Guided Meditation

· · · silence, 6 minutes

5:47 Very good. So welcome everybody for the Saturday meditation class. Report an error in the passage at 5:47 Highlight the passage at 5:47

5:57 It's very hot today so don't be surprised if you feel a bit tired. The beginners class will be on the room towards the right so if you are here for the beginners class you can go to the other room. Report an error in the passage at 5:57 Highlight the passage at 5:57

6:15 Otherwise they get more instructions there perhaps. So if you want to go to beginner's class, that's been held on the other room there on your right. Just so you know. I think. Not that I know. But I saw Peter walking around there. Just go on your room there on the right. Good. Report an error in the passage at 6:15 Highlight the passage at 6:15

6:55 So I've been teaching now meditation for a few years. And one thing always comes up that people say they cannot quiet their mind. There's always thoughts coming to your mind. Or there's pain in the body. These are very similar things, what happens to all of us. One thing I always like to, when people ask, they ask questions, they say, is this normal, this happened? Is this normal? Yes, a lot of things are just normal. Report an error in the passage at 6:55 Highlight the passage at 6:55

7:29 Like there's, you're thinking a lot or something. What happens quite often, you come to a quiet space and... the volume goes to 11, so to speak. Usually you think there's a quietness in the mind, but then when you come to a quiet space, you start seeing how high the volume goes. With the pain in the body the best analogy I've come up with recently is we want to make the body static. Report an error in the passage at 7:29 Highlight the passage at 7:29

8:06 The body is going to have Report an error in the passage at 8:06 Highlight the passage at 8:06

8:21 lie down there and they want to adjust again there's always going to be pains in the body but So that's why I like that idea of having the body as static as possible. It doesn't really matter, the posture doesn't matter so much, but as long as you make it in static in the sense that you don't pay attention to it. Report an error in the passage at 8:21 Highlight the passage at 8:21

8:41 And why I use the word static is that it's like static noise. If you're in a hall, and here we have this constant hum now of the air con, and Report an error in the passage at 8:41 Highlight the passage at 8:41

8:57 if it's constant, you don't notice that noise. It's just kind of here all the time. But you can only pay attention to static noise, something which is not changing for a little while, for 3 seconds, 4 seconds, 5 seconds, and then you start thinking about something else. You might go back to it a little bit, but then you lose the interest. The only time, if there's a static noise like this, you would notice that if it turns off. Report an error in the passage at 8:57 Highlight the passage at 8:57

9:27 Like the air con, you would have, let's say you're at home, you just have one air con, it's static, it's coming, the hissing noise. Report an error in the passage at 9:27 Highlight the passage at 9:27

9:34 And then it turns off and then you notice that it turned off. When it turns off, again you can pay attention to that quietness now for three seconds, four seconds, then you start losing, you cannot pay attention to that because there's another different kind of like static noise that's like you cannot pay attention to that. Report an error in the passage at 9:34 Highlight the passage at 9:34

9:55 So the same way you can think about your body, there's like the body is comfortable enough, you don't worry about it. We try to make it static in the sense that it's just sort of like it's good enough. I made it comfortable enough in the beginning. I don't have to be distracted by it. Let's make it so it's good enough so it's sort of like be there. You allow it to be and then if it's static you don't need to move all the time. Report an error in the passage at 9:55 Highlight the passage at 9:55

10:21 You don't get irritated with it all the time. It starts to fade away. And that's the best way to deal with body. Allow it to become. Where it's not changing all the time, where it becomes this like a static, where you don't pay attention to that. So that's why I like the idea of static. And same way with the body, if you have pains, which they are there, the best way to deal with it is with good attitude. Report an error in the passage at 10:21 Highlight the passage at 10:21

10:59 Attitude is a key thing in meditation. It's just like, okay, www.subsedit .com You know, comfortable enough. So you move, you move your leg, you know, your knee starts hurting, you put your leg in front of you, or put it, you know, you sit in a different posture. But if it becomes this kind of you're holding, holding, holding, and then you start bringing a lot of resentment, you start getting angry with it, or you start getting worried, then you move. Report an error in the passage at 10:59 Highlight the passage at 10:59

