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Chapter 1: Who is St. Francis de Sales and why is he significant in meditation?
Welcome back. Today, I'd like to introduce you to another master of the meditation tradition to which we belong. St. Francis de Sales is known as the gentle master or sometimes the sweet master because he constantly affirmed the goodness of all things, the fundamental goodness of all things. St.
Francis de Sales taught famously that a half an hour of meditation was necessary every day unless one was extremely stressed or anxious, in which case a full hour of meditation was necessary. Interestingly, this is a teaching that is present in both Eastern and Western traditions.
The idea that we shouldn't jettison our practice just because we are busy or anxious, but in fact should increase our practice. But perhaps one of the most important teachings that Francis de Sales gives us is with regard to distraction. He reminds us that distraction is part of the meditation process.
And that even if our entire period of meditation is taken up with simply noticing distraction and returning to the practice, then we have spent the practice well. Again, the meditation masters, male and female, remind us that we are not in this practice to succeed at something. We are in this practice to allow the practice gently over time to change our entire perspective on what success is.
So let's begin as we practice under the tutorial of Francis de Sales, recognizing distraction as part of the practice.
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Chapter 2: How can we adopt a gentle approach to meditation?
So coming to our meditation practice once again, coming into aware conscious presence, using the breath as the anchor that leads us into the fullness of peace, making a ritual gesture, taking a moment to establish our intention, sitting with awareness, gentleness, openness,
as we come once again into this time of reflective practice we can be aware even as we begin that there are many other things calling for our attention many other aspects of our lives that demand time and energy but for now we are choosing simply to be to be present, to be still, to be aware, to breathe.
And giving ourselves this breathing moment, let's really tune into the awareness of the breath today. Bring our awareness to the rhythm of the breath within our body. Feeling the movement of the breath in the body. Feeling the shoulders drop. Feeling the chest open. The breath descending into the belly. And trusting in the practice
we know that part of the practice is the awareness of the distractions that occur. So even while using the breath as anchor, if thoughts, sensations, memories, or emotions appear, we simply notice them and return to the breath. Doing so without judgment, doing so without attachment to anything that is arising.
Settling into the breath, breathing in, I know I am breathing in, breathing out, I know I am breathing out. Breathing in, I breathe in peace. Breathing out, I breathe out joy.
And sitting with the breath, sitting in stability, sitting with awareness, keeping our attention as fully on the ebb and flow of the breath as is possible. If distractions occur, we simply notice and return. If we see any movement within our emotional awareness,
If our thoughts try and take us into the past or into the future, or even into analysis of our meditation, we simply smile at them and return to the practice. If we find ourselves particularly distracted, we can always add in a word as an anchor to use alongside the breath. I would suggest perhaps today the word we could use is simply peace. But use whatever word is comfortable for you.
Holding the awareness to the breath, allowing the word to sound within us. Smiling at the distractions, but always returning to the breath and the word. being with the breath as it rises and falls, being with the word as it sounds within, smiling at the distractions and letting them go.
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
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