Also known as Open Monitoring or Non-Directive Meditation,
Open Awareness practice involves maintaining an open and receptive awareness of whatever arises in the present moment.
Meta-awareness refers to the awareness of one's own awareness.
Open Awareness Meditation is a specific practice that involves observing whatever arises in the present moment.
Meta-awareness is a broader cognitive skill that involves being aware of one's own mental processes.
During this meditation,
We will ground ourselves in stillness.
We will practice observing both the foreground and the background of our awareness.
We will cultivate an open and non-judgmental attitude towards whatever arises,
And also we will integrate meta-awareness and open awareness to achieve a unified state of being.
The practice aims to enhance our clarity,
Presence,
And empathy,
Allowing us to experience the moment fully,
Without judgment.
Remember,
It is natural for the mind to wander or for judgments to arise.
The key is to gently bring your awareness back to the present moment with kindness and self-compassion.
Begin by grounding yourself in stillness.
Feel the stability and calmness within you,
Like a mountain,
Standing tall,
Unwavering.
Find a comfortable seated position,
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,
Allowing your body to relax with each exhale.
Let go of any tension and settle into the present moment.
Inhale,
Feeling the air entering your body,
Abdomen rising,
Chest expanding.
Gently exhale,
Relaxing the body,
Belly falling,
Relax.
Do it a couple of more times on your own.
Bring your attention to whatever is in the foreground of your awareness.
This could be your breath,
A sensation in your body,
Or a sound in the environment.
Observe it with keen attention,
Like a hawk watching its surroundings.
Be open,
Be curious.
Keep your attention to whatever is in the foreground of your awareness,
A sensation in your body,
A tingling sensation,
A vibration sensation in your body.
Keep your awareness on to anything,
A sound in the environment,
You may hear something,
Just watch it at a distance,
Just register that experience,
The sound,
A sensation,
Your breath,
Air coming into your body,
Going out.
Just keep your awareness open to whatever arises at the present moment.
Now,
Shift your focus to the background of your awareness.
Notice the subtle thoughts and the mind wanderings that occur.
Observe them without getting caught up,
Like clouds drifting across the sky.
If you do get caught up,
Pause and move your awareness back to any object of concentration,
Like your breath,
A sensation in the body,
Or a sound in the environment,
And then move your attention back to the background of your awareness,
The subtle thoughts and the mind wanderings.
Open to openness,
Allow yourself to be open to openness,
Be receptive to anything that arises in both the foreground and the background of your awareness.
Embrace this openness with curiosity,
Without judgment.
Observing thoughts and feelings.
Notice your thoughts,
Feelings,
And sensations as they occur.
Imagine them as birds flying across the sky of your mind.
Some fly swiftly,
Others linger,
But all eventually pass.
Labeling.
When a thought or feeling arises,
Gently label it.
For example,
If you think about your to-do list,
Label it as planning.
If you feel a sensation in your body,
Label it as sensation.
This helps create a distance between you and your thoughts,
Like watching birds from afar.
Simultaneous observation.
Allow meta-awareness and open-awareness to merge.
Be aware of your thoughts and the environment simultaneously.
Notice how they coexist without conflict.
You are both the observer and the participant in this moment.
Like a river flowing through a serene landscape,
Aware of every ripple and reflection.
Keep observing without judgment.
Just maintain a non-judgmental attitude.
Observe everything that arises with an openness.
And curiosity,
Like a vast sky embracing every cloud,
Bird,
And ray of sunlight.
Embrace the present moment in its entirety.
Feel the interconnectedness of all experiences.
Like a tree feeling the gentle caress of the breeze.
Embrace the present moment.
No judgments.
Be open and curious to whatever arises with kindness.
Accepting each moment.
Embrace the experience moment by moment.
You may name the experience.
For example,
If you feel a vibration in your feet or your hands,
You can say,
My hands or my feet are vibrating,
Tingling.
If you notice you have been caught up in thinking,
Fantasies,
Or daydreaming,
What to do least,
You may name it.
Dreaming.
Thinking.
Planning.
Just keep observing everything that arises with openness,
Curiosity,
And kindness.
This meditation now is coming to a close.
Take a few deep breaths.
Slowly bring your awareness back to your body.
Wiggle your fingers close.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Take a moment to appreciate the clarity and calmness that comes from integrating metta awareness and open awareness.
Be curious to whatever happens,
Whatever arises,
Moment by moment.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
I hope to see you back here again tomorrow.
You take care.