11:56 You move with anger. Now you had anger in your meditation. You lost your good attitude. And then you move with anger, your knee is not hurting for a little while, it's like, oh, release. But then it starts to hurt again, almost immediately after. And then you're angry again with it. And then you end up with this kind of shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. And you never become comfortable. Report an error in the passage at 11:56 Highlight the passage at 11:56

12:21 So we need to realize that we need to expect, there's a certain kind of discomfort that comes. It's like you sit as comfortable as possible, and then when there's pain, it's just sort of like, Okay, there's pain in the body. It's nobody's fault. It's not, you know, body's fault that there's pain. And then you just move a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 12:21 Highlight the passage at 12:21

12:43 Even if you sit on a cushion and you're just like, oh, this is not happening. Quietly get up, walk quietly towards the chair and sit on the chair now, you know, for half an hour. You sit 15 minutes on the cushion and didn't work out? I'm quietly going to get up. I'm not disturbing anybody. If I just move quietly and I'm having this like a gentle attitude, nobody's going to be disturbed in the hall. Report an error in the passage at 12:43 Highlight the passage at 12:43

13:13 And when I give you that permission, then you have that kind of feeling that, oh, why I'm like, oh, I don't need to be fighting here. I don't need to be worried about the pain. I can always move. So I give you permission. Please do move. And please... Don't get worried about the pain. Realize that when the pain is coming, it's like, oh, it's going to be another one. I'm going to be sitting here for another... We just started five minutes ago, and the pain is already starting. Report an error in the passage at 13:13 Highlight the passage at 13:13

13:45 And I have another 40 minutes to go. Oh, it's terrible. What's going to happen? Just see that anxiety coming, and it's like, oh, I don't need to entertain that. It's like, so, you know, body, if you need to move, it's okay. So you, you know, you're here, you just quietly move. It's okay. Make it... So you don't have to pay attention to that. Because if you do pay attention, it's never going to end. It becomes this kind of pain body contemplation. Report an error in the passage at 13:45 Highlight the passage at 13:45

14:17 And that's not what we're here to do. That's not meditation. In meditation you should allow things just to fade away. And then we come to the fading away of the mind. It's a little bit similar what happens with your body. It's like the mind is irritating you. Report an error in the passage at 14:17 Highlight the passage at 14:17

14:36 You have the same kind attitude, accepting attitude towards your mind as well. Somehow it's tired. I was tired. It's warm in this hall. We cannot keep up. It's a high ceiling. It's a big roof area here. No matter how high the air con is now, it's quite warm here. You start getting tired. It just goes off. And then when the mind comes back to it, Well, then you're here again. That's fine. Sure, you could think about this like Tinamida, it's a defilement of this kind of tiredness, but don't think that you need to fight any of these defilements. Report an error in the passage at 14:36 Highlight the passage at 14:36

15:24 You may need to make the mind static as well, where the thoughts come, thoughts go, this and that. It's not my problem, really. Don't get involved with it. Don't entertain them, don't fight them, but don't... Like hold on to them either. Oh, it's going to get worse. I'm just going to be talking, talking. As if you're going to win the fight. Report an error in the passage at 15:24 Highlight the passage at 15:24

15:48 You're never going to win the fight. You're fighting yourself. Report an error in the passage at 15:48 Highlight the passage at 15:48

15:55 So attitude is the key, even with the mind. The thoughts are there. They are going to be there. If you have good attitude towards that, accepting, forgiving, it's not so, you don't make it such a big deal. Then it's easy to deal with your own mind. Basically what you're doing now, when we're going to sit 45 minutes, is that you're going to be watching the mind, how you live your life. Report an error in the passage at 15:55 Highlight the passage at 15:55

16:26 So whatever is going to happen in your mind, that's how you live your life. That's how you've been dealing this whole week, this whole beginning of the year, whatever the time period is. That's what you're going to watch. It's not somehow going to magically transform into somebody else's mind, which is somehow kind and peaceful. Only thing you can have is try to have accepting mind towards their own mind. Report an error in the passage at 16:26 Highlight the passage at 16:26

16:53 And think about that this is like a feedback. This is what it's now telling me. This is who I am. I'm a judgmental person. I'm a control freak. I'm a think about these kind of thoughts all the time. This is just what it's going to show you. It's like a mirror now. You're going to be watching it. And that's why it feels like the volume is going up. Now you don't distract yourself for a while. Report an error in the passage at 16:53 Highlight the passage at 16:53

