Brother Richard

As we enter the time of meditation, we do so now with the intention to enter as fully as we can into the mystery of love.

We take our seat, opening ourselves to this moment, letting go of all that has come before letting go of all that will come after settling ourselves on our chair or a cushion.

We feel the pressure of the floor against our feet and all of the tiny micro sensations of the body as it settles into peace.

We remember that this is never a struggle, rather a yielding to the moment as it is.

And so if at any stage you need to move or adjust your posture, feel free to do so.

Allowing the body to come to stillness, we notice any points of tension within the body.

And one by one, we consciously unlock and relax those places.

For many people, tension is held around the hips, the base of the spine, the shoulders and neck, and even the jaw and face, but it might be different for you.

So just gently draw your awareness from the soles of your feet to the crown of your head.

And that any point of tension, just simply be with that point for a moment.

Imagine yourself breathing through that point.

and allow the point of tension so far as you can do so to simply relax, loosen, open, or even dissolve.

Having reached the crown of the head, simply pause with your awareness there now for a moment and take a moment to simply stabilize yourself in thanksgiving

that you have the opportunity and the space in your day to practice in this way.

Beginning with gratitude is a good way of beginning the journey into love.

Simply be thankful for your body, for this time, for this space.

And as you sense into the body, being aware of the rhythm of the breath,

Take a moment to simply be with the breath in gratitude, the breath that sustains you, that holds you in physical, biological existence, the breath that is nourishing you, the breath that is the fundamental rhythm of the biology of life.

And as you sit now,

in the awareness of your body and of your breath.