Brother Richard

So let's begin.

Entering the time of meditation, opening our heart, entering as fully as we can into the present moment, we sit.

We do so gently, without compression or strain.

knowing that if at any moment during the time of meditation we need to adjust our posture or cough or move, then of course we just simply allow that to happen.

Moving away from struggle, from pressure, from stress, we enter into this time as a space of freedom and peace.

We allow this time to be nourishing, to be a time of healing, to be a time of peace.

Entering this space through the path of breath, we begin by simply coming to awareness of the breath.

Touching in with the breath as the background sound and music of our whole life.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Recognizing that the first thing we did when we were born was to breathe in.

The very last thing we will do before leaving this world will be to breathe out.

In touching the breath, we touch the present moment

and also the entire story of our life.

Following the path of the breath now, we allow each out breath to bring relaxation and peace.

Each out breath to deepen our connection with the present moment, to deepen our stillness,

With each out breath, letting go of anything that would hold us back, any distraction, any sensation.

Breathing out so as to let go of all anxiety and stress.

Breathing out through our whole body.

Breathing in, we breathe in in such a way that we are filled with peace.

Feeling now the two sides of the cycle of the breath, in and out.