Discover Joy - Take Things A Little Easier

Dear friends,

Welcome to this meditation which I hope will bring a little more joy into all our lives.

Let's begin with a breathing exercise to help to bring us into this present moment.

We've always been told that we can't concentrate on two things at once.

So if we can learn to concentrate on our breathing,

It will help us to leave aside our worries about the past.

It will help us to leave until tomorrow,

The jobs we need to do tomorrow.

In other words,

It helps us to become present.

So let's take a deep breath in,

And as we breathe in,

Let's become aware that we are breathing in.

We can use words such as,

Breathing in,

I am aware that I am breathing in.

So on each in breath,

Really notice that we are breathing in.

And we can do the same on the out breath.

Breathing out,

I am aware that I am breathing out.

So for the next minute,

Just 60 seconds,

Let's simply concentrate on this practice of breathing in awareness.

Nowhere to go,

Nothing to do,

Except coming into this present moment by noticing our breathing.

So let's take a deep breath in,

And as we breathe in,

Let's become aware that we are breathing in.

So let's take a deep breath in,

And as we breathe out,

Let's become aware that we are breathing in.

Welcome back.

Our opening talk for today is A Blessing for Risk-Takers and Failures.

This is by Robin Tanner.

She calls this,

A Blessing for Losers,

Risk-Takers,

All Failures,

Fair and White.

Those whose intentions are good,

But impact has injured,

Who know the hot sense of regret and ask for mercy.

For their hearts will know the gift of forgiveness.

Blessed are they who have seen a D or an F or C or any letter less than perfect,

Who are painfully familiar with the red pen and the labels as less than,

For they know the wisdom of the imperfect.

Blessed are they who try again,

Who dust off,

Who wash up,

Who extend the wish for peace,

Who return to sites of failure,

Who are dogged in their pursuit,

For they will discover the secret dreams.

Blessed are they who refuse to listen to the naysayers,

For their hearts will be houses for hope.

Blessed are they who see beyond the surface of another,

For they will be able to delight in the gift of compassion.

Blessed are they who stop running the race in order to help a fellow traveler,

Who pick up the fallen,

Who stop for injured life,

For they shall know the kindness of strangers.

Blessed are they who wildly,

Boldly abandon winning,

For they shall know the path of justice.

Words there by Robin Tanner.

So today we are going to encourage one another to let go,

To relax the grip and discover joy.

Much of the trouble in our lives is caused by the fact that we want to be in control.

We feel uncomfortable if we are not in control.

We make plans and we get very upset when they don't work out.

Now happily there are many things in our lives which we can control.

Most important of all,

We can control how we react to the events of life.

And most of the time we make plans and we succeed in carrying them through.

All sails along as reasonably expected.

If we look back over our lives objectively,

I think we will find that by and large life has treated us well.

All of us have had our ups and downs,

But despite everything here we are today.

We have so many reasons to be happy.

We have so many reasons to be grateful.

You may have heard the song 10,

000 Reasons,

Bless the Lord.

This is a hymn in the Christian tradition.

It was written by Matt Redman and Jonas Miron and it's based on Psalm 103 of the Jewish scriptures.

Regardless of all our various beliefs,

And we have many and varied beliefs in this diverse community,

Regardless of our idea of what the ultimate might be,

This song or hymn helps us to look at the amazing benefits of our everyday lives from the perspective of gratitude.

Hearing its words,

We can't but express thankfulness for the gift of each new day.

The sun comes up,

It's a new day dawning.

It's time to sing your song again.

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

And that is what we have to work at.

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

Some days,

Hopefully not too many,

We will find that things do not go according to plan.

And this is where we need to relax our grip.

Okay,

We make our plans.

We set our targets.

We do our best.

This is how we go about life.

But on occasion,

Despite all the plans,

Notwithstanding all the well set targets,

In spite of our very best efforts,

We just do not get our way.

Things go wrong.

They don't work out as we have planned.

And when this happens,

We have a choice.

We can rebel.

We can complain.

We can blame others.

We can kick ourselves.

