Evening Guided Meditation, 17 January 2021

Ajahn Sucitto offers spoken suggestions for a long evening sit, with extended silences between them. He begins with the stream of thoughts, feelings and memories, and the difference between being swept along in it and acknowledging it from the bank. He gives practical pointers for posture, especially bringing attention between the shoulder blades so the chest opens, and for resting the hands with a light touch.

He then proposes two “filters” for the stream: asking what conscience and propriety feel like, and asking what you would like to bring into life. Later he describes how energy flows out into irritation, brooding or busyness and the centre weakens, and how to say “not now” without disapproval and draw the energy back through the body. He closes by holding difficulty sympathetically and taking other people into the heart, near or far, including those we find difficult.