Humility Meditations

From 16Guidelines

Meditations on humility are resources associated with the 16 Guidelines.

Reflection on Humility from 16 Guidelines: The Basics

• Find a quiet space where you can relax. Sit comfortably. To help you settle, focus your awareness on your breathing. Let go of any thoughts, images of feelings that arise. Whenever you become distracted, bring your awareness gently back to the sensation of the breath going in and out. Spend a few minutes enjoying the experience of coming to rest.
• Observe your mind in an objective way, as if you were watching a movie. Keep a sense of distance between you as the viewer, and the movie screen. Allow your thoughts to come and go of their own accord as you watch them on the screen. Take your time and wait for the activity to slow down. Resist engaging with your thoughts.
• You may notice strong emotions such as resentment, jealousy or romantic love flooding the screen. They may even suck you in, until you are no longer the viewer but an actor in the movie. If this happens, extract yourself slowly and gently, and return to watching it from afar.
• How does the flavour and intensity of your emotions change on the screen? Observe them carefully, while still taking care not to identify with them. Do they make you feel bigger and stronger, or more fearful and vulnerable? How do they affect your self-image? Give yourself time to observe your responses as if you were watching a movie.
• Until now you have been the viewer. Next switch to being the commentator. What does this process tell you about who you are? Explore questions such as: How realistic is my self image? Is it accurate and helpful, or is it simply a projection of the mind? What is there to be proud or arrogant about? Can I be more relaxed about who I am?
• What can you learn from this experience? Whatever conclusion you arrive at, sit with it for a while and just let it deepen.
• Close with the wish "May all beings be happy!"

8-Minute Reflection on Humility

• Sit comfortably with a straight back and relaxed hands, arms and shoulders. Keep your eyes closed or half-open. Relax your mind. Take three deep, relaxed breaths. On the exhalation, let go of all thoughts of where you just came from and where you are going to.

• Be mindful of your breath. Pay full attention to the sensation of the air passing through your nostrils. Sit like this for two minutes.

• Now bring to mind a situation where you have been thinking, speaking or acting with a humble mind. A situation where you were able to act without any pride or arrogance. And thereby were open-minded and honest towards someone else. Reconnect with the situation and recall it as clearly as possible.

• Realise that by acting with humility you free yourself from the need to guard your ideas about what you are -- free from worrying about your self.

• And be aware of the space, respect and acceptance of others that was created by your humility. Your humble attitude created a relaxed moment for yourself and for someone else. A moment without arrogance and self sufficiency. A moment to be free.

• Rejoice in having created this positive moment for yourself and someone else.

• Consider that a humble mind does not come by itself. It has to be consciously developed and nurtured. Rejoice in having taken the time for that right now.

• Make a resolution that, in the future, you will nurture and develop humility. Be mindful about developing humility, not only for your own freedom of mind and happiness, but also in order to let others feel free, respected and cherished in your company.