Breathing Out - Let Go (Part 2)

0:01 Okay, wonderful. So, all familiar faces. So, don't have to do too much introduction. And also know that you've all meditated before, so that's great. Report an error in the passage at 0:01 Highlight the passage at 0:01

0:13 The kind of season at the moment for us is the Vesak season. That's one of the biggest celebrations in Buddhism. It's kind of like Easter in the Christian religion. So it's a very nice and inspiring time. So many different things happen around this time. And Bhante Chunda and myself were going to Christmas Island recently to celebrate Vesak with them. Report an error in the passage at 0:13 Highlight the passage at 0:13

0:41 And we remember, you know, the birth, the enlightenment and the death of the Buddha. And one of the things that some of you might have seen, they usually have this little kind of Buddha statue, a baby Buddha, and they're bathing it. Report an error in the passage at 0:41 Highlight the passage at 0:41

0:57 And we were trying to somehow relate to people who might come to these festivities where you do a bit of rituals and things as well, but you want to try and relate to everybody. So I was trying to find some way of explaining what's going on. And one nice way is to reflect on the water that we are using to wash this kind of Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:23 Buddha statue so one obviously it's that apparently happened when the Buddha was born but also the the water is something which kind of purifies which cleans and the funny thing which I've never seen before on Christmas Island what they did they had the water to bathe the Buddha and then they had another big bucket with kind of like flower petals and water in it as well and I was like asking them What do you do with that water? And they say, oh, well, that's for all the people that are going to come. And I was like, oh, okay, that's interesting. So probably they were putting it into little plastic bags and they can wrap them up really nicely. Report an error in the passage at 1:23 Highlight the passage at 1:23

2:02 So I thought, oh, they will take it back home and they probably, you know. Report an error in the passage at 2:02 Highlight the passage at 2:02

2:36 I mean, the flower petals, they're not really dirty or whatever, but I don't really think that water does, you know, proper cleaning. You need a bit of soap and stuff to clean yourself. But it is a symbol, isn't it? So it is kind of cleaning away the clutter, the dirt, the things that have accumulated over time. Report an error in the passage at 2:36 Highlight the passage at 2:36

2:56 And that is important to do that every now and then. And one of the ways to, you know, do that is to have forgiveness. And that's something that we sometimes forget. You know, we have all these relationships that we are in and we just kind of like do our day-to-day stuff. And if we have an occasion like every year, some people do it, for example, when they have their wedding anniversary. And that's also what Ajahn Brahm encourages. Report an error in the passage at 2:56 Highlight the passage at 2:56

3:25 It's a good time to... Of course, say thank you and to be grateful that we're together with that person. But then also to have this kind of like letting go, this cleaning, this putting away the things that are burdening us. So I was encouraging them to do that at the time of Vesak. And that will brighten up the mind, that will lighten up the mind. Report an error in the passage at 3:25 Highlight the passage at 3:25

3:49 And that is one of those important things that we practice. in meditation but hopefully also in our day-to-day lives and the good thing is if we do that before we come into meditation then we have an easier way to relate to our mind because it is a it is a nice mind that we find it is a peaceful mind and it's easier to connect with it and it's easier to actually have a good time in meditation as well so forgiveness Forgiving for what the things we have done, forgive the people for what they have done and then also forgive ourselves because sometimes we get ourselves in situations you know knowingly or not knowingly or whatever you know one thing leads to another and we kind of don't forgive ourselves for having these things happen every now and then. So One of the other things I was reflecting on is, you know, sometimes we lose it. That's maybe a modern way of saying it. But we don't realize that we can find it again. Report an error in the passage at 3:49 Highlight the passage at 3:49

5:01 That we can find again what we wanted to get back to, that we can find out what the causes were which led to us behaving in a certain way. And then we can forget about these things in the past. It's good to learn from them but it's not really helpful to keep remembering it and then thinking bad about ourselves or thinking bad about other people or feeling bad towards other people and forgiveness is something beautiful which can do that. Report an error in the passage at 5:01 Highlight the passage at 5:01

