Show Notes
In this meditation, I reflect on the fruits of meditation practice and the difference our practice can make beyond the time we spend sitting in stillness. Meditation can offer relaxation and rest, but its deeper value is found in the way it gradually shapes how we relate to ourselves, to others and to the circumstances of daily life. We begin by noticing what it is like simply to enter meditation. There may be openness, resistance, discipline or a hunger for stillness. Rather than judging any of these reactions, we meet them with curiosity and allow ourselves to become present to the body, the breath, our thoughts and our feelings. From this place of awareness, we consider what our meditation practice is producing in our lives. Can we notice a difference between the days when we meditate and the days when we do not? Can we recognise the beginnings of greater peace, stability or joy? The meditation then focuses on peace and joy as fruits of practice. Peace is not a flatness or withdrawal from life, but the ability to remain connected to an inner stillness even when circumstances around us are unsettled. Joy, similarly, is more than a response to happy circumstances. It can emerge from the deeper knowledge that we are held in unconditional and infinite divine love. This meditation offers an opportunity to reflect on your own daily meditation practice and to gently cultivate the seeds of peace and joy already present within it.
Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: The fruits of meditation 00:50 – Opening bell 01:04 – Entering the time of meditation 01:56 – Sitting with awareness 02:52 – Noticing body, thoughts and emotions 03:57 – Deepening into the breath 04:58 – What is the truth of my meditation practice? 06:38 – How meditation permeates our lives 07:10 – The fruit of peace 08:22 – Touching the peace within 08:38 – The fruit of joy 09:31 – Resting as the beloved 10:28 – Breathing in peace and breathing out joy 11:03 – Seeking the seeds of peace and joy 12:11 – Returning to the day 12:25 – Closing bell
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More from The Daily Meditation with Brother Richard
A gentle practice using colour to deepen reflection and presence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this meditation, I invite you to explore what I call the triangle of tension: the area extending from the base of the skull, down through the neck and towards the shoulder blades.
In this Lectio Divina meditation, I invite you to sit with the words of scripture: “The kingdom of God is within you.” Lectio Divina is an ancient contemplative practice in which we take a word or phrase from scripture and allow its deeper meaning to unfold through stillness, reflection and prayer. Beginning with the breath, we consider the sacredness of our own being before gently exploring the meaning of the kingdom of God and what it means for that kingdom to dwell within us. Drawing on the Franciscan understanding of divine love, we reflect on how the kingdom becomes present and visible when we allow love to reign in our hearts and lives. This is an invitation to recognise that divine presence is not something distant or separate from us, but something we can encounter in the present moment.
In this meditation, I invite you to explore the relationship between the weather and your emotional state. Using the imagination, we picture different kinds of weather, beginning with a beautiful sunny day before moving to a rainy one. As each scene unfolds, we gently observe the feelings, memories and associations that arise within us, without judgement or attachment. Through this simple practice, we begin to recognise something deeper: although our emotions may change with our surroundings, there is a stable awareness within us that remains present throughout. By becoming familiar with this inner observer, we can cultivate greater equanimity, emotional awareness and peace, whatever the weather may bring. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: How weather affects our emotions 00:43 – Opening bell 00:54 – Entering meditation with intention 01:07 – Settling into the body 01:37 – Becoming aware of the breath 01:51 – Breathing out tension and anxiety 02:43 – Finding stability in the present moment 03:07 – Observing emotional reactions without judgement 03:44 – Visualising a sunny summer’s day 04:16 – Noticing how sunshine makes you feel 04:42 – Exploring subtle shades of emotion 05:21 – Discovering the stable observer within 06:11 – Changing the scene to a rainy day 06:45 – Exploring your associations with rain 07:06 – Observing emotional reactions to rainy weather 07:49 – Recognising the awareness beneath your emotions 08:43 – Finding stability, strength and grace 09:17 – The weather changes, but you remain stable 09:43 – Breathing in peace and breathing out calm 10:07 – Returning to the here and now 10:48 – Carrying inner calm into the day 11:15 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this meditation, I return once again to the basic relaxation form that underpins our contemplative practice. Beginning with a simple ritual gesture, we settle the body and check in honestly with how we are. We then move through awareness of the body, breath, emotions and thoughts, learning to observe each without judgement or attachment. By returning regularly to these foundations, we build the “meditative muscle” that helps us find stillness in changing circumstances and reconnect with the stable centre of awareness within. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction: Recovering the form 00:46 – Opening bell 00:50 – Beginning with a ritual gesture 01:28 – Taking your seat 01:58 – Finding stability and support 02:27 – Checking in with the body 03:01 – How am I in this moment? 03:34 – Scanning the body for tension 04:13 – Returning awareness to the breath 04:51 – Breathing out stress, anxiety and pain 05:17 – Breathing in warmth, light and calm 05:39 – Relaxing the whole body 06:03 – I have a body, but I am more than my body 06:32 – Checking in with emotions and thoughts 07:01 – Observing without judgement 07:11 – I am more than my emotions and thoughts 07:47 – Following the breath to the centre 08:08 – Resting in perfect peace and light 08:22 – I am I 08:39 – Created and held in divine love 08:51 – Choosing to meditate for all who are in need 09:23 – Resting in the breath 09:26 – Returning to stable awareness 09:44 – Carrying peace into the rest of the day 10:09 – Returning to the body 10:22 – Closing bell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.