The Book of Joy

(Rick Simeone) #1

Archbishop and the Dalai Lama both explained, this is the only place
from which one can start to work for change, personal or global.
Meditation is a practice that allows us to accept our life moment by
moment without judgment or the expectation for life to be other than
what it is.


1 .  Sit    comfortably,    either  on  a   chair   with    your    feet    on  the
ground, or cross-legged. You can rest your hands on your legs
or in your lap.
2 . Close your eyes and take several long breaths through your
nose. Feel your stomach rise and fall as you breathe into your
belly.
3 . Pay attention to what you hear around you. Notice how the
world is alive with sound. As thoughts about these noises arise
—judgments, assessments, irritations—let these observations
and evaluations drift away.
4 . Release your focus on your breath and, while staying in the
present moment, notice as any thoughts or feelings arise.
Perhaps you will notice some discomfort in your body or have
a feeling arise, or you may have a thought about what you need
to accomplish or remember to do today.
5 . As the thoughts come up, let them float away without
judging them or getting caught up in them. Begin to start
seeing thoughts as thoughts without identifying with them. Just
observe each moment without judgment.
6 . Think of a situation that you are having a hard time
accepting. Perhaps it is your difficulty finding a job or a life
partner, or it may be a friend’s illness or a collective reality
such as war.
7 . Remind yourself that this is the nature of reality. These
painful realities do happen to us, to those we love, and in our
world.
8 . Acknowledge the fact that you cannot know all the factors
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