I recently had an opportunity to present at an online embodiment conference. It was a one-time session, late on a Monday night. Though our gathering was small, we shared a pleasant hour together – practicing, for the most part. And practicing, I felt, in a way that was far more settled than one might expect.
Once the hour was over, I returned to my usual commitments – family life, the ongoing Sutrayana Mahayana program, classes and so on – and thought that was that. A few days later, however, I was sent a link to a recording. ‘What am I going to do with this?!?’ I wondered. An answer appeared even before this sentence came to an end.
Below you will find an audio player loaded with that practice. Though we were together for an hour that night, our meditation session ran through the middle forty minutes or so; we both started and ended with a little talking. I hope you find this offering of benefit through these winter months. May it help you stay connected during the holidays. May it bring you back to this work we do again and again.
Whilst listening and practicing, I hope you feel my very real appreciation for your willingness to do this – to practice – in a culture that often seems to ask for anything but. Thank you for coming back to the body. Thank you for settling. Thank you for being curious about what it is to be human in this world, what it is to be alive.
Until we meet again,
– Neil
Thanks, Neil
Such a beautiful sound space! I especially loved those moments of silence in the middle that dissolved any sense of separation. It’s so easy to hide from what’s really happening. Finding a study on the breath fascinating. Seeing more and more that the breath seeks space – is space! Looking forward to the new year and more of your teachings.
With a deep heart bow,
Leslie
Hey Leslie –
I love these words: "Seeing more and more that the breath seeks space – is space!" Oh how right you are – and oh how I typically crowd this naturally occurring spaciousness with goodness knows what. Thomas Merton comes to mind, with his praise of simplicity as the arena in which he most readily finds God. I wonder if ‘God’ and ‘space’ might be interchangeable here!?!
Neil,
On second look,
Now, having really listened, reflected, and come back to the body…
I see that my practice is like an apple cart – that continues to topple over – spilling everything that I thought my experience was – into something much different. That word “fascination” reread a thousand times too late – now humbling me, and replaced with “to fasten” – to fix, lock, secure. Once again, I have been mesmerized by the world of myriad things – wanting to freeze that space, and hold it close – to not let go!
When what was really going on at the time… The words still emboldened, lingering, splashed across the scribbled notebook of my mind – “It’s so easy to hide”. Confused, disoriented not sure what they were trying to draw my attention to. Choosing to ignore, instead – to hide behind my experience – fooled into making it something else.
I should have stopped at, “such a beautiful sound space”. It was simply that – deeply embodied, but nothing more.
With deep appreciation for this lesson,
Leslie
And there you are again speaking of – what!?! Simplicity! The lesson of the day, perhaps…