Brother Richard

All of these points of contact happening in the present moment open the door to a deeper experience of the present moment.

Being aware now of the subtlest sensations around us, the movement of air over our bare skin, the coolness of the breath as it enters the body, the warmth of the breath as it leaves the body.

And as we sit, we breathe consciously and with awareness.

Not changing the rhythm in any way, but just noticing the rhythm of the breath.

As we move deeper into meditation, the breath by itself will slow and gentle.

We do not force anything.

For now we are just noticing.

Breathing out, we breathe out all tension, stress,

Breathing in, we breathe in warmth, light, peace.

Recognizing that with every in-breath, we are giving compassionate and merciful gifts to ourselves.

With each breath, we stabilize more fully in the present moment

With each breath, we open ourselves more fully and completely to divine compassion and love.

With each breath, we acknowledge our need for compassion and mercy.

The meditator sits at a point of absolute truth.

the truth not only of the present moment, but the truth of our own being.

We recognize that there is positive and negative within us, joy and sorrow, elation, and even the tragedies that we have gone through in our life story so far.

All of this present to us, even as we seek the presence of the present moment.

Recognizing now that to touch the present moment with truth is to bring the truth of our entire being with us, of our entire story.

Recognizing ourselves as a work in progress

beginning again with each breath, beginning again with each encounter with the present moment, and recognizing the grace that comes to us in living in this way, not imprisoned or trapped by the past, but dwelling in the present,