Guided Meditations
Part 2 of a series of guided meditations by Christopher Titmuss. Insight Meditation offers emotional and psychological insights, a depth of awareness, inner peace and a profound and liberating sense of the Here and Now.
Meditation for Healing
Be in a comfortable posture whether sitting or reclining.
I am aware of the body as a living organism
I am aware of the body from head to toes
As a collection of sensations, vibrations and pulsations
Some of these sensations are comfortable
Showing no sign of difficulty for my mind
Other sensations are unpleasant, uncomfortable, and painful
I want them to go away
But they linger changing from time to time
Let me not fight these painful sensations
Let me not put pressure on myself
Let me develop patience with the process
For I have no choice in the matter
Let me remember to breathe when I need to remember
To be even-minded when I need to be
And even to smile at my helplessness
It is in circumstances like these that I must respond
To what I can respond to
And surrender what I must surrender to.
Meditation on Acceptance
If you are feeling restless, confused not knowing where to turn, try to slow down
Sit in a chair, straighten the back, keep the eyes open and develop a practice of settling into the moment. If you are feeling too restless to sit in a chair, then walk up and down, indoors or outdoors or let the body gently sway with both feet firmly on the ground.
May I breathe in and out mindfully three times to settle down
May I breathe in and out deeply to let the waves of agitation get less and less
May I accept that things do not always go as I would wish
May I accept that I am going through a hard time
May I accept that various impulses are arising from within
May I accept that they are arising to pass
May I accept that there are these difficulties
May I respond to the resources available at this time
May I find peace of mind soon
May I find the clarity that lies beneath these waves of unrest
May this meditation and my heart's wish contribute to the wisdom of acceptance...
Meditation on Impermanence
This is a formal meditation practice so that the understanding of impermanence runs deep into the mind. We practise to observe change whether it is the breath coming and going, body sensations coming and going, experiences and thoughts coming and going. It is meditation practice of sustaining awareness of change. We abide as steady as our meditation allows to be clear about impermanence. This meditation reminds us that nothing is worth clinging to or being possessive about due to change.
I am mindful of the moment to moment changes of the body
I am mindful of the moment to moment changes in the mind and body
I am mindful of the moment to moment changes in the feelings
I am mindful of the changing painful sensations in the body
I am mindful of the changing painful experiences in the heart and mind
I am mindful of the changing pleasurable and neutral experiences
I am mindful of my existence that is subject to birth, ageing, pain and death
Seeing impermanence reminds me not to cling to anyone
Seeing impermanence reminds me not to grasp onto anyone
Seeing impermanence reminds me not to be possessive around anyone or anything
Seeing impermanence reminds me to keep in touch with this unfolding world
Seeing impermanence reminds me that what arises will pass
To abide in freedom means not clinging, not grasping, not being possessive
May I live wisely in the face of impermanence
May I respond wisely to impermanence.
Meditation on Appreciative Joy
There is much to appreciate in life
that touches a profound place of joy.
It would be a pity to ignore
the daily miracles of existence,
to neglect access to appreciative joy.
Even the sun arising in the morning
is extraordinary, the bursting forth of flowers
and the journey of birds across the sky
above the towns and fields across the landscape.
Appreciative joy reveals through awe and wonder
Through children playing in the park
And the unexpected telephone call from an old friend
We have much to be happy about,
Much to marvel over.
Often much more in the inconsequentials than in the consequential
Let us stop still for a few moments
So that we can absorb the wonders of the moment
Indoors or outdoors, home or away
Let us dwell upon the undying presence at the heart
of things, so our being knows mystery
at the root of our experience.
It doesn't take a lot to wake up
Only an extra commitment to our eyes and ears
That contributes to knowing the deeper intimacies
Of an excelled exposure to the nature of things.
Meditation on Liberation
Use the upright sitting posture to read slowly through the following meditation. Liberation and inner joy show the consummation of living wisely. There is a path for living wisely and there are the profound fruits of the path.
