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Introduction

Welcome to our Monday meditation session and teaching. For this week, I plan to focus on the Seven Factors of Awakening^[1]. As we do so, it is impossible for me not to consider how they apply to the tragedies of the world, of the United States, and the degree of suffering which has always been here, but which has come to the surface in such a dramatic way in these last few days and weeks. I have always hoped, and dedicated myself to the idea, that the practices we do in Buddhism—and certainly the mindfulness practice—prepare us to be in the world in a way that contributes to the welfare of the world. That we are peacemakers, santikaras^[2].

Guided Meditation: Being Here for Mindfulness

With that as a backdrop, the first of the factors of awakening is mindfulness.

Take a meditation posture that you do somewhat consciously. If you have not done so yet, you might even sit up straight or stand up for a moment, or whatever it takes, and then come back into a posture that is taken consciously—meaning with awareness and care. Have a sense that you are going to take a posture that will allow the body's capacity for sensitivity to be awakened, to be present. It is not just to know and be aware from the thinking mind, but to be aware from the inside out, from all the capacities we have for attention, for registering what is happening in the moment.

Close the eyes. To some degree, we have a capacity to sense and experience our lived life through our body: the sensations of the body, the warmth, the coolness, the pressure, the softness, and the hardness. The body perhaps has a three-dimensional proprioception—aware of our body in space, an awareness of where different parts of our body are in relationship to the others.

Within this body, experience your breathing, and perhaps use the breathing as a doorway to letting go of thoughts about other times and other places. Support and guide yourself into this time and this place, perhaps taking a few long, slow, deep breaths. As you exhale, let there be a release and relaxation. Allow a relaxing of the diaphragm as you exhale. That relaxing of the diaphragm can maybe spread upwards to the shoulders, and the shoulders can settle. The relaxing of the diaphragm spreads down into the belly, and the breathing belly^[3] softens. Then, let the breathing return to normal.

Mindfulness is not something tense or forceful, but rather it is something organic and gentle. It is a natural capacity to be aware, very closely akin to the experience when we allow ourselves to be aware. It is to become conscious of the experience we have when we allow awareness to be open. The door of awareness is open to receive, to register.

There is a very simple word that I associate with mindfulness, and that is the word here. Sometimes, especially if my mind is very busy, I will gently say to myself in my mind the word here, just acknowledging that I am here. I use the word here as if I am opening all the doors and windows, where I am stepping outside of the house and I am just open to what shows itself here, what reveals itself in the present moment.

"I am thinking a lot here," and I recognize the energy of thinking. There is allowing and allowance in just here. Whatever is here is allowed to be here. For a few moments, the awareness, the mindfulness is very simple. Nothing has to be any different; it is just aware.

Then I will use the word here gently again. Each time I say here, it is a little further opening to the present moment. Resting in the moment, allowing life to reveal itself to me in a place that is deeper than thinking. To be aware from a depth or fullness of the lived experience—not limited by thoughts, but not apart from thinking.

If it is supportive, the very center of here, the center of gravity, can be breathing here. Breathing in here, breathing out here. Remember to really be here with an intimacy that is deeper or fuller than what is possible by just thinking. Here from the inside out, here with what is.

Reflections

As we come to the end of this sitting, consider your capacities for attention—your capacities to be aware even before you start thinking about or reacting to things. Our capacity to be aware in a deep, full, receptive way, to be a witness, is profound. First and foremost, to really be aware is at the center of Buddhist practice.

Consider how our ability to be aware and mindful, to come from a deep place of witnessing and learning, can be an important ingredient in supporting our society. We can use meditation and mindfulness as a way of attuning our capacity for awareness so that we can witness and take in what is happening in our world. This allows for a deep connection to our shared humanity, to our capacity to care and have compassion, and it prepares us for the things we can do to support making the world a better place for everyone.

May it be that our meditation practice, a practice of awareness, allows us to go into the world with gifts for the world that we encounter.

May all beings be safe.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be free of oppression.
May all beings be deeply respected.
May all beings be free.