Sit

Chapter 42 of the Dwight Goddard translation of the Tao Te Ching. 10 minute guided meditation followed by discussion. In today's talk I begin by discussing work, money, their effects on us and on nature, and the conditioned responses that were planted in each of us as children that we didn't get to choose. Meditation gives us the opportunity to notice those conditioned responses. It creates the possibility for choice, even if only briefly. As you strengthen this through a regular sitting practice, you gain more chances to make choices that resonate with your innermost truth, as opposed to acting out rote responses planted in you by others who were themselves acting unconsciously. While assigning and then reaching for a goal with meditation is usually counterproductive, this outcome - noticing your inner truth - is a tangible benefit of sitting that we can look forward to, similar to the way facing our fears regularly can increase our ability to act courageously. I finish with a discussion of Chapter 42