Serene Reflection - Meditation

Okay,

So I'm going to guide us through a serene reflection meditation.

Serene reflection is practiced the world over in Zen monasteries.

And it's a practice of just allowing everything to arise and to pass away.

We are really just a big space for life to happen in.

The anxious thought that too arises and wants to pass away.

If we don't interfere with it,

Tend to get stuck to them,

These thoughts.

So you can't do this wrong.

Even the thought,

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing.

That's just arising and it's passing.

But your presence remains.

I'll do some spacious guidance.

I'm going to begin with this poem.

In the quiet of this place.

Bring the fear and the shame,

The misery and the pain.

Bring everything you suspect is dangerous or impure.

Bring every broken vow,

Disappointment and despair.

But also bring the hope of hearing your true voice,

Of touching your true nature.

In the quiet of this place,

In the stillness of your heart,

You are safe.

There is no need to hide anymore.

If you listen,

Listen deeply.

If you wait,

Wait without wanting.

Your true voice will speak to you.

A hand from your own heart will reach out to you.

Dennis Warren.

So you can do this with eyes open or closed.

You might take a couple of deep breaths to help you relax into the body,

Into presence.

Because there is nowhere to go.

A period of silence to allow you to see for yourself what's happening,

What's passing through.

So the breath is rising and falling.

Sounds are appearing out of the silence.

Falling back into the silence.

You can relax.

There is nothing to attain.

Just finally,

We may just be able to rest.

And watch and listen.

And feel the body.

What happens to a thought if we don't pick it up?

Just move through like a cloud in the sky.

Just sitting here.

Waiting without wanting.

Just relaxing into the body.

Relaxing into presence.

Just feel the breath if you wish.

That's arising and falling.

The awareness here is like a mirror.

A mirror doesn't grasp what's reflected,

What's in front of it.

It just lets everything be.

The images change.

It doesn't mind.

Can we be just a little more mirror-like?

Allowing the thoughts and sensations just to pass through.

Be at rest.

An anxious thought,

A wanting thought.

No power if we don't pick them up.

If we do pick them up,

It's OK.

Just drop them.

Release and relax back into presence,

Into the body.

Listen.

Not to the mind,

Listen to life.

To the heart.

And relax.

Bring this session to a close.

A little stretch.

Thank you.