Who we have a follow-up.

That's a kind of inner follow-up to the remarkable

presentations of both Paul and tree stand and others that you've heard this
morning and it's in my own experience is one of the most powerful meditations
that I've ever done or ever taught. So for those of you who do stay on thinking
this is this is potentially life-changing that you know the easy part is that actually
everything is life-changing so but I was asked to lead a practice for you are to
invite you to do a practice and I may have done this once in these past 10 years
of wisdom 2.0. I can't even remember so many great things have happened from
the stage. It is a meditation that is an invitation to understand the awakened heart
and we heard in these various presentations this morning both inner and outer.
The the ways that we can share love, compassion and understanding both
individually, but much more importantly in our collective field of being part of life
and humanity. The awakened heart in Buddhist psychology is described as
having four basic qualities. The first is love this mysterious sense of being one
with being connected with. I feel it's like gravity how the planets and stars pull at
one another. Maybe we all remember we were together in the Big Bang or
something like that but it's a sense that were not separate when love when that
mysterious connection meets suffering and pain, which there is in human
incarnation, it turns into a different state, which is compassion compassion is that
quivering of the heart that fuels the suffering of another and also wants to reach
out and do what you can to make a different then when that love sees the beauty
of the world or of another being, it changes into a different quality which is called
shared joy detected in Sanskrit and the heart opens to see the mystery in the
awe like we saw from Louise film yesterday of the font fungi kind of speaking to
us that there is is the kind of delight and in that that arises. And I shared joy in the
mystery of the world and then when all of that is held in a wise heart what comes.
Finally, as we drop to a place of a profound connection in vastness and stillness
of who we really are, which is called the baseline of peace equanimity well-being
underneath all of that. So this is a description of the awakened heart and the
meditation practice that I'd like us to do is a paired practice that takes about 10
minutes or so. I have to apologize in advance to the introverts among you,
because it's somewhat daunting and you may feel all kinds of loud I want to do
this and so forth. I promise you if you do it even though it may bring up other
things of being shy, and so forth. It also is quite remarkable and and
transformative in its way. So, without any words I'd like you to scoot yourself
around so that you can more or less face somebody else in the room is a partner
and staying silent. For now, keep silent and quiet – see and leave the lights up.
That's great if you need a partner. Raise your hand and stand up with your hand
up and look for somebody else's hand is up but your hand in the air turned in a
circle and look for someone else's hand is in the air. Who else is still looking for a
partner. Someone on the side. Other people stand up, raise your hand and look,
I'm sure you will find right now. Saddle yourself as best you can. And for this next
10 minutes or so, or 12 will see you get to do a meditation that is really kind of
remarkable so sitting with his other human being. First, take two or three deep
breaths and quietly let yourself relax, center yourself and release whatever
tension you can now when you're ready, lift your gaze up and look at the eyes of
the person seated across from you gently, and if you feel any discomfort or an
urge to laugh or look away. Just note that embarrassment gently. Her shyness
with patients and return your attention when you can to the living presence of this
other unique being, for you may never have a chance to see this person in this
way again and as you behold this person and gaze into their eyes. Let your
awareness open to the secret beauty behind these eyes. The remarkable spirit
that was born into this being filled with wonder and gifts their unmeasured
reserves of courage and intelligence of wet and wisdom and endurance behind
these eyes gifts this person themselves may be unaware of as you see them you
can see in that beauty, the spirit that was born into them. There was born wanting
to connect to the world that spirit of life and let yourself feel the tenderness
comes as you let yourself see this. The beauty in this being behind these eyes,
and how you wish for them. Wellness well-being know that what you're now
experiencing is the natural heart of lovingkindness born into you, and in each
being that comes whenever we pay a deep attention to one another, resting,
trust, and continuing to gaze now. Take a deep breath and release the love and
seeing deeper behind these eyes, let yourself see the measure of sorrows that
are carried in this human being. The disappointments and failures that they have
experienced the measure of pain in their life is in every human life. There are
behind these eyes hurts beyond the telling a maverick never told another person.
This too is part of their humanity. Let yourself open to see the measure of tears of
sorrow or struggles in this life and just as you would with a child who is struggling
or her want to reach out. Feel how naturally when you see this, there is a
willingness to be with them, you can't fix their pain but you can be present for in
this tenderness. You are now experiencing is called the great heart of
compassion, resting, trust is necessary for the healing of the world now
continuing to gaze take a deep breath and look even deeper into these eyes and
as you see behind these eyes, let yourself envision and see the child of the spirit
that was born into them picture our imagine their most joyful day as a young child
their happiest times, laughing, running, tickling, teasing, playing with them selves
and others and know that that child of the spirit is still within. Let yourself see the
secret joy that was born into this being taking risks dancing. Wonder at the world
and as you see the child of the spirit in there that inviolable child that is ever
present under it all know that what you are experiencing now is called in Sanskrit
Modica. It's the shared joy of being alive in this world resting trust is part of who
you really are and finally keeping your gaze, take a deep breath, let go of the joy
now this is the fourth dimension of the awakened heart. Let your awareness drop
deep like a stone sinking below the level of what words can touch to the
fundamental mystery of consciousness itself and see behind these eyes the
consciousness that was born into this being that weaves through all space and
time and see that being before you, as if seeing the face of one who would
another time and another place was your child, your son or daughter was your
parent was your mother or your father was your friend so many times was your
enemy was your teacher was your student and now you meet on the brink of time
and eternity. As you gaze. Who are you who is that gaze is and who is being
seen. The mystery of timeless consciousness coming into form in these bodies
we are not these bodies are feelings who are you really rest in the vastness in
the timelessness of consciousness itself in your own true nature. Trust your
original nature that voodoo that you are the awakened one. From this you can
enter life and dance in this life. With the awakened heart. Let your eyes closed
gently for a moment, and when you're ready let them open again in the moment
I'm gonna let you think your partner and speak to them but I want to say a couple
brief things as we have our last time, people will raise their hand afterward and
say this was difficult for me because it can bring up that to but also kind of
amazing. And I'll get people raise their hand and say, hey, I've been married for
29 years. We never looked at each other like this you know what all or I saw
things the phase change and I began to realize that the whole idea of who I
thought this person was was so much more than that were being seen in this
way, so I'm not quite sure how much time we have left. Maybe you can show it on
my screen dear Michelle, but why don't you take at least a couple of minutes to
speak to that person. Now that you you know you used a notebook with their
sweater look like you know you've never met this person in many cases and now
you know them in this remarkable way. So go ahead and share what you with the
person that you are with with that person the same person you looked looked at
you both. Both of you speak yeah finish off. I'm sorry to end this now, but you can
continue with your new best friend, perhaps at lunchtime. Let me say one more
thing is, as we finish up. First of all, how was that raise your hand if that was
something that was worthwhile doing yeah look at that. Thank you so in Louisville
Kentucky at the corner of fourth and Walnut Street is the only public monument
that the government has ever put up to a mystical experience Thomas Merton left
his monastery and was walking down fourth Street and he said in the shopping
district. I was overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all these people that
they were mine and I there is, and we could never be estranged from one
another, even though we didn't know our names. It was like waking from a dream
of separation. This sense of liberation from the difference was such a relief and
joy. I laughed out loud. The joy of being a member of the incarnate in a human
race where the spirit. The divine is there, and everyone there is no way of telling
people that they are all walking around shining like the sun so you now get to
walk around wisdom 2.0 and out in the market Street in the marketplace and
carry the awakened heart. Thank you