5:32 And of course sometimes we can ask for forgiveness. Sometimes we can't because the people are already gone or because the people don't really want to, but I always stress that it is a personal practice, that it is a burden that we have or some kind of, you know, like some dirt on our clothes or whatever, and our job is to wash that from our side. Report an error in the passage at 5:32 Highlight the passage at 5:32

5:55 If the other party is willing to engage and is also willing to maybe ask for forgiveness for whatever they did, beautiful. But if that doesn't happen, what can we do, isn't it? I mean, we don't really have control over these kind of things. But our own burden, our own whatever we are carrying, that's something we can put down. Report an error in the passage at 5:55 Highlight the passage at 5:55

6:18 And that's what the water kind of is a symbol for me, not to carry things, not to leave things. So I did remind the people also, we were going for a walk recently. We walked from Kusala Hermitage all the way to our city center. which is 50 kilometers and we stopped in different places which is also one of the practices that we do and i reminded them of you know that when we have clothes and they're smelly and they're dirty we wash them don't we if we have like smelly or dirty minds isn't it a good idea to wash them as well of course the clothes are seen by other people what is happening in our minds is maybe a little bit more hidden But it does kind of come out as well. So that's one way of kind of unburdening ourselves and of purifying. And the other way, also in conjunction with this walk that we did, we walked from another friend of mine, a novice from the monastery in Serpentine, who also happened to be Swiss. Report an error in the passage at 6:18 Highlight the passage at 6:18

7:22 He walked with me from Rollystone first to Gosnells. Then we spent the night there. And then from Gosnells we went to Willerton, spent the night there. And then from Willerton to South Perth and spent the night there. And from South Perth, we went all the way to Nolomara to North Perth. And it was wonderful to see, you know, we met some people on the street as well who were very generous and kind towards us. Report an error in the passage at 7:22 Highlight the passage at 7:22

7:47 But we also had these people organized where we spent the night and they had other people who would come and give the food to us. So there was a very kind of inspiring situation. And inspiration is something Very beautiful as well and around Vesak time we do kind of try to find these things that inspire us. Report an error in the passage at 7:47 Highlight the passage at 7:47

8:09 And it was the lay people who were kind of saying, oh, this is so inspiring. But sometimes they forget that it's inspiring for us as well. You know, when we see how much effort and kindness people put into this, cooking and, you know, preparing the rooms and making sure that we are fine and making sure that, you know, we don't get blisters or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 8:09 Highlight the passage at 8:09

8:30 Or if we get something, they would be more than happy to give us some medical. Whatever, you know, attention with band-aids or whatever is needed. So it's really inspirational for us as well. And that's kind of what brings us back to what I was talking last time about is this simile of the moon which is behind the clouds and then kind of comes out of the clouds. Report an error in the passage at 8:30 Highlight the passage at 8:30

8:57 And so the moon is like the mind, is the mind state which is bright and clear but it's often covered over with things. And it's so beautiful if we can somehow find a way to clear those clouds away and to have the moon shine and radiate. And that's what we do with meditation. But when we prepare ourselves, when we have forgiveness as I described, or maybe also when we have this beautiful kind of inspiration, then the mind is already kind of happy and a little bit luminous. Report an error in the passage at 8:57 Highlight the passage at 8:57

9:34 when we go into meditation and that can be very very helpful so i want to go back to the last two things because this is kind of the the second part of a talk where i wanted to talk about the mind states and what it says what the Buddha said about them and then the last one is the you know the the dhammas what was it called the principles What we can learn from this and what happens in meditation. Report an error in the passage at 9:34 Highlight the passage at 9:34

10:05 So the mind. So when we are able in meditation to have the breath and be with the breath in the beginning as I described that's kind of like a bodily connection but it's a very subtle connection of a very subtle movement that happens in the body and then we change to Report an error in the passage at 10:05 Highlight the passage at 10:05

