Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace 2012 (part 48)

· · · silence, 1 minute

0:30 By now you are likely very familiar with this easy entry, entry into a comfort zone of letting awareness descend into the body, right down to the ground, out of the head, Report an error in the passage at 0:30 Highlight the passage at 0:30

0:46 filling the whole body, settling the body in its natural state, the respiration and its natural rhythm. For a little while calm the mind with mindfulness of breathing. Report an error in the passage at 0:46 Highlight the passage at 0:46

· · · silence, 2 minutes

3:24 Now as we venture into the meditative cultivation of loving kindness, I'd like to do so by raising four questions, or four quests, questions that I pose. And inviting you to follow your own vision, finding your own answers. And the first of these questions is, how do you envision your own well-being? Report an error in the passage at 3:24 Highlight the passage at 3:24

3:52 What do you imagine would bring, truly bring you happiness? A sense of fulfillment, of satisfaction, sense of meaning. Another Report an error in the passage at 3:52 Highlight the passage at 3:52

4:02 way of phrasing this, what is your heart's desire? What do you most deeply long for? Pose the question, see what comes to mind. Report an error in the passage at 4:02 Highlight the passage at 4:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

4:55 And then in the spirit of loving kindness, with each out-breath, arouse the yearning. Indeed, realize the happiness that is my heart's desire. May Report an error in the passage at 4:55 Highlight the passage at 4:55

5:14 I be truly well and happy. And with each out-breath, as if you were breathing life into this vision, to realize it, Report an error in the passage at 5:14 Highlight the passage at 5:14

5:29 breathe out this aspiration. May I find such well-being. May my heart's desire be fulfilled. Wish yourself well. This is loving-kindness. Direct it inwardly. Report an error in the passage at 5:29 Highlight the passage at 5:29

· · · silence, 1 minute

6:56 And with each out-breath, letting your imagination play. Imagine. Realizing here and now. The fulfillment of your own most cherished aspirations. And you may, if you wish, dedicate whatever virtue, whatever goodness there is from this past week to the realization of this vision. Report an error in the passage at 6:56 Highlight the passage at 6:56

· · · silence, 2 minutes

8:48 As we all know, no one is an island. None of us can achieve our ideals, our dreams, entirely on our own, with no help. So now pose another question. What would you love to receive from the world around you, from those who are far, those who are near, from friends and teachers? From all kinds of beings. What would you love to receive from the world to enable you to realize your own dream of flourishing? Report an error in the passage at 8:48 Highlight the passage at 8:48

· · · silence, 1 minute

10:35 Then with each in-breath arouse this yearning, again a yearning of loving kindness directed inwards to yourself. With each in-breath arouse the yearning, may I receive all that I truly need from the world around me, from people, from human beings and non-human beings, friends and strangers. Report an error in the passage at 10:35 Highlight the passage at 10:35

10:56 May I receive all that I need. To realize my heart's desire and Report an error in the passage at 10:56 Highlight the passage at 10:56

· · · silence, 1 minute

11:54 letting your imagination play, imagine with each in-breath, receiving here and now all that you need from moment to moment, from day to day. Report an error in the passage at 11:54 Highlight the passage at 11:54

12:09 Imagine a reality rising up to meet you and providing all that you need to Report an error in the passage at 12:09 Highlight the passage at 12:09

12:19 proceed along the path to your own awakening, your own fulfillment, in Report an error in the passage at 12:19 Highlight the passage at 12:19

· · · silence, 2 minutes

14:06 order to realize your dreams, to find the fulfillment that you seek. Clearly this can come about only if there's a profound inner transformation. Not simply with a lot of help from our friends. So in the same spirit of loving kindness, raise the question, how would you love to transform as a human being in Report an error in the passage at 14:06 Highlight the passage at 14:06

14:34 order to realize your heart's desire? From what qualities would you love to be free? And with what qualities would you love to be imbued? Report an error in the passage at 14:34 Highlight the passage at 14:34

14:44 In short, how would you love to transform? What kind of a person would you love to be? Report an error in the passage at 14:44 Highlight the passage at 14:44

· · · silence, 1 minute

15:31 And with each out-breath, arouse the yearning that it may be so, that you may spiritually evolve and transform in just the way that you envision. In order to find the greatest possible happiness, sense of fulfillment and meaning, with each out-breath, may it be so, may it be so. Each Report an error in the passage at 15:31 Highlight the passage at 15:31

· · · silence, 1 minute

17:03 out-breath, letting your imagination play, Report an error in the passage at 17:03 Highlight the passage at 17:03

17:10 imagine gradually evolving into Report an error in the passage at 17:10 Highlight the passage at 17:10

17:15 the person you would love to become, Report an error in the passage at 17:15 Highlight the passage at 17:15

17:22 breathing life into this vision. Report an error in the passage at 17:22 Highlight the passage at 17:22

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18:14 Imagine being that person here and now. Report an error in the passage at 18:14 Highlight the passage at 18:14

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19:00 One is an island. In Report an error in the passage at 19:00 Highlight the passage at 19:00

19:04 order to realize your own fulfillment, to imbue your own life with as much meaning as possible, Report an error in the passage at 19:04 Highlight the passage at 19:04

19:12 this will not manifest in isolation either. Our very existence is one of entanglement, of interdependence with all those around us. So in the same spirit of loving kindness for yourself, wishing to lead the most meaningful life you can, raise a fourth and final question. What would you most love to offer to the world around you, to those who are near and far, in the short term and the long term, drawing on your own unique background, your skills, your gifts, your aspirations? Report an error in the passage at 19:12 Highlight the passage at 19:12

19:51 What would you most love to offer to the world around you? Report an error in the passage at 19:51 Highlight the passage at 19:51

· · · silence, 1 minute

20:46 With each out-breath arouse a yearning that it may be so, that you may offer your very best to bring about the greatest benefit, so that when you come to the end of your life and you look back, you'll do so with a sense of satisfaction, the knowledge. This is a life well spent. And Report an error in the passage at 20:46 Highlight the passage at 20:46

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22:24 with each out-breath, imagine it to be so. Imagine here and now offering these goods as you breathe out, Report an error in the passage at 22:24 Highlight the passage at 22:24

22:37 and imagine those benefiting from what you have to offer. Then Report an error in the passage at 22:37 Highlight the passage at 22:37

· · · silence, 1 minute

23:25 release all aspirations, release all appearances. All activities of the mind, release all effort and for just a moment let your awareness rest in its own nature, its own luminosity, its own cognizance. Report an error in the passage at 23:25 Highlight the passage at 23:25