Liberation stands beyond all circumstances
Nobody can give it, nobody can take it away
Liberation does not reside in any particular place
Nor found through any particular method, religion or philosophy
It does not depend on such things
For its abiding presence in our lives.
Let me meditate on this deeply
Let insights flow out of my being
So that I can know what sages
Of past and present know
Who have dissolved the sufferings and sorrows
Associated with this world
And abide easily with a freedom of spirit
That knows no limits
Regardless of events that unfolds in this world.
Let me aspire to realise this priceless and immeasurable freedom
So that my self does become the measure of all things
Nor my thoughts and words become thickening views
In this vast freedom, I will know through my experience
My life fits in easily with something much greater.
Meditation on Love Towards Three Kinds of People
Remember to practise these meditations regularly for all three kinds of people. At times, you will need to concentrate on one of them due to circumstances. When you say the lines of to each kind of person remember to bring in the feeling of the heart to go with the words.
It can be worthwhile memorising the lines or similar lines to enable a loving presence to be steady in the heart whenever we are in contact with any of the three kinds of people.
TO YOUR LOVED ONES
May I always acknowledge and understand your intentions
May I always be supportive for you in time of need
May I never place demands and pressure on you
May you be well and happy
May your life know contentment and joy
May you be peaceful and steady from one day to the next
May our love and friendship for each other remain steady
TO STRANGERS
May I not rush to judgement on meeting you
May I show friendship and presence for you
May I communicate clearly and wisely in your presence
May your day be rich and worthwhile
May you act mindfully and consciously in all things
May everybody treat you with respect
May you show kindness to everybody that you meet
May your day be free from fear and worry
May you sleep well and peacefully tonight
TO THE UNFRIENDLY
May your anger and resentment subside quickly
May you understand the pain you cause yourself and others
May you explore fresh ways to explore differences
May you see into the fear behind the anger
May you develop equanimity when things do not go your way
May others stop being angry towards you
May you realise that anger does not cease with anger
May others listen to you and you listen to others
Meditation on Naming the Suffering
There are various types of problems that arise. We often keep ignoring them hoping, foolishly, that they will go away. We often don't realise how much we are under the influence of these problems, how frequently they arise in subtle and gross ways. This meditation serves to make what needs to be made clear as clear as possible. You give a week or even a month to naming a particular difficulty that keeps arising to be clear about the frequency that it arises. We may not find this meditation easy. It will be important to ensure that we are aware of what is not present (see Meditation on Absence of).
Here and now, I recognise that this problem is arising
I am aware of the impact it has on myself due to its arising
I am aware of the feelings, thoughts and intentions that form this state of mind
I am aware of how easily its momentum comes out through what I say and do
I am aware of the degree that I identify with this state of mind and justify it
It not only makes life difficult for myself but also makes life difficult for others
Here and now I have the opportunity to work with this state of mind
Here and now I am practising to let go of this state of mind
Here and now I am practising to stop grasping onto this situation
Here and now I am practising to observe that it is impermanent
Here and now I am practising to observe that it is unsatisfactory
Here and now I am practising to observe it as not me, not myself, not who I really am
I am aware that this state of mind is only arising to pass
I am aware that this state of mind is not worth clinging to
I am aware that this state of mind only comes from a similar state of mind in the past
Right now I have the opportunity to develop freedom from this state of mind
Right now I have the opportunity to see the emptiness of this state of mind
This opportunity is available to me here and now.
Let me not waste this moment.
Meditation on Equanimity
I have been hurt by what took place
The experience has left its pain and its wounds
There has been an anguish and distress over past events
I am not ready to forgive because of what happened
I cannot turn around my emotions that easy
Yet I do not want to keep burning up inside
That means that the past still dominates my present.
So let me try to get on with my life today
Let me develop equanimity to what was
In order to keep steady with what is
There is no reason to place pressure on myself to forgive
But I will keep the intention to move on from the past
To maximise my contact with the present.
