Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace 2012 (part 3)

· · · silence, 1 minute

0:35 So we shall begin each session by letting the awareness descend into the body, Report an error in the passage at 0:35 Highlight the passage at 0:35

0:46 right down to the ground where you feel the tactile sensations of firmness and solidity, Report an error in the passage at 0:46 Highlight the passage at 0:46

0:57 resting your awareness in a witnessing mode, quietly attending to the sensations arising within the field of the body, Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:18 feeling that groundedness of awareness where your body touches the earth. Report an error in the passage at 1:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18

1:34 Then let your awareness rise up and fill the whole space of the body. This whole field of tactile sensations right to the top of your head. Report an error in the passage at 1:34 Highlight the passage at 1:34

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:14 And as you are mindfully present throughout the body, you may detect areas that feel tight or constricted. For Report an error in the passage at 2:14 Highlight the passage at 2:14

2:25 many people, such tension mounts in the shoulders, the base of the neck. Report an error in the passage at 2:25 Highlight the passage at 2:25

2:36 So as the breath flows in, gently attend to these areas that feel tight. Report an error in the passage at 2:36 Highlight the passage at 2:36

2:49 And as the breath flows out, surrender your muscles to gravity. Let go, release. Report an error in the passage at 2:49 Highlight the passage at 2:49

· · · silence, 1 minute

3:30 The muscles of the face often contract. With tension. So bring your awareness to the face and soften the muscles around the mouth, the jaws, Report an error in the passage at 3:30 Highlight the passage at 3:30

3:50 the temples and the forehead. Report an error in the passage at 3:50 Highlight the passage at 3:50

4:00 Let there be a spaciousness between the eyebrows, a softness of all the muscles around the eyes. And Report an error in the passage at 4:00 Highlight the passage at 4:00

4:24 whether you choose to have the eyes open, hooded or closed, it's your choice. But let your eyes feel soft and relaxed. Let your whole face rest in an expression of repose. Report an error in the passage at 4:24 Highlight the passage at 4:24

· · · silence, 1 minute

5:30 you set your body at ease and In a posture of comfort and relaxation, Report an error in the passage at 5:30 Highlight the passage at 5:30

5:37 let your body be still apart from the movement of the breath with no unnecessary movement. Report an error in the passage at 5:37 Highlight the passage at 5:37

5:55 Whether in the supine or the sitting position, let your spine be straight. And if you are sitting, sit at attention with your sternum slightly lifted, your abdominal muscles loose and relaxed, Report an error in the passage at 5:55 Highlight the passage at 5:55

6:15 so that when you breathe in, the sensations of the breath flow right down to the abdomen, which expands as you inhale. It falls back as you exhale. Report an error in the passage at 6:15 Highlight the passage at 6:15

· · · silence, 1 minute

7:09 In this way, settle your body in its natural state, imbued with the three qualities of relaxation, stillness and vigilance. Report an error in the passage at 7:09 Highlight the passage at 7:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

7:53 On this basis, we settle the speech in its natural state, which is one of effortless silence. Report an error in the passage at 7:53 Highlight the passage at 7:53

8:04 And outwardly, you're already practicing this, but inwardly, in terms of the speech of the mind, the mental chit-chat, the flow of rumination, not so easy to silence the speech. Report an error in the passage at 8:04 Highlight the passage at 8:04

8:20 Let alone to rest effortlessly in such silence. Report an error in the passage at 8:20 Highlight the passage at 8:20

8:34 So to facilitate this inner silence, settle your respiration in its natural rhythm, Report an error in the passage at 8:34 Highlight the passage at 8:34

8:47 breathing effortlessly, without constraining the respiration in any way. Let it flow of its own accord, without intervention or regulation. Report an error in the passage at 8:47 Highlight the passage at 8:47

· · · silence, 1 minute

9:58 The key here is the out-breath. Report an error in the passage at 9:58 Highlight the passage at 9:58

10:05 With every out-breath, relax more and more deeply in the body, as if you are allowing the body to fall asleep while maintaining Mental awareness. Report an error in the passage at 10:05 Highlight the passage at 10:05

10:23 With every out-breath, utterly release the breath without holding anything back. Report an error in the passage at 10:23 Highlight the passage at 10:23

10:47 With every out-breath, release any thoughts, images, memories that may have come to mind. Report an error in the passage at 10:47 Highlight the passage at 10:47

· · · silence, 1 minute

11:45 Breathe as effortlessly as if you were deep asleep, Report an error in the passage at 11:45 Highlight the passage at 11:45

11:59 relaxing and releasing all the way through the end of the out-breath, Report an error in the passage at 11:59 Highlight the passage at 11:59

· · · silence, 1 minute

12:51 continuing to let go until the next breath flows in effortlessly like a wave washing upon shore. And whether it's deep or shallow, fast or slow, just let it be. Let the body breathe without intervention. Report an error in the passage at 12:51 Highlight the passage at 12:51

· · · silence, 1 minute

14:27 And set your mind at ease, temporarily releasing all concerns, all hopes and fears about the future and the past, and Report an error in the passage at 14:27 Highlight the passage at 14:27

14:41 allowing yourself the freedom to rest in stillness in the present moment. Report an error in the passage at 14:41 Highlight the passage at 14:41

· · · silence, 1 minute

15:32 Let your awareness continue to permeate the whole field of tactile sensations, but with a special interest in those sensations related to the in and out breath. Report an error in the passage at 15:32 Highlight the passage at 15:32

15:46 Very simply noting, with each in breath, whether it is long or short, with each out breath, long. And Report an error in the passage at 15:46 Highlight the passage at 15:46

16:16 throughout the whole field of the body, simply take note of the sensations related to the in-breath, the out-breath, wherever they most distinctly manifest within the body. Report an error in the passage at 16:16 Highlight the passage at 16:16

16:27 No sharp focusing of attention, no bearing down, but a quiet gentleness, gentle presence of mindfulness permeating the body. Report an error in the passage at 16:27 Highlight the passage at 16:27

· · · silence, 1 minute

17:37 Whatever thoughts, rumination, memories, images come to mind, gently release them, especially with every out-breath. To the best of your ability, remain in stillness with a quiet, attentive mind, but over the course of the session, relaxing more and more deeply with every out-breath, Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

18:03 but without losing the clarity of your awareness. Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03