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Guided Meditation: Seeing in a New Way

Greetings, and I am happy to be here to spend this next meditation together. As an introduction, I'd like to say that there's an aphorism in our insight meditation scene that says vipassana^[1] is not about seeing something new, but seeing in a new way.

We could adapt this, saying that this practice is not about feeling something new; it's feeling in a new way. It's not about thinking something new, but maybe thinking in a new way. It's not about experiencing something new, but experiencing in a new way.

Saying this in these different kinds of ways points us back to how we are with our experience, how we are with what's happening. Because always there are two things happening: there's what's happening, and how we're relating to it—the attitude with which we are present for it, the way we attend to it. And vipassana has a lot to do with the latter. It is about seeing clearly what's there, but how we see is really the key.

So while we're paying attention to breathing, for example, or anything at all, we want to have a careful attention—really attend to things carefully. But attending carefully is, in fact, part of how we're attending differently. It is, in fact, how we begin seeing in a new way.

That's the question you can carry with you, if you'd like, for this sitting: as you attend to anything, how are you with it? How do you see it? How are you aware of it? And if the mind wanders off and you notice that, how are you aware of that? It's not about anything being different, but changing the how. Are you striving? Are you pulling away? Are you angry or aversive? Do you have strong desires for something being different? How are you? And in that how, can you find a how that's nice, that's meaningful, that's nourishing? That is a comfortable place to be? Perhaps a sense of being content with what is—a certain kind of contentment. I'll talk more about that this week.

So, taking a meditation posture, gently closing your eyes.

Perhaps with this being the beginning of the week, you can just directly and simply check in with yourself. How are you in your body? Spending a little time exploring the body's experiences of itself in the different places of the body that maybe you normally don't attend to much: the back, the shoulders, the belly, the chest, the face. Experimenting with how you attend. Can you be aware of your body in a relaxed way? Unhurried.

And how are you in your mind? In your thinking, your attitude, your dispositions. How are you in the mind? And as you notice your inner life of the mind, also notice how you're aware. Is there any judgment, reactivity, or expectations? Can your awareness of your mind be simple? Maybe almost like you're kindly gazing upon another person, so you don't take it personally what the mind does, but you do know it.

How are you in your heart? How are you with your feelings and emotions? Can you allow them to be as they are? Just to know them, to know them in a new way. Perhaps know them kindly, non-reactively. Again, almost as if you're kindly looking at another person for whom you have nothing at stake, and nothing you can do except be kind. You look at your own feelings in a kind way. Calmly, unhurriedly, allowingly.

And then, within this whole being of body, mind, and heart, take two or three deeper breaths. As you exhale, settle in. Relax into your being, into where you feel inner stability—maybe a sense of ground or firmness. And become aware of the body breathing.

Here too, with your breathing, gently seeing if you could be aware in a new way. Meaning in a way that is not dependent on what happens to your breathing or how your breathing is. It's simply dependent on the openness, the simplicity, the ease in which you are aware, one breath at a time.

Opening the curtains of the mind wide enough so you notice when your mind drifts off in thought. Sometimes, even staying with the breathing, the mind can still be involved in thinking in a way that compromises the clarity of awareness. If that's the case, clearly know your thinking, and then begin with the breathing again. Clearly knowing breathing.

The new way of seeing, of experiencing, has a lot to do with not making anything a problem—a problem for awareness. Just to be aware is enough.

As we come to the end of this sitting, perhaps you can imagine yourself sitting here. What would it be like if you were sitting with as much peace or ease as you've ever experienced in your life? As much calm or contentment as you ever had. Imagine you're sitting here with your mind untroubled. Your heart untroubled, in the way that it's been least troubled that you can remember. Your thoughts perhaps most simple and easy, and maybe even peaceful. Maybe remembering such a time, and imagine that you're sitting that way now. What it would feel like and be.

Imagine from this perspective what it would be like to gaze kindly, openly, on the people that you'll encounter today. Maybe with the idea that, for now, nothing is needed of you. You don't need to say anything or do anything, but you have the opportunity to just be present for people from this place of peace, calm, contentment, or happiness.

And as you have this reference point, are there any desires that might come up in relationship to these people that support you to be peaceful, or that cause some of the peace to diminish? Any wantings, wanting things to be different, expectations. When you think of these desires you might have, what effect do they have on your peaceful awareness, your calm awareness? Does it stay calm and peaceful, or does it get diminished or agitated? Or does it get more peaceful?

And if strong desires come up for something to be or not to be, maybe with the intensity of desires that you have when they're strong, what happens to that peace and calm?

Then taking a deep breath or two, and as you exhale, letting go of all this imagination. Coming back into the present moment, here.

And from whatever degree of calm or peace that you have, to look out into the future of the day. Looking kindly on all people that you'll encounter, talk to, or think about. Perhaps you can relate to them in a new way. Perhaps you can relate to them kindly and friendly, and perhaps with whatever generosity you have, to extend your support and care to the people you know, the people you run into.

And to live this day with a kind regard for all beings. With a generous caring for all beings. Letting go of the opposite. Letting go of any way you are relating to others that diminishes you.

May it be that coming out of this meditation, all of us, that we live for the welfare and happiness for all beings everywhere. May it be that all beings are happy. May it be that all beings are free of oppression. Let it be that all beings are free of bias and discrimination. May it be that all beings have the opportunity to feel respected, cared for, and at peace.