Guided Meditation - Unlearning
A guided meditation in the spirit and traditional format of Plum Village.
If this is your first time experiencing one of my guided meditations, consider first visiting A Guide to the Guideds, which offers brief background and a few simple suggestions.
Photo by David W. Levin; 2025
An audio version of this guided meditation may be found below.
The teachings and practices found in Buddhism may vary, but all of them aim at liberating the mind. Openness and non-attachment to views are the guiding principles for all endeavors leading to reconciliation and peace. They are also the doors that lead to the world of ultimate reality and absolute freedom.
Thich Nhat Hanh, from the book “Interbeing”
Breathing in, I feel gratitude for those who’ve helped make me who I am
Breathing out, I loosen my grip on all aspects of myself – all qualities be they positive, negative, or neutral
Gratitude for who I am…loosening my grip (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I appreciate my preferences and how they’ve shaped me
Breathing out, I gently give those preferences freedom to remain or depart as I go forward
Appreciating preferences…giving freedom (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I give thanks to my habits, especially those that have helped or protected me in the past
Breathing out, I give space for those habits to breathe, to change, to relax
Thanking my habits…letting them breathe (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I acknowledge the roles I’ve played throughout my life
Breathing out, I celebrate how all roles are independent of who I truly am
Acknowledging roles…celebrating independence (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I gather tenderly thoughts I have about my appearance
Breathing out, I let go of all negative perceptions, knowing that appearance is a concept, my body a blessing.
Considering my appearance…letting go (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I sense where my body is rigid or inflexible
Breathing out, I relax my body, allowing ease, fluidity, and youthful energy to permeate
Sensing tightness…allowing ease (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I feel the constraints that come with thinking negatively of those at odds with my desires or expectations
Breathing out, I open my heart to the teachings that only ignorance, anger, discrimination, and violence are our enemies
Feeling constraints…opening my heart (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I understand how my upbringing has influenced my perceptions
Breathing out, I relish the freedom that comes with our teachings of openness, beginner’s mind, and non-attachment to views
Perceptions formed during upbringing…relishing freedom (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I call to mind many of the familial or religious traditions in which I participated over the years
Breathing out, I allow myself to continue, discontinue, or adapt those traditions in ways helpful to me now
Reflecting on traditions…allowing change (invite the bell)
Breathing in, I absorb the abundant energies of renewal
Breathing out, I feel those energies flowing to every part of my being
Absorbing renewal … feeling it flow (invite the bell)
In us there is a river of perceptions. When we perceive, we often distort, which brings about many painful feelings. Our perceptions are often erroneous, and we suffer. It is very helpful to look deeply into the nature of our perceptions, without being too sure of anything. When we are too sure, we suffer. "Am I sure?" is a very good question. If we ask this, we'll have a good chance to look again and see if our perception is incorrect.
When our perceptions are correct, we feel better, but when our perceptions are not correct, they can cause us a lot of unpleasant feelings. We have to look deeply into things so we will not be led into suffering and difficult feelings.
Perceptions are very important for our well-being.
Practicing mindfulness, concentration, and deep looking, we can discover the errors of our perceptions and free ourselves from fear and clinging. All suffering is born from wrong perceptions. Understanding, the fruit of meditation, can dissolve our wrong perceptions and liberate us. We have to be alert always and never seek refuge in our perceptions. The Diamond Sutra reminds us, "Where there is perception, there is deception." We should be able to substitute perceptions with true vision, true knowledge.