Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness.

Today we're going to talk about absolute

okayness with the present moment.

So we're often okay with the present

moment when things are happening

that are pleasant, things we like.

But what happened when something

unwanted or unpleasant happens?

In that case, we usually have

resistance to the experience.

In other words, we want it in some

way, want it to go away or change.

You know, we don't like it and

we're not really okay with it.

It's a little bit like we're in the

present moment, but we're like this.

You know we're kind of in the

present moment, but we're closed

off to it, we're resisting it.

And the more we build resistance in

the body and mind, you know, we really

start to build a lot of tension.

So the more we have this feeling, the

more we focus on this feeling, I don't

want this, I don't like this, the more

you might have noticed, right, in your

own firsthand experience, the more we

build negativity and suffering, you

know, and the less present we truly are.

This is especially true

in the case of emotions.

When we resist and tense up around a

troubling emotion, what we don't realize

is we're often giving it renewed attention

and energy to stay and get bigger.

It's only when we let go of that

resistance and when we're kind of equally

happy for things to come, stay or go, when

we have that kind of acceptance, then we

find peace of mind in all circumstances.

Now we can be relaxed and at ease in the

present moment, even in tricky times.

Now, one thing you have to watch

out for is that when people first

understand that non-resistance

leads to peace of mind, they kind of

try to trick themselves, you know.

They kind of maybe say to

themselves, okay, I don't mind if

this troubling emotion is here.

But if we're only telling ourselves

this with the secret hope in the

background, that our non-resistance

will make the emotion go away,

it's not a true letting go.

We can't kid ourselves.

So this absolute okayness

has to be genuine.

We have to be totally okay with what's

arising, not having the faintest desire

that it needs to disappear or change.

That kind of unconditional acceptance life

brings about a profound peace of mind.

Now, what I'm talking about here is

nonresistance on the level of the mind.

So you can still take, take action to

create positive change in your life, but

you do it from a state of inner peace.

And in fact, you can take more effective

action when you're not caught up,

of course, in all that emotional

reactivity and suffering and negativity.

So your actions will be infused with a

calm, clarity and wisdom that's always

with us when we're in that state of

absolute acceptance and absolute okayness.

So as always, thank you for your

practice and your presence here with us.

And just inviting you now to

settle in for today's meditation.