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Introduction

I offer my warm greetings. One of the things to appreciate as we do Buddhist meditation and practice is liberation itself, and freedom. Liberation and freedom take many forms. Some of them we don't associate with grand words like "liberation" and "freedom"—things like relaxation and calming. But as we relax the body and relax the mind, as we calm^[1] these things, there is a letting go. We are releasing the ways that the body and mind have been tight, been clinging^[2], been contracted. That is a variation of the more significant forms of releasing clinging, which is Buddhist liberation. To become liberated, to become enlightened, is to really have a very deep letting go—a deep releasing of clinging right down to the core of our being. So it is all a variation, a spectrum of releasing something that we're talking about here.

When we relax the body as we start to meditate, don't just relax it—appreciate the consequences of the relaxation. Notice the relief, the openness, the ease, the space, the lightness^[3], and the release of vitality that might come with relaxation. When we relax the mental formations^[4], relaxing the mental activity, the tensions, and the contractions of the mind, it is not just a matter of relaxing it. It is also appreciating the consequence of that greater ease, lightness, space, or openness that might be there.

Also, when we let go of thinking, some people let go of thinking and immediately go back to the breathing. But take a few moments to let go of thinking and to appreciate whatever goodness comes from the space, the openness, the lack of contraction, the lack of tightness, and the lack of compulsion that might be there in the letting go of the thoughts.

One of the ways of practicing meditation, then, at some point as we settle in further, is to just appreciate letting go. Letting go. Letting go of anything the mind wants to pick up on or get involved in. Just let go of any kind of pulling attention to emotions and thoughts. As much as we respect these and include them as part of meditation, there is an art to also letting go of any preoccupation with them, any prioritization of them, any extra interest, or even any interest in them.

Everything is allowed to be as it is. We are not dismissing anything. What we are really letting go of is the clinging to things, the tightening, and the tension around what is happening. So at some point in meditation, it is just the process of letting go. Letting go, letting go.

Guided Meditation: Letting Go

Assuming a meditation posture, I often suggest closing the eyes at the beginning of meditation. As you do so, you might take a moment to see if you can appreciate the relief for the eyes not to be engaged in looking and seeing. Maybe that gives a kind of rest for the eyes. And if the eyes don't feel restful, maybe it is possible to let the eyes rest in their sockets, almost as if you're looking down and backwards.

Then taking a few somewhat deeper breaths so you can really let go and relax on the exhale. Really emphasizing softening the body, calming the agitations of the body.

And then letting the breath return to normal.

As you exhale, continue to relax the body, calm the body. But take a few moments to feel the goodness, whatever nice feelings or greater vitality that come from relaxing. Feel the resulting calmness and tranquility in that part of your body.

Relaxing the shoulders, the belly, the face.

Sometimes it is possible to relax the whole body. And sometimes it is possible to calm a body-wide feeling of agitation. A calming wave through the body as you exhale.

And also, gently, tenderly as you exhale, to relax any agitation, calm any agitation in the mind, the mental activity. Letting go. Relaxing any tension or contraction in the mind, or in that part of the body associated with your mental activity.

To calm the agitation of the mind.

And then to let go of your thoughts, or at least let go of your involvement with your thinking. Appreciate that there is more space in the mind to be aware when we let go of our thinking. And let that space of awareness be filled with the experience of breathing.

Breathing in and breathing out.

And then as we continue sitting this morning, with every exhale, say the words "letting go." "Let go." Not as a command, but as an invitation for us to let go of something that the mind has taken up. To let go of the energy of holding on, or picking up, or being involved in anything at all. Just let go.

And on the inhale, appreciate the goodness, the spaciousness, the openness of that letting go.

Letting go on the exhale. Appreciating the good results of letting go.

And just keep letting go. As if for these minutes in meditation, everything that arises, everything that is known, is another thing to let go of, to be open and fresh for the next moment. Just let go.

Let go.

Let go as if letting go is the most important thing to do. Nothing to hold on to. Nothing to be concerned about. Just let go.

What are you not letting go of? What can you still let go of to be thorough in letting go?

Reflections and Loving-Kindness

And then, as we come to the end of the sitting, perhaps appreciate the greater letting go there is. The more space there is for love. The more space there is for goodwill, kindness, tenderness. The more there is the opposite of love, the less room there is for love. The more time and space is taken up with clinging, reacting, and being preoccupied, the less time there is, less space there is for friendliness^[5].

Not the love or friendliness that is an obligation or something we have to muster up. But rather something deeper, more simple, that comes out of the tenderness and gentleness of our hearts and our minds.

To let go, so that without work and without obligation, we can receive other people into our hearts in the place where there's tender friendliness. Sometimes in Buddhism, there is an expression: tender compassion^[6].

And again, without any obligations, is there a place in your heart, in the simplicity of being here, having let go, where your heart's tender goodwill could, if it wanted to, be expressed in the words:

May others be happy. May others be safe. May others be peaceful. May others be free.

And may I live a life that supports that to happen.

May this meditation practice we've done together today, may it be so that we can live a life that benefits and supports the welfare and happiness of all beings.

May all beings be happy and free.