10:31 the second one which is where are we to the experience and the quality and when we have prepared the mind as i described before then it's already happy and and peaceful and we want to pick up on those beautiful feelings that arise when things become quiet and then we can experience the mind itself So in meditation we are starting to let go of all the bodily things and all the things that happened in the past and you know the thoughts and movements that are going to happen in the future and then it's like this light this brightness this ease that is like the moon that it can separate from those clouds that we can start to Really get in touch with it and give it space so we can see the full moon well the full moon behind the clouds because sometimes there is this kind of veil in between and that's something which can happen in meditation when we are able to stay with these things long enough and to allow them to kind of fill our hearts and fill our minds. Report an error in the passage at 10:31 Highlight the passage at 10:31

11:49 So then we can experience the citta, as it's called, the mind. And that still happens with the breathing in and the breathing out in conjunction with the breath. The breath is something very beautiful which calms and settles things and allows that moon, so to speak, to arise in the background. Sometimes people are kind of surprised by it. Report an error in the passage at 11:49 Highlight the passage at 11:49

12:16 It just arises out of like nowhere or they drop into And that's actually the best way of it to happen. Because if we try to create it, then it doesn't really happen. And then once that is there, then we can learn to brighten it even further, to have this happiness and this joy and this uplift that arises in meditation to actually shine as brightly as possible. Report an error in the passage at 12:16 Highlight the passage at 12:16

12:49 And then eventually we will also learn to settle it. Sometimes what happens is it's like a brightness that arises, but it's very kind of either it flutters or it's kind of like fireworks or something like that. It doesn't have a stability. And they call it, it's like a sign that arises at that time in meditation. And when it's very fluttery, Then that actually shows you that your attitude, your way you're relating to the meditation or to whatever is happening is actually quite distracted. Report an error in the passage at 12:49 Highlight the passage at 12:49

13:28 And when you do the right thing, which is at that point to do nothing, to just enjoy, to be peaceful and quiet, then it will stabilize. So it's like a visual object. What is deep meditation? Report an error in the passage at 13:28 Highlight the passage at 13:28

14:34 And it becomes stable and present and then it can go deeper when you actually sit down quietly as well afterwards. And then we go to the fourth thing and that's basically what we learn from this whole process. What we learn from meditation. So we learn about impermanence. We learn about all these things. Report an error in the passage at 14:34 Highlight the passage at 14:34

15:00 That are happening out in the world, that they have a cause, that they have a condition, that they don't just kind of manifest out of thin air. And that when we are putting in the right causes and conditions or when we are stopping to kind of feed them, then what happens is they start to fade away. And that's probably what you experience in meditation as well. So when we are sitting in the beginning of meditation and you're kind of feeling your body, maybe even feeling some irritations in your body, you know, my belly is not so happy tonight, which happens every now and then. Report an error in the passage at 15:00 Highlight the passage at 15:00

15:40 But when you get in a peaceful state, when you get in a happy state, and when you go inwards into peace and stillness, If you follow that, if you trust that, then it will actually cease. Then it will actually disappear. It doesn't mean that your body is disappeared and you have died or whatever. But your attention is somewhere else. Report an error in the passage at 15:40 Highlight the passage at 15:40

16:22 And it's so happy in that place that the other things just kind of drop off the radar. They just fall away. And that's one beautiful thing that can happen in meditation. And you start to understand how these things happen and why these things happen. Report an error in the passage at 16:22 Highlight the passage at 16:22

16:42 You understand from the beauty and the happiness and the joy that arises when these things are gone, that they're actually not worth investing it in, that they're not as important as we think. Obviously, we have this body, we have to take care of it. Yes, I'm not telling anyone to not take medication or... Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

