March 6, 2018
This guided meditation will explore the natural tendency of attention to settle into a state of affirmation. The affirmation isn't a "doing" it is simply a recognition of the spontaneity with which internal and external phenomenon arise into consciousness. This happens effortlessly and spontaneously. The effortlessness IS the affirmation. Every feeling, every thought, every sound is affirmed by its very appearance. In this way we can let the gatekeeper rest. The gatekeeper has an important role in our lives deciding what is relevant and what is not, what is important to us and what is not, what we should pay attention to and what we should not. Meditation is a time for the overworked gatekeeper (our innate ability to direct attention) to settle back into its source.
This allows us to finally rest. As sensory experience flows over us we begin to notice that there is no grasping. The experience doesn't hold on to us and we don't hold on to the experience. In this way, sensations, thoughts and sensory experience are allowed to fade back into the silence from where they came, making room for the next wave. The goal of meditation is never to pick or choose experience. It is not to calm thought or emotion. The goal is to notice the natural flow of all experience and how it spontaneously fades as simply and naturally as it arises.
As you read each line, feel into at and let it sink down. Let it sink and settle to a very deep place. As it settles deeper and deeper it becomes part of the background silence. As you read the lines feel free to pause at any moment and just feel into the space, into the silence. This may occur with the eyes open or the eyes closed, whichever feels most spontaneous in the moment. If at any point there is authentic inclination to stop reading and just sit in the silence then do so. Silence always informs more clearly than words. Enjoy!
Take a moment to notice your attention.
Some of it is certainly on the words on the screen.
Some of it is probably sounding out the words in your mind as you read.
Notice how attention can shift very quickly.
If I ask you to notice the sensations in your feet,
Do you see how easily and effortlessly attention moves there?
… and then back to the words?
Now you might also notice attention becoming aware of the ambient sound in the room.
It effortlessly moves to the sound.
Attention is very fluid.
There is no resistance.
Another thing attention can do is narrow its focus.
It can focus down on the period at the end of this sentence.
If you stop and stare at that little dot for a few seconds you know what focused attention is.
Attention can also relax.
Very easily.
Effortlessly.
It can begin to notice the feelings in the body.
The feet.
The arms.
The hands.
The chest.
Sort of like a nebulous cloud of sensation.
Now we are going to explore the ability of attention to relax into even deeper states.
So…
allow your attention to relax…
…just a bit.
It doesn’t take much.
It doesn’t take effort.
Attention relaxes naturally.
Attention moves naturally.
Notice that attention naturally moves from effort to the effortless.
Let it begin to recede from the thoughts and concerns of the day.
If thoughts arise that is fine too.
But notice attention can easily recede into the body.
Notice it begin to settle into the feelings in the body.
The feeling in the feet.
The movement of the breath.
Notice attention naturally and effortlessly begins to touch the sounds in the room.
Attention moves freely.
Attention is unbound.
A thought may appear.
Attention might move to the thought.
Attention might touch the thought.
This is effortless.
A sound may appear in the room.
Attention may move to the sound.
This is effortless.
Undirected, attention moves freely and spontaneously.
Attention moves with ease.
Attention says, “Yes.”
Yes to movement.
Yes to thoughts.
Yes to feelings in the body.
Attention says yes without speaking.
Attention says yes by effortlessly meeting whatever arises.
It meets every experience without agenda.
It moves effortlessly from one sensation to another.
It may rest at times.
It may rest on the breathing.
It may rest on the sensation in the hands.
It may rest on the sounds in the room.
It may touch all sound at once without localizing.
Just hearing.
Just touching every sound effortlessly.
Attention may touch the space that the sounds move in.
It may notice the space that the body sensations float in.
Attention may notice a vast space that has no edge.
This space has no inside or outside.
This space is made out of attention,
…but is not bound by attention.
Vast.
Endless.
Free.
Unrestrained.
Undirected.
Space.
Sounds may arise but the space remains.
Feelings may arise but the space remains.
Thoughts may arise but the space remains.
Untouched.
Undisturbed.
Thoughts may occur but the space is undisturbed.
Now notice that attention is the space.
Attention moves in the space but it is not apart from the space.
Attention is not apart from the sounds and the space.
Attention is not apart from the feelings and the space.
Attention is not apart from the thoughts and the space.
This is all seamless.
Without boundary.
No inside.
No outside.
Just space.
Effortless.
Without effort all experience moves freely.
Without effort this vast space of consciousness remains undisturbed.
Free.
At Peace.
Still.
Still.
Still.
Thoughts or feelings might arise,
But You remain,
Still.