17:22 For 45 minutes we don't just keep distracting ourselves with that endless scrolling of phone or going for a run or going for whatever you do in life. Report an error in the passage at 17:22 Highlight the passage at 17:22

17:36 We just have to have patience, good attitude. And that gives you the feedback where you could perhaps improve. improve your kindness your sea lion life where you could perhaps be more forgiving person how do you deal with yourself basically Report an error in the passage at 17:36 Highlight the passage at 17:36

18:18 I had a terrible meditation. It's your fault. You're shuffled around. No, it's my fault if I pay attention. You're shuffling. Report an error in the passage at 18:18 Highlight the passage at 18:18

18:31 So that's how the meditation works. So we try to have this kind of like good attitude. Just remember. We're just about to start now. So just remember. You're allowed to move. It's okay. Move quietly. Even if you need to get up. Sit on a chair. If you're sitting on a chair and you want to sit on a cushion quietly, it's fine. No problem. I give you permission. Only thing please don't do is to take your phone. Report an error in the passage at 18:31 Highlight the passage at 18:31

19:04 That's not the way to do. But if you need to take your phone, look at it now. If you have doubts, it's not on silent. That is a concern. Report an error in the passage at 19:04 Highlight the passage at 19:04

19:21 So before we starting, if you have your phone with you, which I know 99 % of you have. Report an error in the passage at 19:21 Highlight the passage at 19:21

19:30 Put it on silent it's for a while we can be quiet and then if you feel that your phone is on silent then you can close your eyes and start feeling what your body feels like when Report an error in the passage at 19:30 Highlight the passage at 19:30

19:52 you close your eyes and feel your body you know if there's something to be corrected maybe you made a wrong decision to sit on the floor maybe you should have sat on the chair now it's time to do it maybe Report an error in the passage at 19:52 Highlight the passage at 19:52

20:09 Your shirt is too tight from one place. Maybe you need to adjust your pants. Maybe the cushion is not correct. Let's try to get this good enough. Maybe you need to get a cushion underneath your feet. You're sitting on a chair. Now it's time to do it. Report an error in the passage at 20:09 Highlight the passage at 20:09

20:31 We are still moving. Please do so. If you think that the cushion It's missing underneath your feet. Do it. Adjust your body. Shuffle your bum. Ruffle your feathers. For Report an error in the passage at 20:31 Highlight the passage at 20:31

20:56 a little while, there's nothing to do. Nowhere to go. You can trust me watching the clock. Have faith. I won't fall asleep for 145 minutes. And you think the time for the bell should come already and probably the teacher is sleeping. If you hear me snoring, I will set my alarm into my head. 45 minutes, I will wake up. I've done that before. I thought meditation, slept for half an hour and woke up just on time to ring the bell. Report an error in the passage at 20:56 Highlight the passage at 20:56

21:37 So I will wake up at 4 o 'clock. Report an error in the passage at 21:37 Highlight the passage at 21:37

21:44 So we're going to be sitting here until 4 o 'clock. Report an error in the passage at 21:44 Highlight the passage at 21:44

21:51 nothing to do nowhere to go we're watching our own minds so Report an error in the passage at 21:51 Highlight the passage at 21:51

22:00 if you think everything is good enough in your body and the key thing is good enough you Report an error in the passage at 22:00 Highlight the passage at 22:00

22:14 already start feeling oh i'm gonna have pain in my bum pain in my back pain in my ankle don't worry just Report an error in the passage at 22:14 Highlight the passage at 22:14

22:37 feel this environment isn't it nice to be here with all our friends Report an error in the passage at 22:37 Highlight the passage at 22:37

22:45 We're all here for about the same reason. We just want to have a quiet time for a while. We just want to relax. Report an error in the passage at 22:45 Highlight the passage at 22:45

23:02 We don't want much from world. We just want to be quiet for a while. Report an error in the passage at 23:02 Highlight the passage at 23:02

23:29 Stretch your neck a little bit. Your heavy head is pushing down on your neck. Report an error in the passage at 23:29 Highlight the passage at 23:29

23:39 Move your back a little bit. Make sure it's a little bit straight. But not too much. Just open up. If you Report an error in the passage at 23:39 Highlight the passage at 23:39