17:08 you know take a rest when this body is not happy and not well but sometimes if we're not careful we add so much with our attitude and we make our bodies more sick than they would need to be we don't just let them rest or we don't just take a step back and kind of let them do what they need to do we have in this world a lot of medical things and all sorts of things which are great But sometimes they're not available or sometimes they're not working. And what happens in nature when we see animals, you know, we live close to the forest and sometimes animals are quite sick. Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:48 What do they do? They, I mean, again, I can't read their minds, but they don't worry and they're not obsessed about what is happening. They usually find a spot somewhere to sit down, to lie down. And to become peaceful and still and to allow the body to do what it needs to do. And when we disconnect from this body, when we don't give it, you know, this kind of worry attention, we give it this kind, caring attention that we do in meditation. Report an error in the passage at 17:48 Highlight the passage at 17:48

18:21 But then once that has happened, they kind of relax and they become a non-issue. And then we can move away from them. And usually that's what you hopefully can experience when we finish the meditation. And you feel back into your body, it's usually better than what it was before. And we didn't take anything. We didn't rub them or we didn't physically do anything. Report an error in the passage at 18:21 Highlight the passage at 18:21

18:47 But we just left them alone. And that will teach us that when we relinquish things, they often actually balance out and get better by themselves. So that's kind of the insights. Report an error in the passage at 18:47 Highlight the passage at 18:47

19:06 beautiful way of of meditation of course you know these things could be explained in much more detail and much more whatever but I think this is this is enough to to get a feeling for what is going on and that's probably hopefully what we can practice together in meditation as well to understand that When we leave these things alone, that day will be fine and we will actually be fine as well. Of course, if something arises that needs our attention, then we can open our eyes or if we, you know, have to go to the toilet really urgently. Report an error in the passage at 19:06 Highlight the passage at 19:06

19:49 I hope it's not going to happen to me tonight. Everything is out already. My belly is hopefully all right now. But, you know, if you need to go, you need to go. That's fine, yes. Report an error in the passage at 19:49 Highlight the passage at 19:49

19:59 But very often... The mind overreacts to a lot of these kind of things and they can be settled down and they will be just fine. Report an error in the passage at 19:59 Highlight the passage at 19:59

20:14 Anyway. Yes. So let's do a bit of meditation together. Maybe remember something that has inspired us today or has inspired us in the last week to already bring a bit of joy and happiness and brightness into our minds. Report an error in the passage at 20:14 Highlight the passage at 20:14

20:43 And then allow ourselves to let go of the things which have happened in the past. If there are things that we are carrying, can Report an error in the passage at 20:43 Highlight the passage at 20:43

20:56 we forgive the people who have done stuff in the past, who have done things today maybe that might have been difficult for us, and realize that it's not the time now in meditation to solve them or to brew over them. Report an error in the passage at 20:56 Highlight the passage at 20:56

21:21 And also forgive ourselves for, you know, whatever we might have done today which wasn't really conducive towards peace and happiness in our own lives and in other people's lives. These things are all gone. These things are all done. We can't change them. We Report an error in the passage at 21:21 Highlight the passage at 21:21

21:50 acknowledge them, of course, yes. And we have the intention to do better next time. To be more aware and Report an error in the passage at 21:50 Highlight the passage at 21:50

22:08 to... Realize that we are kind of losing it before we have lost it and stop ourselves early in the process. Realize, ah, there is some danger brewing. There will be some hurt either for ourselves or for other people. Let's not go there. Let's not do this. Let's not say this. Let's not encourage these kind of thoughts. Report an error in the passage at 22:08 Highlight the passage at 22:08

22:45 And then we come to sitting quietly, much Report an error in the passage at 22:45 Highlight the passage at 22:45

22:52 more prepared already. We Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

23:00 are kind of unburdened. We are more free. We are more bright and happy already. And Report an error in the passage at 23:00 Highlight the passage at 23:00

23:24 that's the best way to meditate when we are in meditation mood already. And Report an error in the passage at 23:24 Highlight the passage at 23:24

23:52 we can spend a bit of time with our bodies, relating Report an error in the passage at 23:52 Highlight the passage at 23:52