In time, I may come to forgive as a way of
Transcending the situation. It will show that the events
No longer have control over my life.
Then equanimity leading to forgiveness, if necessary.
Shows a true freedom of the heart.
Meditation on the Sangha
The word sangha literally means "gathering." It refers to two or more people gathered together to explore the Dharma, that is teachings and practices to enlighten our life. The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have more value than possession of all the jewels placed together of all the royal families in the world. The Buddha-Dharma-Sangha reveal three expressions of the greatest jewel available to humanity. Like a precious diamond, this jewel exists in the world to point the way to the utter resolution of suffering at every level.
I regard the sangha as supportive friends
I place my trust and confidence in the sangha
I regard the sangha as worthy of deepest respect
I take my inspiration from the sangha
So that I can let go of what I need to let go of
Renounce what I need to renounce
Develop what I need to develop
And overcome what I need to overcome.
Through my commitment to the sangha
I pay respect to the sangha.
Without the sangha, I fall back on my self,
With its unwise and unskilful tendencies
With the support of the sangha, I can see clearly
So that I fall back on wisdom within
And truly act as a noble one.
I know that my teachers belong to the sangha
Support the sangha and nourish the sangha
And that my teachers and seniors in the sangha
Welcome the wisdom of the sangha so that they
Remain true to a noble way of life
The sangha is worthy of attention, worthy of merit,
Worthy of support, worthy of commitment.
May I be willing to give support to the sangha
As an expression of dana* whether it is through
Time, energy, work, practice, offerings, sums of money
And frequent presence so that the sangha abides
In unity, in love and in harmony
Always remaining respectful to the Noble Ones,
To Liberation and to an Enlightened Life.
* donations, gifts, offerings, acts of generosity
Meditation on Nowhere to Go
Establish a firm, upright posture.
Keep the posture very still for five minutes
While keeping the back straight, settle into the moment.
Quietly remind yourself
There is nothing that I want
There is nothing to run after
I have nothing to do
I have nowhere to go
I cannot add to what is present already
I cannot take away from what is present already
Sights come to my eyes
Sounds come to my ears
Smells come to nose
Tastes come to my tongue
Touch comes to my body
Thoughts and feelings come to my mind
I cannot add to these experiences
I cannot subtract from them
It has been like this as long as I can remember
I abide calmly knowing this
I abide in this simple truth
Knowing that there is nothing more to be done
Meditation on Service
I regard service as the noblest form of human activity
It means putting aside my own interests
So that I offer support to the world of others
No matter what their circumstances
It will be a hard road, this road of service
There is no retirement from it
It signals the sign of a worthwhile life
With the necessity to generate time
For inner renewal as a mark of service for oneself.
There is something noble about deep reflection
That benefits others, that benefit animals and the Earth itself.
I may not see the results in my lifetime.
So I have no need to look for them
Instead, I will rely upon the quality and commitment
Of the intention and make that the priority.
Praise and blame may come for providing a service to others
Yet, I will quietly remain focussed on the intention
Knowing that there is no wish to cause harm or suffering
To others.
Meditation on Not-Self
May awareness observe clearly whenever the ego arises
May awareness observe clearly whenever the I arises
May awareness see clearly when the notion of me arises
May awareness see clearly when the notion of my arises
May I be free from trying to build up my sense of self
May I be free from putting down my sense of self
So that I respond with wisdom to events
Rather than being trapped in reactions to the self
May inner awareness reveal a spaciousness around all events
May this awareness accommodate all I call "my life."
May this awareness see feelings as feelings, not as myself
May this awareness see thoughts as thoughts, not as myself
May this awareness see perceptions as perceptions, not as myself
May this awareness see states of mind as states of mind, not as myself
May this awareness see the condition of body as the condition of body, not as myself.
So, that wisdom abides in the face of the inter-action of mind and body.
Copyright © Christopher Titmuss. Visit Christopher's website at www.insightmeditation.org.
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