Just this week I was reminded how paying attention to our senses gives our mind a rest. For some time I have been wary of mindfulness practice, because the mind can be literally trained to be on a kind of mindful autopilot, becoming very efficient at being attentive to what is happening in any given moment, all the while completely missing the point of being mindful, which is to simply be in any given moment, without resistance, and allow the moments to expand to infinity. There is a great difference between a restless mind’s constant observance of stimuli, and simply being right here, right now.
Good evening and welcome to Monday Group Meditation. We will be sitting from 8:00 to 10:30 PM Eastern Time. It is not necessary to sit for the entire extended time, which is set up to make it convenient for people in four North American Time Zones; sit for as long as you like and when it is most convenient for you. Monday Group Meditation is open to everyone, believers and non-believers, who are interested in gathering in silence. If you are new to meditation and would like to try it for yourself, Mindful Nature gave a good description of one way to meditate in an earlier diary, copied and pasted below:
"It is a matter of focusing attention mostly. In many traditions, the idea is to sit and focus on the rising and falling of the breath. Not controlling it, but sitting in a relaxed fashion and merely observing experiences of breathing, sounds, etc. Be aware of your thoughts, but don't engage in them. When your mind wanders (it will, often), then return to focus on breath and repeat."
Note: You are also welcome to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:00AM for the Dkos Sangha Open Threads which are hosted by davehouck.
So this evening, let’s try simply resting in each moment without resistance, how might that work?
Just sitting and breathing, at ease.
Noticing the pressure where my body touches the chair.
Gentle wind rustling the tree tops
Wind chimes
A car cruises slowly by on the road in front of the house
Silence
Breathing
Tightness in my right knee
Breeze caressing my skin
Wind chimes
Another car, moving quickly
Wind in the tree tops
Fragrance of damp cypress mulch outside the window
Silence
Breathing
Absence of tightness in my right knee
Body touching chair
Breathing…silence...breathing
People’s voices
Car driving by
Silence
Children’s voices
Breeze caressing skin
Wind chimes
Silence
Another car
Shirt touching body
Fragrance-freshly mowed grass
Muscle spasm in the middle of my back
Car door closing
Horn chirps
Breathing
Silence
Fragrance...neighbor’s scented candle
Dogs barking
Easing of the muscle spasm
Silence
Absence of wind
Chill in the air
Calm
Breathing
Being
Just breathing
Oh...feeling...there is no difference, no separation between this expanded moment and the sensations in this body.
Just breathing, noticing sensation and being in this spacious expanded moment
And on and on.
Paying attention to our senses not only gives our mind a rest, it also helps us learn to focus and concentrate. It helps us to learn to expand our awareness and stay right here, right now.