«Дар освобождения», курс 24 «Пустой Будда — высшая защита», занятие 1

[Speaker 1]
So, we're going to start this morning with the meditation. So, please get ready.

[Speaker 2]
Buddha said first step of meditation is to turn off your cell phone.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, I like the Mexico group. If the cell phone rings during meditation, they charge fifty American dollars. Okay, so be careful.

And I guess Earl will have to close the door, I think. My first meditation teacher held up a pencil and he broke it. And he said, this is one person meditating.

[Speaker 2]
Then he held ten pencils and he couldn't break it.

[Speaker 1]
He said, that's ten people meditating together. So, it's more powerful. But you have responsibility.

You have to be super quiet for the other people. Okay, so when we meditate in a group, it's important to come on time. Come ten minutes early, okay?

I think they are serving cappuccino. Just kidding. Come ten minutes early, and relax.

And then, you don't have to worry about bothering other people, okay? And we're going to close the door during meditation. And you shouldn't try to come in until the meditation is finished.

Close the door.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, please sit up straight.

[Speaker 1]
Your feet can be on the floor, it's okay. Try not to lean back. Try to keep your head straight.

[Speaker 2]
If the head is too far back, you will get distracted.

[Speaker 1]
I have a friend, she meditates like this. Then the chi won't run nicely. So, and if the chin comes down too far, you will get sleepy.

[Speaker 2]
So, the chin should be nice.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, the eyes can be open, but don't look at anything. So, go like this, but put the eyes down. And close your eyelids a little bit.

[Speaker 2]
If you get sleepy, you can open the eyelids a little bit. But when you put your eyes down, don't put your head down.

[Speaker 1]
Okay? So, chin is still straight, but the eyes can go ... if you want to open your eyes a little bit, the eyes are down.

And then leave your eyes, and don't look through them. And if you like, you can close your eyes. I like close and then open just a little bit.

And then I don't get sleepy. Then hands, you can do it this way. You can do this way.

[Speaker 2]
I like between, like that.

[Speaker 1]
Then my hands don't fall asleep.

[Speaker 2]
If you feel cold in the America air-conditioned room, you can put left hand down, then right hand down. And this brings your arms close to your body, and you'll feel warmer. And the thumbs are just lightly touching.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, so you decide what's comfortable for you.

[Speaker 2]
The cause of good meditation it's not really how you sit.

[Speaker 1]
It's not the chair. It's not the cushion.

[Speaker 2]
It's not how you put your shoulders. The deeper cause of meditation is being nice to other people.

[Speaker 1]
Then I have a friend, he meditates like this, and his meditation is very good. Because he takes care of other people a lot. Best is take care of other people and sit up straight.

[Speaker 2]
Then relax your eyelids.

[Speaker 1]
Relax your forehead. Try to be very very quiet. If you make noise, it will hurt many people.

Mouth is relaxed.

[Speaker 2]
Little smile is nice.

[Speaker 1]
Fingers are relaxed. And then start to breathe slowly. Long exhales.

Then slowly start watching your breath. You can pretend you are sitting on the tip of your nose like a little parking lot guard. Just watch the breath coming in and out.

Then please invite your teacher to come to meditate with you. The teacher that you feel closest to. Could be your mom or dad.

[Speaker 2]
Could be a teacher from your school.

[Speaker 1]
Could be the teacher that taught you your work. Could be spiritual teacher. Could be alive or could be from long ago in history.

[Speaker 2]
Could be your heart teacher that you didn't meet yet.

[Speaker 1]
But ask a teacher to come. And sit together.

[Speaker 2]
Your knee is almost touching their knee.

[Speaker 1]
And they are very relaxed. Your eyes are closed but you can see their face. They are very happy that you are meditating.

And they are very happy that you invited them to come. And we are sitting together. And you feel a great love for them.

Then think about why are they your teacher? What would you like to learn? Which they know.

Then make them an offering. Give them a gift. What the teacher likes the most is when you are kind to other people, good to other people.

[Speaker 2]
Better than flowers or food.

[Speaker 1]
So try to think about something nice you did in the last 24 hours. And offer this to your teacher like a beautiful gift. Then think about something you did in the last 24 hours.

[Speaker 2]
Which was not very nice. It hurt somebody. Or you hurt yourself.

[Speaker 1]
And open your heart. And tell your teacher honestly. And clean this negative seed.

Now I would like you to think about the best thing you ever did for another person in your whole life. And open your heart to your teacher and tell them about that also.

[Speaker 2]
Now ask your teacher to teach you.

[Speaker 1]
Promise you will be open. Even if they tell you something you don't like. About how to improve yourself.

Ask them to teach. And then ask your teacher to stay in your life. Help you.

Don't go away. Then ask the teacher to come inside of you. They start to rise up.

Slowly into the sky. Little bit higher than your head. And as they rise, they get smaller and smaller.

Then they turn around to face the same way as you. And they come down softly on the top of your head. Very small.

And they start to melt into the top of your head. And they come down in front of your spine. To your heart.

Inside your heart.

[Speaker 2]
They get smaller and smaller.

[Speaker 1]
Until they are the size of a grain of sugar. Almost like they are inside a grain of sugar. In the center of your heart.

Focus on them there. Tiny, tiny teacher.

[Speaker 2]
Very tiny teacher.

[Speaker 1]
Will stay there all day. When you need help, they are there. Then send out the good karma of this meditation.

To help other people. And slowly you can open your eyes.

[Speaker 2]
Take a stretch.