[bells]
So welcome! We'll do a guided meditation together, what I call a light RAIN
of self-compassion, a really sweet practice. So please, come sitting comfortably
find a way, a posture that lets you be at ease and also alert, awake
and you might close your eyes
scanning, and sensing your life and what might want a healing attention
perhaps somewhere where you've turned against yourself
somewhere that you've been judging or blaming yourself
or somewhere you're having a hard time
wherever you're feeling some difficulty in your life, kind of bring it
close in now so you can sense the situation or maybe it's something you're
anticipating is going to happen
and just with some bravery, kind of go close in to that situation and sense
what's most disturbing
what ways you feel like you've been failing or something's going to go wrong
with the R of RAIN, let mindfulness recognize whatever is predominant
whatever emotion or mood is strongest, and it might be blame or judgment
or it might be fear or anxiety, it might be anger, irritation
and with a mental whisper, just name whatever you're most aware of right now
and with the A, allow, really let it be here and this again takes some courage to
just pause with it, let it belong like a wave in the ocean,
it's okay; just let it be here.
Not to add any judgment, not to try to fix it or ignore it, letting be
with the I of RAIN, a simple investigating into the body
check your throat, your chest, your belly, gently placing a hand wherever you feel
the most agitation or the most emotion
and let that touch help you to breathe with and be with what's right here
and you might sense what you're believing, what's going to go wrong, what's wrong with you...
and then deepen attention to where that belief lives in your body
often it's the throat or chest or belly and again it takes courage
but to directly contact that, sense it as a vulnerable place inside you
that you're willingly paying attention to right now; the feeling of failure, a fear
perhaps of isolation, sadness, anger
you might sense the most vulnerable part of this experience
and where that vulnerability is strongest
and then asking: 'What does this place need?
What's the flavor of nurturing it most needs: is it acceptance?
Forgiveness?
Understanding?
Love, compassionate embrace, belonging?
And as you attend, sense the witness right now, that
most compassionate place in your being
and how that awake heart part of you can offer something, right now
some kindness to this place of vulnerability
let your touch now really be tender, to communicate care
let there be some message to this place, some reminder
that you can trust your goodness
trust you belong to love, that truly it's okay
and see if you can let in the nurturing, that's sometimes the most challenging of all
just to sense that love, light, warmth is coming into you, perhaps from your own
awake heart or if it's easier to sense the message and love coming from some
being that you trust, spiritual figure, healer, teacher, grandmother
therapist, friend... that's okay too; just let it in.
and then taking some moments to sense the presence that's right here
to notice the shift, whether it's small or large, from the sense of self when you started
the failing self or the anxious self, to some more degree of presence and compassion
to the heart space that's here
and know that this opening into heart space, this
loving presence is more the truth of who you are than any story of self
and let that knowing deepen your trust in your basic goodness.
From the teachings of an Indian master, Bapuji: 'Break your heart no longer.
Each time you judge yourself, you break your heart,
you pull away from the love that is the wellspring of your being.
Now the time has come, your time to live and to trust the goodness that you are.
There is no evil, no wrong in you; your true essence is pure awareness
aliveness and love. Let no one, no thing, no idea, obscure this truth.
If one comes, forgive it for its unknowing.
Do not fight it, just let go and breathe into the goodness that you are.'
[bells]
[bowl]