24:01 to them in a kind way. And Report an error in the passage at 24:01 Highlight the passage at 24:01

24:22 maybe tonight, instead of doing like a structured body scan, Just have a look around. Have a feel around. And see how your body feels. Is there any tension anywhere? Report an error in the passage at 24:22 Highlight the passage at 24:22

24:38 Is there any unease anywhere? Report an error in the passage at 24:38 Highlight the passage at 24:38

24:44 If you find some, see if you can ease it. If you can make it more smooth. If you can soothe it in any way. In any physical way. By moving and adjusting your posture. Report an error in the passage at 24:44 Highlight the passage at 24:44

25:07 By coughing, by swallowing, by scratching, just kindly and quietly doing what is required to put this body at ease. Report an error in the passage at 25:07 Highlight the passage at 25:07

25:34 Stiffness anywhere, any tension, any Report an error in the passage at 25:34 Highlight the passage at 25:34

25:47 pressure, your Report an error in the passage at 25:47 Highlight the passage at 25:47

25:57 hands are happy where they are. And Report an error in the passage at 25:57 Highlight the passage at 25:57

26:04 if not, feel free to experiment, put them somewhere else. Into Report an error in the passage at 26:04 Highlight the passage at 26:04

26:17 meditation, settling into meditation. Report an error in the passage at 26:17 Highlight the passage at 26:17

26:38 Maybe some limbs or your neck needs to be stretched. Report an error in the passage at 26:38 Highlight the passage at 26:38

26:48 Follow your intuition. Follow Report an error in the passage at 26:48 Highlight the passage at 26:48

26:58 what feels good, what Report an error in the passage at 26:58 Highlight the passage at 26:58

27:08 relaxes things. Then Report an error in the passage at 27:08 Highlight the passage at 27:08

27:33 you hopefully can feel things shift from unease and tension to more ease, more looseness, more Report an error in the passage at 27:33 Highlight the passage at 27:33

27:52 rest. And Report an error in the passage at 27:52 Highlight the passage at 27:52

· · · silence, 1 minute

28:26 let's see if we can turn this around instead of looking for the unease. Report an error in the passage at 28:26 Highlight the passage at 28:26

28:33 What are things which might be troubling us, which are like the clouds, where the moon is hiding behind? Report an error in the passage at 28:33 Highlight the passage at 28:33

28:46 Find the moon. Find the lightness. Find the brightness. Find the ease. Do Report an error in the passage at 28:46 Highlight the passage at 28:46

29:01 you feel relaxed, at ease, at peace in some parts of your body? Report an error in the passage at 29:01 Highlight the passage at 29:01

29:17 Tune into those. Report an error in the passage at 29:17 Highlight the passage at 29:17

29:30 Surely there are some parts which are just right, which are happy. Report an error in the passage at 29:30 Highlight the passage at 29:30

29:41 Let them Report an error in the passage at 29:41 Highlight the passage at 29:41

30:06 radiate out this beautiful energy of relaxation, ease, contentment, spreading Report an error in the passage at 30:06 Highlight the passage at 30:06

30:25 it into the rest of the body, spreading Report an error in the passage at 30:25 Highlight the passage at 30:25

30:38 it outwards in all directions. Wherever Report an error in the passage at 30:38 Highlight the passage at 30:38

30:47 you find those spots which are happy and at ease, arising Report an error in the passage at 30:47 Highlight the passage at 30:47

31:17 out behind the clouds, Report an error in the passage at 31:17 Highlight the passage at 31:17

31:31 shining and radiating, Report an error in the passage at 31:31 Highlight the passage at 31:31

31:39 into all the other parts of your body and Report an error in the passage at 31:39 Highlight the passage at 31:39

31:59 shining away the darkness the unease spreading Report an error in the passage at 31:59 Highlight the passage at 31:59

· · · silence, 1 minute

32:41 it around in your whole body upwards Report an error in the passage at 32:41 Highlight the passage at 32:41

