The following talk was given at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California.

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Thank you. So, hello, my friends, and welcome, and welcome to this meditation. And one of the ways of beginning meditation

is to think that what we're doing

is gathering ourselves together.

There's ways in which

we become fragmented or spinning out

or disconnected from parts of ourselves

because we over-emphasize other parts

and to begin sit down

in order to gather ourselves

and so a posture then in order to gather ourselves.

And so a posture.

And sometimes if you're an ordinary life,

if someone knows nothing about meditation,

and they're really anxious, spinning out,

and some friend comes along and in a very kind way says,

friend, gather yourself together.

We have to do something.

We have to go help the children.

You know, get out of the burning house.

Gather yourself together, and so the person then stands a little bit straighter and taller

...