Back to Basics

Transcript

[0:01] All right, let's practice.

[0:24] So, approaching our meditation, on the understanding that our human experience, just as it is, is good. Expressing a trust and a gentleness towards ourselves. And sitting with the understanding that our basic nature is already awake and already good, just as water is already wet. Feeling that gentleness, that simplicity, that trust in our own basic nature. Being good. And this attitude of gentleness is a gateway to bravery. We can allow everything, everything being included in our present moment experience of the body and of the mind, to be just as it is. Just as it is. Everything being included. At every moment, this can be our starting point. We can allow our heart to do just what it is doing already. Appreciating our own humanness. As this humanness is being expressed moment after moment. As we allow this gentleness to blossom, gentleness towards our own experience, we bring out our natural mindfulness.

[3:27] And so we begin by taking our seat. Sitting down. And allowing ourselves to feel this natural groundedness of the body. Our physical presence. Feeling the support of the cushion or chair beneath us. Reminding us to appreciate this body. And as we arrange this body, we can find the natural alignment. We might take some time. But this posture is a way of placing our body where we can feel the, both the dignity of being upright and also the relaxation. This gentleness. Letting the natural geometry of the body express itself. allowing the body to gently abide. And so we can move through these seven points. our seat. Being in good contact with the earth. Our cushion or chair. And then our legs. Arranging these in a stable, comfortable fashion. Our torso. Our spine. Allowing this to rise up. In an uplifted. And relaxed. Spacious way. And then feeling the head. In a natural place at the top of the spine. Softening the back of the neck. Allowing the chin to relax down slightly. And then our tongue could be on the roof of the mouth, just behind our teeth. In a relaxed position. Our eyes could be gently open, slightly open. In a soft, unfocused, lowered gaze. With this sense of everything being included. We don't need to pull away from the world. And then our hands can be gently on our thighs.

[7:45] Feeling and appreciating this body.

[8:16] And then we could. Bring our awareness to our breath. As we sit, feeling the body, we naturally feel our breathing. We could appreciate this breath, the breath of life. When we feel our breath, we know we're alive. And this experience of the body breathing is a place of rest, a home to which we can return. And we can savor each breath, not needing to force it, but enjoying and fully appreciating each breath. And so we call the breathing the object of meditation. Having found our posture, we place our attention on the feeling of the body breathing, moment after moment.

[10:45] Back to Basics!

[12:06] And as we sit and feel the body breathing, we will also notice other aspects of our experience taking place in our mind. And this is an opportunity to appreciate the fluidity and creativity of our minds. Everything is included. Thoughts are part of the practice. These thoughts are an expression of the natural energy of mind. So we in no way want to, or need to suppress or try to control them. But we do cultivate a, exploring a different relationship to thoughts. We recognize thoughts as thoughts. An amazing capacity of our mind is that it can recognize its own activities. We can notice when we are feeling our breath. And we can notice when we have become busy with thinking. And we can then remind ourselves to come back to the feeling of the body breathing. And as we practice this, this noticing what's occurring. As we practice returning to the feeling of breathing. Each time we do this, it grows a little more familiar and strengthens this capability.

[15:35] And so each time we practice, we can approach with this basic view of gentleness.

[16:00] We can arrange our body. We can arrange our body, appreciate expressing this gentleness to our body. our body. We then place our attention on the experience of breath. Breathing.

[16:45] And then we recognize our thinking, the mind, and we practice returning. To the breath. All with this basic view of gentleness and natural humanity.

[19:09] Coming home to rest in our body.