Self Acceptance, the Zen Way

0:06Welcome to a nice little Zen meditation.

0:10The gift of not needing to fix.

0:14So just before I sail down into a little Dharma talk, just allow your body to relax.

0:23Allow your mind to go a little bit quieter.

0:28And just become comfortable in this moment.

0:33You don't have to do anything with your breath.

0:36Just become aware.

0:40You don't have to do anything with your body. It knows how to relax. relax

0:47And you don't have to do anything with this moment. This moment knows how to be this moment.

0:56We often think we need to change our breath or we need to relax our body. Those things can

1:04just happen if we allow them to happen.

1:11Very similar to sitting next to a river. You

1:16don't try to change the river, you just allow the river to be what it is.

1:22So just allow your body to be relaxed in this moment.

1:28Allow your breath to be what it is.

1:32Breathing in calm.

1:34Breathing out relax.

1:47And as we're relaxing in this moment, I want to share something that might sound strange at first.

1:57Zen doesn't fix your life.

2:00It just stops you needing to.

2:04We spend most of our days managing things, fixing what's broken, adjusting the story,

2:12correcting the past or forecasting the future.

2:17Somewhere along the line, we are told that peace is earned through effort.

2:24That once we've fixed it all, then we can rest.

2:31I think Zen turns that completely on its head.

2:36It doesn't give you a better version of yourself.

2:40It shows you there's nothing wrong with the one that's here right now.

2:47Zen asks you to sit. And just sit.

2:53Not to escape pain.

2:55Not to reach some divine bliss,

2:59but to wake up to this.

3:03The breath.

3:05The sound.

3:08The thought that says, this is pointless.

3:13Zen says, be with it anyway.

3:18So this practice is not about fixing your anxiety or numbing your grief or

3:25finding the perfect silence. This

3:29is about being the sky that allows every kind of weather.

3:35Nothing needs to be sorted before you begin. You just begin.

3:43So let's continue to sit together

3:58and As you're breathing in, calm. Breathing out, relax.

4:05You may notice thoughts coming in your head. Just

4:09allow them to be.

4:12You may notice some tension in your body. Just

4:17allow it to be.

4:24You may notice the temperature on your face. Allow

4:29it to be.

4:39And you may notice some thoughts that want to change this moment.

4:44Just gently let them pass.

4:48And you can say silently, this moment doesn't need to be different.

4:56This moment doesn't need to be different.

5:07And we don't even need to focus on our breath.

5:12Just be aware.

5:15Sounds come and go.

5:19Sensations come and go.

5:23Emotions come and go. They

5:28are all welcome here now.

5:33Let it all just come and go like clouds across an open sky.

5:53And now let's just spend a moment turning our attention to the watcher,

5:59the awareness behind the experience. And

6:04just ask, who is aware right now?

6:14You don't need to answer. Just notice the silence that follows the question. Who

6:22is aware right now

6:44You may notice the confusion, the

6:47mix between that pure awareness and

6:52then the

6:55thought, the feeling, the moment, the warmth on your face, the sound, the

7:03breath. It

7:05all comes and goes, not only in the real sense, but also in the awareness of now.

7:14Maybe just rest in the feeling of enoughness. What

7:19does enoughness mean to you?

7:25And just remind yourself.

7:30Nothing to do.

7:32Nowhere to get.

7:35Nothing missing.

7:38Nothing to do. Nowhere to get. Nothing missing.

7:50Doesn't that just feel like a whole weight lifted off?

7:55Like, wow.

7:58It's really true that nothing needs fixing. Everything is okay. Below all the

8:06noise.

8:08Below all the confusion.

8:12Just right here now.

8:18Nothing to do.

8:21Nowhere to get. And

8:25nothing is missing.

8:32And just a reminder of this moment.

8:36We spend our life reading books. We

8:40spend our life watching Tv and other social media that's all telling us what

8:49to do and how we can improve our lives. If we just do this,

8:56when really all we want is just peace. Just quiet. We just want that ah.

9:06And you have it right now.

9:11This was always here.

9:15Just the noise of life buries it.

9:21And this is what Zen is. Zen is bringing this to every day, to every moment, to that storm.

9:29If you can sit in this, this

9:34moment of just nothing to do, nowhere to get, and nothing is missing.

9:41In the storm there is a calm and a peace as well.

9:48It's just recognising that.

9:54So we're just gonna sit for another minute. I'll keep an eye on the timer.

10:01And just be aware of your breath.

10:05And just be the one that's aware of the breath.

10:15Nothing to do.

10:19Nothing missing.

11:07Although we did not go anywhere, welcome back.

11:11And just generally become aware of your breath.

11:16And just gently open your eyes and wiggle your fingers and toes. And just do a bow inwardly to yourself.

11:24Thank you for showing up. Thank you for being there.

11:29And just remember, Zen doesn't fix your life. It just stops you needing to. And

11:37this peaceful moment is there for you whenever you need it. Whenever you want to go below the noise, just

11:45sit, breathe in calm, breathe out relax and allow the moment to be what it is.

11:52I'm Steven Webb. Thank you for being here and thank you for your support. If you want to listen to

12:00my other podcast, Stillness in the Storms, please go to StevenWebb.uk and you can listen to all my other

12:07podcasts and all the other meditations and different ways you can support me so I can bring out more

12:14podcasts that will help you with difficult times. Take care and thank you.