I found this brilliant version of gate gate paragate parasamgate, bodhi shava chanted with a guitar. I would love to have this on a continuous loop for a long meditation.

There are a few seconds of outside noises at the end of the track. I found myself immediately thinking, “how can I get rid of that” and then remembered being at the Shambhala Center in Milwaukee for a day long retreat. They reminded us that sitting is about pushing nothing away. . . it’s about touching sensations, sounds, thoughts, and feelings lightly and letting them evaporate.

I thought this was a great track to do that with.

Notice what your response is. . . do you tighten up? stop breathing? do you get annoyed? where do you feel that in your body? do you run away with the feelings that come up?

If we meditate to cultivate presence and compassion, we will not always be on the cushion or in a silent cave when we are fostering bodhichitta. If we are to be a caregiver or a compassionate companion for ourselves as we journey, there will most likely not be silence in the world or in our hearts/minds. . . allow yourself to stay with the words, the meaning of the chant. . . going, going, gone to the other shore beyond.

For the whole Heart Sutra, check out one of my previous posts.

Play lightly with this track and allow yourself to just notice. . . not even label, just be with your self as things arise.

It is all practice for being there in life for the ‘full catastrophe of life’.

May you new year bring a sense of renewed hope and congruence in your life.

Metta