Compassionate Integrity Training CIT-Faciltator-Guide-2.1-Final | Page 38

C OMPASSIONATE I NTEGRITY T RAINING
A S ECULAR E THICS A PPROACH TO C ULTIVATING P ERSONAL , S OCIAL AND E NVIRONMENTAL F LOURISHING
Your chin can be slightly tucked in and your eyes can either be closed or opened slightly to allow a little
light to come in. If your eyes are slightly open, then maintain a very soft focus on the floor or space in front
of you, where you are not focusing on anything specific. Your lips and teeth should be gently and naturally
closed together. You can place your tongue on the back of the top teeth, where the palate meets the teeth.
This tends to be a comfortable position for your mouth. Again, these are all suggestions for your posture.
Ultimately, you need to find a posture that works for you.
Each of the CIT practice recordings begins with a moment of stabilization. In the “Focused Attention”
meditation for Skill 2: Ethical Mindfulness, and the “Resting the Mind in its Natural State” meditation for
Skill 3: Emotional Awareness, we provide detailed instructions for resourcing followed by three deep breaths
and a short, focused attention practice. You can continue with these practices at the beginning of the
remaining practices or find what works well for you. You can find more about these stabilizing practices in
the CIT Manual. During this time in the practices, you may also feel free to insert any of your own
introductory practices, such as setting your intention or reciting a dedication. At the end of each practice,
there is an optional moment to insert a closing “resolve statement” or “dedicatory wish.” You will hear the
instructor say, “As we conclude, you may add a resolve statement or a dedicatory wish at this time, and
then when you are ready, gently open your eyes. This concludes the practice.” Resolve statements can be
useful to intensify your commitment to continue your practice and take steps toward positive changes in
your life. For example, if you are working on greater emotional awareness in Skill 3, you may end your
meditation with “As I return to my daily activities, I resolve to maintain a greater level of emotional
awareness and equanimity throughout the day.” Feel free to use what works best for you or nothing at all.
This part of the practice is totally optional.
A dedicatory wish dedicates your practice to a specific end and may help you keep in mind that the reasons
we practice CIT are not solely for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. A simple dedicatory
statement would be, “I dedicate this practice to peace and wellbeing for myself, my family, and all beings.”
Again, you should feel comfortable to formulate a statement that feels good to you or simply ignore this
part of the practice.
At the conclusion of each practice, you are invited to journal about your experience and any insights that
arose during the practice. Keeping a record of your practice can be a very useful tool to aid you in your
C ENTER FOR C OMPASSION , I NTEGRITY AND S ECULAR E THICS | L IFE U NIVERSITY | M ARIETTA , G EORGIA
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