Dear friends,
Welcome to this meditation which is designed to encourage us to sometimes leave things alone.
We all share a universal responsibility for the welfare of others,
And for the protection of the world for future generations.
But we have to remember that as individuals we don't have the solution to every problem.
The better world we seek has to come from a starting point of inner peace.
So in this meditation we seek to find that peace.
Can we begin by closing our eyes and coming into an awareness of the present moment?
We are here now.
When did we last notice ourselves present?
We take one minute to relax and come into the present.
Here we are,
Warts and all,
Sometimes ready to meditate,
Sometimes not.
But in any event and for whatever reason we are here.
Give thanks.
We are here.
We are here.
We are here.
We are here.
A thought before our opening bell.
This comes from Robert H.
Schuller.
Never cut a tree down in the wintertime.
Never make a negative decision in the low time.
Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods.
Wait.
Be patient.
The storm will pass.
The spring will come.
The message of this reflection is simple.
For today,
Just let things be.
We are a society of doers and fixers.
We move impatiently from one project to the next.
We want it now.
This is evident all around us.
Instant tea,
Instant coffee,
Ready-made meals,
Microwave dinners.
We have lost the gentle art of waiting.
Let's stop for two minutes of rest.
Two minutes of non-planning.
Two minutes just to be where we are.
Sometime very soon,
Make time to stop to notice the workings of nature.
Sit before the dawn and notice the coming of light.
Or in the evening,
Sit and watch the falling of darkness.
Notice the buds opening on trees.
The start of a rain shower.
Or the sun breaking through the clouds.
You know it always does in the end.
These things happen without our intervention.
They've been happening for years upon years upon years.
Let's step off the treadmill and rest for just another minute.
This is not to urge a life of permanent passivity.
Some,
Even many matters require our attention.
Very many things just have to be put right.
But all our actions benefit by coming from a place of calm.
All our interventions will benefit by coming from a starting point of reflection.
Sharon Salzberg says patience doesn't mean making a pact with the devil of denial,
Ignoring our emotions and aspirations.
It means being wholeheartedly engaged in the process that's unfolding.
Rather than ripping open a budding flower or demanding a caterpillar hurry up and get that chrysalis stage over with.
How often have we been impatient with the unfolding of events?
How often have we rushed from one speedy action to another without a moment's pause and with what benefit?
Let's rest for another two minutes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We all know people who speak little but wisely.
We listen to these quiet people and we pay attention to the few words they say.
We pay more attention to the rare advice they offer.
Let us imitate them by acting a little less but acting more effectively from a starting point of peace.
Let's take a minute now to give thanks for the quiet wise people in our lives.
Thank you.
So tonight as you go to bed let it be and tomorrow just for one day let the world turn without you.
You can be sure it will.
So enjoy noticing its progress.
Tomorrow notice all the many times you might otherwise be tempted to open your mouth,
Issue the quick order,
Give the smart answer.
When you're tempted to do this bite your tongue and see how many matters work out without your help and without your hindrance.
Many problems find their own solutions and for situations that don't they will benefit by being touched by a hand of peace,
A hand of calm and a hand of blessing.
Stop for a moment to notice the gift of your lungs.
Notice your breath.
Day and night you breathe in the good air.
No one tells you to do that.
You hardly notice but when you do notice you can stop and come back to the present.
The present moment is only one breath away.
Breathe in,
Hold for a second,
Breathe out,
Repeat,
Breathe in,
Hold,
Breathe out,
Repeat again,
In,
Hold,
Out.
We give thanks for this moment.
We give thanks for this life.
We have a closing prayer before the closing bell.
This is a prayer for self-acceptance and it's by Abbey Willow Root.
I am fallible and only human.
Sometimes I fail.
My best efforts are not always enough.
My best intentions and judgement can be wrong.
My sincerest beliefs can be flawed.
I am fallible and only human.
May I have the courage to accept my limitations.
May I have the flexibility and insight to change my mind.
May I have the openness to see the truths in beliefs that are not my own.
I am only human but I seek to grow in wisdom and understanding.
May each new day bring me deeper awareness of others and myself.
Namaste.
Thank you.
