This meditation guides us to awaken to sensation using the image of a smile and scanning through the body. We then open to sound and to the entire changing flow of experience. When we connect with the changing flow of sensations, feelings and sounds, we also discover the formless awareness that is our Source… and home.
“This river of sensation ceaselessly vibrating… tingling… flowing… let it live through you.”
“Completely relax with this ever changing dance of sound and sensation.”
“What is it that allows us to open our hearts to every moment of our life? It’s the remembrance that it’s passing and it’s precious.”
Our true refuge is reality – only by opening to “things as they are” do we find true peace and freedom. This talk explores impermanence – a key feature of reality. We look at our habits of resisting change – including loss and death, the practices that awaken and open us, and the gifts of letting go into the ever-changing river of experience.
We start with breathing mindfully to collect and calm the body and mind. Then the attention opens to include the changing flow in a spacious natural presence.
This talk was given on the second day of a week-long retreat entitled, "Examining Reality". Four ways of practicing with sila (virtue) from the Visuddhimagga are discussed. The talk ends with an invitation to examine our assumptions about our physical experience of reality.
Recorded at Spirit Rock at "Examining Reality as a Path to Freedom: Insight Meditation Retreat for Experienced Students"
