heard.
Just being right here.
Relaxed.
Just welcoming pleasant and unpleasant sensations.
Notice if you're listening to mind.
It's okay if you are.
Just release those thoughts.
And come back to what's real.
The breath.
Sound of the traffic.
The birds.
Sense of aliveness.
And relax.
Make sure you're not tensed up.
So you can start to bring the session to an end.
Open your eyes up a little stretch.
So there we go.
First of the week.
And I think it's coffee time.
See you guys.
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