32:51 and downwards all around into Report an error in the passage at 32:51 Highlight the passage at 32:51

33:15 the extremities the limbs so Report an error in the passage at 33:15 Highlight the passage at 33:15

33:26 that they reach all the way down to your feet and your toes your Report an error in the passage at 33:26 Highlight the passage at 33:26

33:35 hands and your fingers your Report an error in the passage at 33:35 Highlight the passage at 33:35

33:43 head and your hairs Report an error in the passage at 33:43 Highlight the passage at 33:43

34:03 Allowing the ease, the lightness and brightness to spread everywhere. And Report an error in the passage at 34:03 Highlight the passage at 34:03

34:35 if we do that well with the body, then it fades into the background because Report an error in the passage at 34:35 Highlight the passage at 34:35

34:50 it's content, it's Report an error in the passage at 34:50 Highlight the passage at 34:50

34:57 peaceful. And Report an error in the passage at 34:57 Highlight the passage at 34:57

35:17 we understand that we are actually feeding into a beautiful, positive mind state as well. Kind Report an error in the passage at 35:17 Highlight the passage at 35:17

35:35 and caring attitudes which Report an error in the passage at 35:35 Highlight the passage at 35:35

35:55 can brighten. Enlighten and inspire our minds and Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:14 shine forth as well, touching Report an error in the passage at 36:14 Highlight the passage at 36:14

36:22 all the other parts of our minds, of our mental world that might be uneasy for Report an error in the passage at 36:22 Highlight the passage at 36:22

36:36 whatever reason. Don't Report an error in the passage at 36:36 Highlight the passage at 36:36

36:44 attend to them directly, but allow the brightness, the happiness, the contentment of the mind to Report an error in the passage at 36:44 Highlight the passage at 36:44

36:55 grow and shine and Report an error in the passage at 36:55 Highlight the passage at 36:55

37:05 touch all those problematic areas too. Report an error in the passage at 37:05 Highlight the passage at 37:05

37:27 Allowing them to relax, allowing Report an error in the passage at 37:27 Highlight the passage at 37:27

37:42 them to be brightened and lightened as well. And Report an error in the passage at 37:42 Highlight the passage at 37:42

· · · silence, 1 minute

38:43 when the body is more or less at ease, at rest, when Report an error in the passage at 38:43 Highlight the passage at 38:43

38:53 the mind has evened out and settled to some degree, then Report an error in the passage at 38:53 Highlight the passage at 38:53

39:03 we can invite the breath to Report an error in the passage at 39:03 Highlight the passage at 39:03

39:14 settle and brighten things even more, allowing Report an error in the passage at 39:14 Highlight the passage at 39:14

39:43 it to flow easily. To flow smoothly, to Report an error in the passage at 39:43 Highlight the passage at 39:43

39:58 flow freely, bringing Report an error in the passage at 39:58 Highlight the passage at 39:58

40:22 ease and peace and Report an error in the passage at 40:22 Highlight the passage at 40:22

40:31 allowing us to let go of everything which is not beneficial, which is not helpful, which Report an error in the passage at 40:31 Highlight the passage at 40:31

40:52 belongs to the world out there, to Report an error in the passage at 40:52 Highlight the passage at 40:52

41:03 the stillness and peace within, allowing Report an error in the passage at 41:03 Highlight the passage at 41:03

· · · silence, 1 minute

41:57 the breath to lighten and brighten the mind, breathing Report an error in the passage at 41:57 Highlight the passage at 41:57

· · · silence, 1 minute

42:33 in peace and Report an error in the passage at 42:33 Highlight the passage at 42:33

42:38 breathing out, letting go. Report an error in the passage at 42:38 Highlight the passage at 42:38

42:57 Breathing in peace and Report an error in the passage at 42:57 Highlight the passage at 42:57

43:04 breathing out allowing letting go to happen. Report an error in the passage at 43:04 Highlight the passage at 43:04