We can talk endlessly to ourselves about if only.

We can find excuses,

Endless excuses.

But when all else fails,

We have to accept that what cannot be cured has to be calmly endured.

We have to loosen our grip.

We just have to let go.

Learn to take things a little easier.

You may have come across the poem She Let Go by Reverend Sapphire Rose.

There is a wonderful version of it here on Inside Timer by Estelle Godseman.

One verse of it describes letting go.

Like a leaf falling from a tree,

She just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn't good and it wasn't bad.

It was what it was,

And it is just that.

In the space of letting go,

She let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her,

And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

Part of the poem She Let Go by Reverend Sapphire Rose.

At times too,

We just have to let go.

Learn to take things a little easier.

Remember,

Whatever it is,

This is not the end of the world.

And if we find that we have to adjust our course,

Isn't it better to adjust?

Is there any point in driving on mindlessly until we hit a blank wall?

In this acceptance of reality,

We can find joy and peace.

We can learn to accept life as it comes,

With all its surprises,

Many of them good.

Let's try to accept the changes of each day as they are presented,

Even the unexpected ones,

Especially the unexpected ones,

And even the unwelcome ones.

You may remember the poem The Guest House by Rumi.

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival,

A joy,

A depression,

A meanness.

Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all.

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,

Still treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The dark thought,

The shame,

The malice,

Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Words there from the poet Rumi,

Still useful to hear after 800 years.

Let's give ourselves another 60 second pause for reflection.

Let's give ourselves another 60 second pause for reflection.

Welcome back.

So can we try a little harder to accept what comes in each moment?

Yes,

We make plans.

We must make plans.

We should make plans.

We don't approach life mindlessly with no particular destination in view.

As has been said,

If you don't know where you are going,

Any route will take you there.

So we need to pay reasonable attention to planning,

With the emphasis on the word reasonable.

Yes,

We have some destination in mind,

But if and when an obstacle arises,

Let's be prepared to change direction.

See the advantages that the new possibility brings.

And instead of complaining about what we haven't got,

Moaning about what has not been achieved,

Let's notice and make the best of what we have.

Pay attention to what we have achieved.

And be open to what this new situation might bring.

Wasn't it John Lennon who reminded us that life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans?

How often haven't we found this to be true?

Rigidity adds unnecessarily to the pressures of life.

Flexibility makes things much easier for us and for the people we have to deal with.

The people who have to deal with us.

Just think of the people in your life.

Who are the happiest people to be with?

I don't think you will find that your inflexible friends will be the easiest of company.

Now it might drive you mad to be with someone who will never make up their minds.

Someone who will never agree for sure.

And always provisional someone who operates only from minute to minute.

We need a reasonable balance.

But when you stop to ask yourself which of these personality traits would you prefer to have to deal with,

You're likely to come down in favour of your flexible friend.

Life is happier for all of us if we are prepared to relax our grip and remain open to the possibility of surprise and joy.

Most of the time I think you would agree,

Flexibility is more a solution than a problem.

So it is worth giving it a try.

Some thoughts now from the wise that we might keep in mind.

This first one is from Cardi MacDonald,

Author of Life in Full Colours.

The truth of the matter is that creative magic happens when we play without trying to control and plan out everything.

Trust that the creative intelligence of the whole universe longs to align and co-operate with you.

And that can't happen if it's all pre-planned and controlled by you.

And from Joy Seabel C,

Who always seems to have wisdom packaged in a few words.

We can't be afraid of change.

You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in,

But if you never venture out of it,

You will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean,

A sea.

Holding on to something that's good for you now may be the very reason why you don't have something better.

Words from Joy Seabel C.

And now for some closing words.

Every morning remember to lean your arms a while upon the windowsill of heaven.

Stop a moment and take time to look upon the eternal.

Then,

With that vision in your heart,

Turn strong to meet your day.

Remember to let go.

Remember to relax your grip.

And every day discover joy.

And now the divine in me bows to the divine in you.

Wishing you love,

Peace and joy.

Namaste.