23:57 think you're slumping a little bit, that helps sometimes. So you can breathe at ease. You can put your neck back a little bit, but not too much, but just a tiny bit. Tuck it back a little bit, so if you want to feel that you are more awake. But if you want to slump, it's okay. Report an error in the passage at 23:57 Highlight the passage at 23:57

24:21 Find a slump. Absolutely okay. Report an error in the passage at 24:21 Highlight the passage at 24:21

24:29 You're almost giving yourself This kind massage by feeling the body. What does the body want to do? How does he want to sit? Feel yourself wanting to sit one way or another. Report an error in the passage at 24:29 Highlight the passage at 24:29

24:49 See how the body is breathing. Report an error in the passage at 24:49 Highlight the passage at 24:49

25:14 Can you notice that your body is like an orchestra made out of all these different things, keeping self alive. All these different parts are trying to work together. Report an error in the passage at 25:14 Highlight the passage at 25:14

25:45 Just allow the body. Report an error in the passage at 25:45 Highlight the passage at 25:45

26:03 Allow the body to breathe. Report an error in the passage at 26:03 Highlight the passage at 26:03

26:09 Just breathe in this beautiful fresh air we have. Report an error in the passage at 26:09 Highlight the passage at 26:09

26:17 So nice to breathe. Report an error in the passage at 26:17 Highlight the passage at 26:17

26:42 You are actually doing something very good, something So as long as you do this grounding, In the beginning, well, where you enjoy this place, that spills into the meditation when you're sitting quietly afterwards. So remind yourself how nice it is to be here. Feel your body. Report an error in the passage at 26:42 Highlight the passage at 26:42

27:22 Feel the energy of the whole. Feel the other people around us. We're surrounded by good energy, kind people. Report an error in the passage at 27:22 Highlight the passage at 27:22

· · · silence, 1 minute

29:02 And remember, There's nothing you need to do. You Report an error in the passage at 29:02 Highlight the passage at 29:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

30:20 can start noticing when you're sitting there, the body keeps adjusting itself. It's finding its natural way, posture of sitting. It just keeps observing. See what the mind and the body wants to do. You Report an error in the passage at 30:20 Highlight the passage at 30:20

· · · silence, 2 minutes

33:07 can start noticing that the body is breathing. Just see the body breathing in the beginning and be interested. Report an error in the passage at 33:07 Highlight the passage at 33:07

33:31 Enjoy the breath. If it is interesting, it stays with you. If something else is suppressing your mind, it's okay. Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

· · · silence, 13 minutes

46:49 Don't get frustrated. Report an error in the passage at 46:49 Highlight the passage at 46:49

46:55 Just see if you can see the breath now that you've been sitting there for a while. Getting Report an error in the passage at 46:55 Highlight the passage at 46:55

· · · silence, 12 minutes

58:46 close to the end of the meditation. We still have a few minutes left. See if you can now towards the end just enjoy your breath for a while. Now Report an error in the passage at 58:46 Highlight the passage at 58:46

· · · silence, 5 minutes

1:04:11 one more time bring your attention back to your body. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:11 Highlight the passage at 1:04:11

1:04:20 What positive changes do you feel in your body after sitting here for a while? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:20 Highlight the passage at 1:04:20

1:04:34 Is your body a little bit more relaxed, Report an error in the passage at 1:04:34 Highlight the passage at 1:04:34

1:04:39 at ease? You're not so worried about your body now. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:39 Highlight the passage at 1:04:39

1:04:49 What positive changes have happened during the meditation? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:49 Highlight the passage at 1:04:49

1:05:14 Same with your mind. What positive changes there has happened in your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:14 Highlight the passage at 1:05:14

1:05:33 Don't look into negativity in your mind but see what positive things have changed. I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:33 Highlight the passage at 1:05:33

1:05:58 will now ring the bell three times and try to listen all the three rings before you open your eyes. And Report an error in the passage at 1:05:58 Highlight the passage at 1:05:58

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:06:49 that is the end of the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:49 Highlight the passage at 1:06:49

1:06:58 Very good. I hope you have a good afternoon. Try to stay cool. We've got a few questions. If somebody has anything, you can stay in the hall. Otherwise, please, you can go if you wish. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:58 Highlight the passage at 1:06:58