43:38 Brightness and Report an error in the passage at 43:38 Highlight the passage at 43:38

43:44 breathing out letting everything slip away to Report an error in the passage at 43:44 Highlight the passage at 43:44

· · · silence, 2 minutes

45:26 be happy and free. Let's Report an error in the passage at 45:26 Highlight the passage at 45:26

45:44 enjoy this stillness and peace for a while. In Report an error in the passage at 45:44 Highlight the passage at 45:44

· · · silence, 2 minutes

47:51 this beautiful space the body and the mind have a chance to even out, have a chance to heal. Report an error in the passage at 47:51 Highlight the passage at 47:51

48:16 a chance to let go of any hurt. Report an error in the passage at 48:16 Highlight the passage at 48:16

· · · silence, 1 minute

49:26 When we sleep Report an error in the passage at 49:26 Highlight the passage at 49:26

· · · silence, 1 minute

50:30 we give the body a chance to rejuvenate, to re-energize, to repair itself. Same Report an error in the passage at 50:30 Highlight the passage at 50:30

50:47 thing happens in meditation. But the beauty of meditation is that we are actually there, that Report an error in the passage at 50:47 Highlight the passage at 50:47

51:06 we are feeling, we are knowing, we are seeing. Report an error in the passage at 51:06 Highlight the passage at 51:06

51:17 The healing happening, energies Report an error in the passage at 51:17 Highlight the passage at 51:17

51:24 coming back, Report an error in the passage at 51:24 Highlight the passage at 51:24

51:28 things dropping away. And Report an error in the passage at 51:28 Highlight the passage at 51:28

· · · silence, 1 minute

52:07 we can allow ourselves to be more aware of our minds again, of our senses, of Report an error in the passage at 52:07 Highlight the passage at 52:07

52:22 our bodies. But Report an error in the passage at 52:22 Highlight the passage at 52:22

52:33 hopefully, it's like sometimes when you're aware and you're going to sleep, you can feel your body. Report an error in the passage at 52:33 Highlight the passage at 52:33

52:46 But it's not a burden. It's just very nice, very warm, very heavy. Report an error in the passage at 52:46 Highlight the passage at 52:46

53:02 Hopefully it feels the same right now. But Report an error in the passage at 53:02 Highlight the passage at 53:02

53:08 you're there to really experience it, to appreciate it yourself, Report an error in the passage at 53:08 Highlight the passage at 53:08

53:36 to slowly come out of meditation while you're listening to the bell. Thank Report an error in the passage at 53:36 Highlight the passage at 53:36

· · · silence, 1 minute

54:37 you for coming tonight and allowing your body and mind hopefully to have a bit of a rest. Report an error in the passage at 54:37 Highlight the passage at 54:37

54:47 Feel a bit more energized, more happy, more awake maybe. Report an error in the passage at 54:47 Highlight the passage at 54:47

54:56 But not every meditation is the same. Sometimes we are sleepy, that's what happens. Sometimes we just need a rest like when we're sleeping, yes. Report an error in the passage at 54:56 Highlight the passage at 54:56

55:11 But then even when we come out of that kind of sleepy state, of that rest state, Report an error in the passage at 55:11 Highlight the passage at 55:11

55:20 What the mind and the body is like. Sometimes it's actually not sluggish. Sometimes it's actually quite happy. That it could slip away for a little while and then we can just pick up that kind of energy and just stay with this relaxed body, with this body which is at ease and the mind which kind of comes out of a state where there's not too much going on. Report an error in the passage at 55:20 Highlight the passage at 55:20

55:52 We can kind of piggyback on that and carry on the meditation. If we are meditating and it keeps happening and we are kind of like nodding too much, then it might be helpful to get up or drink something or go for a bit of a walk. But yeah, sometimes it's just this kind of like, I don't know, these micro naps. Report an error in the passage at 55:52 Highlight the passage at 55:52

