In the blog category “Guided Reflections”, I will provide detailed explanations for all the guided reflection tracks that I will place in the Resources section of this website. These blog posts will be hyperlinked from the “Guided Reflections” page under “Resources” menu option where these tracks in mp3 format will be placed for streaming or for downloading.
Suffering in the form of unhappiness, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, dissatisfaction, disappointment, frustration, pride, arrogance, fear and worry are all derived from craving and aversion. Without craving and aversion; there is no unhappiness, there is no suffering. If we contemplate cravings for desires as well as aversions and listen to the thoughts and emotions underlying them, we realize that we are holding on to something. We suffer because we hold on to something. It could be our ego or any extensions of it. When we let go of whatever it is that we are holding on to, the thoughts and emotions pass away taking with them the desires for cravings or aversions. We can then immediately notice a difference in our entire being as we come out of the grip of cravings or aversions. We then come to the realization that the origins of suffering itself can be laid aside and let go of.
This guided reflection practice will help us get a taste of freedom when we experience the end of cravings or aversions. This practice comprises of five stages. In the first stage, we relax the body and cultivate an attitude of patience, gentleness and kindness towards ourselves. In the second stage, we practice mindfulness of breath meditation for about 5 minutes. In the third stage, we observe and note the most dominant thoughts and emotions that cause us to suffer while we attempt to be mindful of our breath. For this reflection practice, suffering is anything that distracts us from practicing mindfulness of breath meditation and cause our mind to wander off from time to time. Suffering can arise from anything we desire that we do not have or anything that we do have but do not want. It can take the form of any emotion or feeling like sadness, anger, jealousy, etc. Suffering arises because we hold on to something. In the fourth stage, we look into whatever it is that we are holding on to. In the fifth and final stage, we let go of whatever it is that we are holding on to and notice the difference in our entire being. Letting go is as easy as opening our clenched fists.
There is no need to remember the order of these stages. We follow the guided reflection practice as it takes us from one stage to the next.
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