Meditation as Deep Rest (Repost)

Meditation Master: Robert Lax and Present Moment Awareness

In this meditation, Brother Richard introduces Robert Lax—the poet, mystic and close friend of Thomas Merton—whose quiet spirituality centred on paying loving attention to the present moment. Drawing on Lax's gentle approach to contemplation, this meditation explores how mindfulness grows not through striving, but through simple awareness. By returning again and again to the senses, the breath and the present moment, we discover that every moment can become a place of encounter with divine grace. Whether you're new to meditation or returning to your practice, this session offers a peaceful way to cultivate presence, attention and openness to God in everyday life. CHAPTERS  00:00 – Introduction: Robert Lax and gentle awareness 01:49 – Opening bell 02:03 – Simply being present 03:16 – Settling into stillness 04:22 – Receiving the present moment as it is 05:16 – Awakening the five senses 06:28 – Returning attention with gentleness 07:45 – Choosing one sense to deepen awareness 09:17 – The present moment as divine gift 10:04 – Resolution for the day 10:22 – Closing bell ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Guardian Angel Meditation (Part 2): Guidance and Spiritual Protection

In this guided Christian meditation, Brother Richard continues his Guardian Angel Meditation series, exploring the ancient Christian understanding of angels as companions, guides and protectors along the spiritual path. Drawing on the wisdom of the early Desert Fathers and the monastic tradition, this meditation invites us to become aware of the guardian angel not simply as a protector from danger, but as a helper in prayer—encouraging greater stillness, deeper awareness and openness to God's presence. Through gentle breath awareness, silent reflection and contemplative prayer, you'll be invited to seek the quiet guidance of your guardian angel, trusting in God's loving care and the unseen companionship that has been part of the Christian tradition for centuries. Whether you're seeking peace, relief from stress and anxiety, a deeper prayer life, or a renewed awareness of God's presence, this meditation offers a gentle path into stillness, trust and contemplation. Perfect for daily Christian meditation, contemplative prayer, relaxation, preparing for restful sleep, or deepening your awareness of God's loving guidance. CHAPTERS  00:00 – Introduction: The guardian angel in Christian meditation 01:24 – Opening bell 01:48 – Settling into stillness 03:26 – Joining the community of prayer 05:02 – Resting in the breath 06:35 – Meeting your guardian angel again 08:07 – Listening for guidance 09:31 – Giving thanks for the angel's presence 11:08 – Resolution for the day 11:31 – Closing bell ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Reset Meditation: Recovering the Basic Form

In this meditation, we return to the basic form of contemplative practice—the simple method that lies at the heart of the Christian meditative tradition. Whether you are beginning your meditation journey, returning after some time away, or simply strengthening your daily practice, this guided meditation offers a gentle return to the foundations. Beginning with a simple ritual gesture, we settle into a stable posture and gradually bring awareness to the body, the breath, our thoughts and our emotions. Without judgement or striving, we learn once again to rest in the present moment, following the breath to the still point at the centre of our awareness. Returning regularly to this foundational practice strengthens the essential skills of meditation: relaxation, attention, presence and openness to divine love. This meditation supports contemplative prayer, mindfulness, stress relief, emotional grounding and developing a stable daily meditation practice. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Returning to the basic form 00:45 – Opening bell 00:57 – Entering the time of meditation 01:17 – Beginning with a ritual gesture 01:40 – Settling into posture 02:24 – Relaxing into stillness 03:00 – Checking in with the body 04:21 – Resting in the breath 04:58 – Breathing through tension and stress 06:00 – Relaxing the whole body 07:30 – "I have a body, but I am more than my body" 07:57 – Observing thoughts and feelings 08:57 – Finding the still point of the breath 09:55 – "I am I" – resting in awareness 10:44 – Resting in the present moment 11:33 – Returning to the body 12:07 – Resolution for the day 12:15 – Closing bell ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Light Meditation: Resting in Divine Light

In this meditation, we reflect on one of the most enduring images found throughout the world's spiritual traditions: light. From the opening words of Genesis to the contemplative tradition of Christian prayer, light has always symbolised divine presence, wisdom, compassion and hope. In this practice, we allow ourselves to become aware of that light—not only in the world around us, but also within our own hearts. Beginning with gentle awareness of the breath, we breathe in light and breathe out love, allowing the light of awareness to fill our whole being with warmth, healing and peace. We give thanks for the many forms of light that sustain our lives—from the sun, moon and stars to the light of those whose love illuminates our lives—and ultimately for the divine light that surrounds and sustains all creation. This meditation invites us to become seekers of light, learning to recognise divine presence both within ourselves and throughout the world. It offers support for contemplative prayer, mindfulness, gratitude, emotional healing and cultivating a deeper awareness of God's loving presence. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: The gift of light in meditation 01:18 – Opening bell 01:31 – Arriving in stillness 02:00 – Listening to the sounds around you 02:31 – Anchoring in the breath 03:23 – Breathing in light, breathing out love 04:16 – Filling the whole body with light 05:15 – Gratitude for the light of creation 06:14 – Resting in divine light 06:53 – Letting light become love 07:42 – Returning to simple awareness of the breath 08:28 – Becoming a seeker of light 09:24 – Returning to the body 10:07 – Closing bell ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Reset Meditation: Recovering the Basic Form

In this meditation, we return once again to the basic form of contemplative practice—the simple, foundational method that helps us cultivate awareness, relaxation and presence. Whether you are beginning meditation for the first time, returning after time away, or simply wishing to deepen your existing practice, this meditation offers a gentle way back to the essentials. Beginning with a simple ritual gesture, we settle into a stable posture, become aware of the breath, and gradually relax the body. We gently observe our thoughts and emotions without judgement before returning to the quiet centre of awareness that lies beneath them all. This returning to the foundations strengthens the essential skills of meditation: letting go of distraction, anchoring ourselves in the present moment, and opening ourselves to divine presence through the breath. This meditation supports mindfulness, contemplative prayer, stress relief, emotional grounding and developing a consistent daily meditation practice. It can be used by beginners learning the foundations of meditation or by experienced practitioners wishing to renew and strengthen their practice. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction: Returning to the basic form 00:51 – Opening bell 01:04 – Entering the sacred space of meditation 01:52 – Ritual gesture and settling into posture 02:25 – Grounding through the body 03:08 – Breathing out tension, breathing in peace 03:58 – Checking in with the body 04:45 – Relaxing the whole body 05:34 – "I have a body, but I am more than my body" 06:00 – Observing thoughts and emotions 06:57 – "I am more than my thoughts and emotions" 07:19 – Resting in the still point of the breath 08:05 – "I am I" – resting in awareness 08:47 – Returning to the present moment 09:34 – Resolution for the day 10:05 – Closing bell ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.