Meditation: The Ultimate Safety (Magdi 09-03-2023)

The speaker begins by welcoming everyone and explaining that the meeting will start with a guided meditation. They emphasize the importance of simply welcoming one's experience without trying to change or achieve anything. They describe awareness as a screen on which thoughts and sensations appear and disappear effortlessly. They encourage remaining unconcerned and not defining oneself. They explain that memories and storylines are irrelevant in the present moment of being. They assert that everything is complete and sufficient in the present and that reality is not subject to birth or death. They emphasize that one's true self is formless and aware, not limited by time or gender. They describe consciousness as the ultimate safety and freedom, and meditation as a way to connect with one's true self. They conclude by saying that events can affect the body and mind, but not one's consciousness, which is undefined and eternal. So hello everyone, very lovely to be with you, just a reminder that we'll start the meeting as far as some of the newcomers with the guided meditation and then follow up with whatever questions you have. So for the meditation, just sit comfortably and welcome your experience just as it is, meaning you don't need to do anything. We're not trying to get to any state, we're not trying to feel good or change our experience. Simply welcome yourself, welcome your thoughts. Because welcoming is effortless. It's a sort of relaxation. Without a goal, without any specific direction. Whatever appears to you, appears to you effortlessly. And it is in a way an image appearing on the screen, the screen of awareness, the screen of consciousness. That's the screen of awareness. A view, the screen is just a metaphor. Awareness is peace. So allow your thoughts, whichever way they appear, to float, to appear and disappear in that peace. Remain unconcerned. Without the need to define yourself in any way. In other words, there is awareness but the mind does not know what it is and does not need to know what it is. It is like the ocean. It is what it is. Unconcerned. Untroubled. Undisturbed. Like a deep sleep. But you're awake. Any memories that you have of yourself are useless and irrelevant right now. Any storyline you have about yourself, about your life, your past, your future, has no relevance, no significance in being right now, in this moment of being. As awareness, as presence. There is no separate, personal me. It's just awareness. This me and my life and my story is a stream of thoughts and sensations which do not exist in presence, in the now. Everything is sufficient, whole and complete in the now. The body is doing what it does. The universe is doing what it does. In some harmonious way that includes birth and death of bodies and minds. But reality has no birth and no death. And you are that reality. That formless, aware presence. Which is the ultimate safety. It is not the safety of an object. It is safety for a person. It is safety for the body-mind. It's the eternity of being which is not in time. And therefore is not subject to cause and effect. Being is your reality. The reality of the world. The reality of mind. You don't need to keep referring to yourself as somebody living in time. Referring to the past, the future. What I did, what he did, what she did. You can meet the world as your very being, as your very body, as your very self. You can meet others as meeting yourself. Because we are the same self. There is nothing opposing your reality, your true being. You are the totality. You are not a man or a woman. The body is a female or a male body. But you are not the body. The reality which perceives, which hears these words right now is undeniable. The reality, whatever it is, which hears these words, which perceives this perception, is consciousness, awareness. It's neither male or female. It is not located in any location. The body may be located in a room, in a certain location. But not awareness, not consciousness. Which is the true meaning of freedom. Meditation is an exercise to give you the taste of your true self. Your true self is always there, always present as the reality of your experience. Like water is present in every wave. Always there. The substance, the essence of your being. It's about all experiences. All sorts of events can affect the body, the mind. But no event can affect you. Consciousness. The reality which is you. Undefined. We don't need to define this you. It is there, it is the reality which you are, which knows itself. Never truly ceases to be, never truly ceases to know itself. Undefined. Undefined. Undefined. Undefined.