Brother Richard

And gently then, take a moment to check in with yourself, to really feel the peace that is present within you now, around you now.

Knowing that in every succeeding present moment, it is possible to encounter this peace.

This peace that arises from the divine mind is manifested in love

is poured out in grace.

Gently then begin to feel your feet upon the ground once more.

Your back against the chair.

If you wish, you can make the inner resolution to really bring this peace into the rest of the day.

Reminding yourself that you can, through the path of breath, touch this piece at any time.

Begin to move your fingers and your toes.

Take a moment to smile deeply.

Then gently allow the sound of the bell to draw you back to the activity of the day.

Thank you.

Welcome back.

In our meditation today, we're going to look at two of the great powers or values of meditation in this tradition, the generation of compassion and mercy.

These two qualities are so important as they define divine goodness and love and are at the very origin of this tradition.

By compassion, we mean the ability to be present to suffering our own and others in a way that generates empathy and love.

By mercy, we mean not just forgiveness, but the ability to walk in an open-hearted awareness, even in the midst of a difficult world.

So let's begin.

Coming to the time of meditation, we enter it deliberately and gently, choosing this time, recognizing that this time is a gift, a compassionate gift to ourselves and through our practice to others, especially those with whom we are in relationship.

For now, though, we simply sit, feeling our contact with the ground, with the chair, even with the clothes that hang around our body.