56:21 Or power naps that the body takes because it needs it. That's perfectly okay. Sometimes I felt very good, like I'm not, like, first time, second time, but especially that day I was so tired, and then like Saturday afternoon meditation at the Nara Mala. Oh, yes. First twenty minutes, I always like, not care then, but… After half an hour, like last 15 minutes is so good. Like my body, the whole week tiredness is like energetic. Report an error in the passage at 56:21 Highlight the passage at 56:21

57:01 And then last time, 15 minutes is really nice meditation. I try my best not to miss a Saturday afternoon meditation, three or four. Yeah, in Nalamara, in the city center. Yeah, so we're basically giving the body. Report an error in the passage at 57:01 Highlight the passage at 57:01

57:34 45 minutes, that's how long the meditation is. But if you learn to find your way through that and go gently into nodding away a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

57:47 The other one is like on a Friday meditation, people flying into the meditation room, just sitting down and all the momentum's still there. Yes. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 57:47 Highlight the passage at 57:47

58:00 So that would be that kind of like restless energy that is still there. Oh yeah. Sometimes it's a bit of a yo-yo. It goes back and forth. That is the kind of skill to find this kind of middle ground. Because sometimes the other one. Yes. You might not have said it was one of them. Report an error in the passage at 58:00 Highlight the passage at 58:00

58:18 We are restless and then we try to correct but we kind of overcorrect and then we go into sleepiness because we kind of overcorrect in doing too much and tiring ourselves out and then we go like woo and then we come out of that state and it's... You know, we didn't allow it to happen naturally. It's some kind of unease or something. And then we come out of it and we're like, and the mind is a bit irritated and it is restless again. Report an error in the passage at 58:18 Highlight the passage at 58:18

58:47 So it's just kind of like... Like you say, leave it alone. Yes. Like I also sleep. Like today, the last five minutes. Okay, good. Great, great. And that's sometimes what I realize with sickness, you know. Sickness arises and then... there is some kind of worry or some kind of If you just allow it to be, then Report an error in the passage at 58:47 Highlight the passage at 58:47

59:31 it very often finds a way to balance itself out. That is one of the beautiful things that meditation can do, but we have to learn it over long So that's great. we trust, the more we can actually let go into the process and at the same time let go of all these other things that are actually causing it. Report an error in the passage at 59:31 Highlight the passage at 59:31

1:00:04 And then if you come to a half-day meditation, then you have the first meditation, you struggle a little bit, you're tired, and then you come out of that, you do a bit of walking, and you come back to the second sit, and then this brightness and ease and relaxation is already there, and you're starting to build on top of that. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:04 Highlight the passage at 1:00:04

1:00:24 So that is beautiful, yeah. So it's great if you have time to... Do it for a little bit longer as well. And go in and out of it. And deepen it as you're going in. Wonderful. Anything else? Ajahn Suntuti was saying that two weeks ago. Trying to sit a bit longer as meditators. Yes. Yes. Yeah, that's good. I mean, the longer you sit, the more likely it is that things are actually going to settle. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:24 Highlight the passage at 1:00:24

1:01:06 But of course, if there is a lot of tiredness or if there is a lot of irritation or whatever it is, and you're really getting revved up, then it's sometimes easier to get up or do something, listen to a talk that inspires you, that kind of puts your mind at rest, and then you can kind of go in. But if it's working, great, yes, yes. And if you have the time, wonderful. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:06 Highlight the passage at 1:01:06

1:01:35 but sometimes people have also the problem with pains and things if they're sitting for too long so then a little bit of movement can be helpful in between but then you learn to not destroy the peace and the momentum that you're building with getting up and just moving not going out into the world too much and then carrying on that momentum over a longer period of time yeah that's a skill we learn Report an error in the passage at 1:01:35 Highlight the passage at 1:01:35

1:02:07 Okay, great. Have a good week. week. Thank you very much. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:07 Highlight the passage at 1:02:07