Intentions

Resolve, Resolute - Firm determination, bold, steady, faithful, firmness, expression of intent, unwavering decision, fixity of purpose – doggedly.

Be determined to see the process through, be unwavering in your intention to maintain the posture of body and mind “nine times knocked down – ten times get up” – see your boundaries and endeavor to exceed them.

Relaxation, relax – The act of relaxing or state of being relaxed.
To make less tense, rigid, severe, stringent – slacken, modify. Make soft or enervated, relieve from nervous or anxious tension. To become lax, weak or loose – rest, at ease. To become inactive and lengthen as regards to muscle… or the mind. To attain or regain equilibrium. Freed from stringency.

Physical relaxation during meditation is the body’s ability to surrender its weight to the pull of gravity – yet remain upright and aligned.

As an example… Take fifty quarters and stack them one atop another, you can stack them high without the stack toppling. Because the mass of the coins is stacked/aligned with the pull of gravity – gravity is pulling through the stack… not against it. If you stack them at an angle “ off center of the base” it reduces the ability to stack the coins beyond a certain point – thus causing misalignment and tension, the effect being to tip, wobble or topple over.

Substitute the coins with the skull, vertebrae of the spine and neck and the natural organic curvature of the spine – allowing the spine to dwell in a stable, relaxed and perpendicular alignment with the base in line with gravity – the skull, spine and bones of the body will surrender to gravity without surrendering its uprightness – excessive muscular tension will then not be needed to support the trunk, neck and skull, allowing unnecessary muscles to relax completely – thus freeing the mind to concentrate on its practice… to be tranquil and quiet.

“Whether sitting or standing release all tension,
be completely aligned between heaven and earth… surrender the entire weight of your body to gravity - surrender your mind and body to awareness and the Vital Essence flowing through – remain tall and alert”

Once the spine, skull, shoulders and arms are aligned and surrendered in/to gravity, the mind will be in a position to release mental holding or tension on the mass of the body through the muscles – surrendering the upright/aligned body to the support of gravity. Mind and body may now enter a state of static balance or equilibrium – physical and mental relaxation within the context of the physical body.

Initiate and dwell in the “Golden thread alignment”, seek out the major muscle groups and limbs with your awareness, see any tension residing in them, deliberately and consciously scan and will it to let go/release and relax … lower and upper back, chest, neck, base of skull, scalp, brow, jaw, shoulders, arms, hands, abdomen, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet and toes.

“Be resolved to be still and unmoving of your own volition –
relax, pay attention, breathe comfortably, completely and naturally –
see acknowledge and let go of unneeded motions, gestures and nervous fidgeting”.

Resilience, resiliency, resilient – The capability of a strained body/mind to recover its shape and posture after deformation caused by stress, misfortune or change - capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture – tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

Resilience is the underlying function of a relaxed, aligned body and pacified yet alert mind – trusting in the bodies natural intelligence will help it find a harmonious, resilient and natural state of relaxed readiness.

Strict physical holding and grasping with the intention of getting the posture “right” creates tension that dulls awareness of mind activities and body functions/sensations, disrupting the communication and feed back within the organic machine that is our body.

“Release and relax all physical and mental holding and grasping.”

Resilience may suggest voluntary movement –but reflects the deeply organic nature and grace of the body and mind within space and time.

Resilience never forces it is intimately aware, accepts, attends and flows with the mental and physical forces at play within the moment.

When you become aware of a sensation, accept and flow with it – allow it to present itself fully – give it your undivided attention; neutral, pleasant or unpleasant… pay attention to what it is saying-doing, feel it is an offering to your awareness – accept it, appreciate it... it is your life.

Attention to and allowance of the breath and the many-tiered rhythms and ripples it generates in the body and mind will allow contact with the subtle nature and its graceful resilience operating in our life through sitting awakened meditation.