1:07:18 Online question. Question from Germany. Dear Ajahn, how do I apply kindness to my body when the pain is stronger than my love? What is kindness compared to love? Thank you kindly. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:18 Highlight the passage at 1:07:18

1:07:33 It is really the acceptance. It comes from that. So if the loving kindness, so to speak, doesn't work, you have to reframe it differently. It's the same words, same thing, but it's just you change the word to suit your pain, the way you see your body. One thing I've noticed that works really well is forgiveness to the own body. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:33 Highlight the passage at 1:07:33

1:08:04 You see your body as, like I said last night, I gave a talk about nature. Your body just belongs to nature. It's not yours. It's not for you to control. You cannot control your body. We all know it, but we forget. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:04 Highlight the passage at 1:08:04

1:08:22 So forgive your body instead. Start with that, if that works better, perhaps, if you frame it that way. But that's the same kind of kindness, because then you're looking at your body differently instead of looking at it with anger. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:22 Highlight the passage at 1:08:22

1:08:38 It's actually the Buddha quite often when he talked about what we say, love, loving kindness, the Buddha actually used the words, how would you say in English, non-anger. That's the direct translation from Pāli. So you look at it with non-anger. And that's why we actually use the, when we translate it quite often, Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

1:09:22 me is I start with forgiving my body try to be more at ease with my body, just to look at it with compassion, so start with that Report an error in the passage at 1:09:22 Highlight the passage at 1:09:22

1:09:34 And I'm sure you... You will find the way once you start looking at it and start working with these ideas like oh like how do I understand my body that it's just I don't need to be the pain is not mine it doesn't sort of it's not for me to control how do I work with it just keep working with it. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:34 Highlight the passage at 1:09:34

1:10:01 What is kindness compared to love? Well, I mean they all like I said all these things they go hand in hand and we frame it differently So I think that's enough Anything else anything from the whole do anybody want to say something? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:01 Highlight the passage at 1:10:01

1:10:27 No Sure, you want to take you want to take it so people because otherwise people are online and they're just looking Seeing quiet and then I'm just you just hear mmm I usually sit in a chair I was just curious, do monks such as yourself ever sit in a chair? Because it's, I found it very different. I do, I mean, for the longest period of time, I sat on the, not so chairs, but on the little stools. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:27 Highlight the passage at 1:10:27

1:11:09 I find that comfortable. That is actually quite comfortable, that little stool. Do you have any tips for sitting on the floor? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:09 Highlight the passage at 1:11:09

1:11:17 Yeah, well, the tip is not to... It's actually quite stable. I don't like to sit on the chair because it's just somehow my knee starts hurting a lot more when I'm sitting on the chair. But it's the same. As long as it doesn't become like you're just watching pain. but it's Some people are more flexible than others so and don't blame yourself if you don't have flexible hips like I started sitting on the because it was I just saw everybody sitting on the floor when I started 25 years ago and then so I thought that's the way to do it and I went through a tremendous pain because I like I come from like I'm I used to be I used to ski a cross-country ski and skating and all that so I had very strong muscles in my hips it was like I was not flexible at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:17 Highlight the passage at 1:11:17

1:12:09 but tip as long as you don't so don't don't think that is like if if I just sit longer like and I just endure pain that that's a good that's proper meditation that's not what you're supposed to be doing so try with the stool one you know next week and then try propping up with thing four cushions and put you know on behind your behind your knees and you know under your knees and then two cushions behind your back so it's actually Report an error in the passage at 1:12:09 Highlight the passage at 1:12:09

1:12:55 from the back when even when you're sitting normally when you're meditating so it's tilted forward tilts the pelvis a little bit forward you you breathe easier so it is actually like nicer to sit it's interesting so just work with these things there are little things like what you can make things comfortable and sitting on the cushion yeah i mean i Thank you. Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:55 Highlight the passage at 1:12:55

1:13:24 feet forward, but I cannot sit too long in a chair. For me, this is actually more comfortable, but yeah. So those would be my tips, yeah. Thank you. Sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:24 Highlight the passage at 1:13:24

1:13:39 Anything else going? Going, going, gone. Okay, have a good day. I'll see you tomorrow hopefully. Thank you so much. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:39 Highlight the passage at 1:13:39