Guidance to keep putting things aside, and keep establishing ‘here,’ a bodily feeling that serves as a guide to what’s always here. In the space of open awareness, we can ask ourselves every day: What is the most important thing? And the answer may change each time. For the retreat time, we consider silence and goodwill as the most important things.

Instructions for sitting and standing meditation are offered. In both, sensing ground, balancing of outer and inner forms, rhythmic flow of in and out breathing, allowing the beauty and intelligence of subtle forms to come forth.

As we enter retreat, we may feel a certain amount of jangle and disorientation. Our embodiment can provide a source of strong, inner orientation. This inner form has its own language, rhythms and moods that can ground and settle us into the real here and now.

Mindfulness of body is not just in reference to the outer form, but to energetic sensitivity. Data from the body is direct, not filtered through the mind. If we track it and tune into it, it can release blocked areas, clear psychological effects and bring clarity. Approach with goodwill and softness of attitude.

Walking from your center, finding fluidity of movement, sensing with the torso rather than the eyes. [Ends 10:10] For reclining, laying flat on one’s back, allowing front of body to completely open up, extending awareness from the feet to the head and the space around.

What we are doing by coming together, practicing with the overall framework of the Dhamma, is developing spiritual friendship. Over the short period of a retreat period as we meet and connect in the silence, our energies come together and we become unified as a group and find support.

Rather than following the mental movements of the mind, there’s the possibility to just open to the manifest with no particular engagement. The particular point is meeting dukkha – where we chafe, want, resist – and recognizing it as it is. At the moment the engagement changes, the mind releases. Then the world doesn’t have to be that good.

We tend to get the situations that will work on us. Our approach, if we get wise, is to meet dissatisfaction in the body. There is a possibility to unhook from the tides of affliction that cause us to form up in these challenging situations. We can pause, unhook, and bear open, steady presence. Shifts occur by themselves.

Three references for standing: anatomy, sensations and energies. Setting aside what isn’t needed and firming up what is useful, allowing the body to complete itself and come into balance. Free from obstruction, free from intrusion, free from harm.

Remember the gift of mind. It can seem such a tangle at times. The untrained mind is difficult and can be deadly. The trained mind is a beauty, it can be liberated – deathless. This is choice. Attending to what’s worthy of attention; attending to what gives rise to beautiful states that lift and brighten. Withdrawing attention from states that become burdensome, confusing, useless. The gift of attention, use it wisely.

Trust can support us in our practice. Trust in terms of inspiration, aspiration, what brings us here and keeps us here practicing. Trust isn’t something that comes easily for everyone because of our past disappointments. Yet trust grows stronger by going through difficulties disappointments and expectations that are not met by staying with things in the moment. Then things are always alright, always manageable.

Goodwill isn’t about changing things, but bringing up the right atmosphere and steeping your awareness in that. The right atmosphere isn’t 100% approval or love or celebration, but a quality of granting permission. Non-resistance, non-aversion. Experiences of exclusion and being treated as an object cause the citta to close down over time, and we lose the ability to feel anything. Subjective presence will give yourself back to yourself.

Find the response to this question from that safe space in embodiment. Mixed in with places where one feels shut down, agitated and sleepy is a certain quality that feels comfortable. Sense it, enjoy it, then view the rest from that place of refuge. This is a movement of compassion. It’s not good, it’s not right, it’s just aware.

Instructions for standing/neutral posture [ends 9:00]; loosening by shaking; torso twists with waist bend to each side; knee circles; the “clock” hip circles; string puppet; bow and arrow; cow gazing at the moon; ends with standing/neutral posture

Where to put the focus in standing/walking meditation; what is meant by awareness/mindfulness/citta; conditioned/unconditioned, kamma and the choice; awakening and healing; goodwill and discernment/embodied goodwill

We can know the body directly, using tactile sense and contact impressions. Step by step we can build the specific body with what is actually present, discerning the center, and placing with specificity. The act of placing is sacred.

Beyond the visual and sensory experiences of body, there is a felt sense that is our center. Life keeps pushing other things to the center – sights, sounds, attitudes, views and opinions – but these are only the center of our suffering, not the true center. From the true center, primary sympathy becomes available to meet suffering.

Torso twists bending over each leg; waterfall; ball in the sky; cow gazing at the moon; crane spreads its wings; closing the field/gently gathering in

One aspect of the inner critic is the constant commentator. It shamelessly criticizes you regardless of what you do or don’t do; you will never get it right. Like the story of the demons who visit the home of Sakka, the way we relate to our inner demons is to relate to them with kindness. Without resistance and negative emotions, they will shrink away.

As we meditate, we might find ourselves dropping through layers of experience. Bits that are stuck and not yet resolved keep getting triggered. What we thought was past keeps coming in – people, places, events – and it’s happening now. But there is something that doesn’t move forward in time, a foundational experience of just being present. From this place of primary embodiment, where citta meets the body, we can begin to release the layers of construction that bind us.

Warming up feet, legs, hips, arms; kwa squats; drawing the thread (shoulder opening); cow gazing at the moon; crane spreads its wings; punching the dragon; neutral position

The Buddha taught pleasure. When the mind feels safe and comforted, it doesn’t crave. It loses its fear and regret. This is pleasant. Sila helps us practice this skill of turning things to the subtle pleasure of releasing stress and pressure. We stop creating the boundary of self and other that prevents unification. To others as to myself.

An automatic quality can take over as we practice. It happens when we retain the past: I am this, I had this experience, I want to have another experience… Instead we can arise and awaken into this body even when it’s not so comfortable and bright. Receive everything as a gift, as something new. Access what’s beautiful now.

Encouragement to bring awareness towards taking from the retreat that which what will continue to nourish you, to integrate even more into your life, as a field of protection. This way of practice will take care of you.

Ajahn Sucitto leaves the group with four reference points to continue relating to as we leave retreat: relating to embodiment, to people, to earth and to the sacred. Themes of pausing, subjectivity and respect run through.