Sitting nice and comfortably,
Rest your hands wherever they want to rest and either close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Starting the practice by tuning into your breath.
Following it in and out,
In and out.
Without changing it in any way,
Noticing what each breath is like.
How shallow or deep each breath is.
How long or short.
And if your mind wonders,
Because it will,
That's what minds do.
Simply notice where it went,
Then gently bring it back to your breath.
Noticing how fast or slow each breath is.
How similar or different they are.
And if there's nothing in particular to notice,
Just following it in and out,
In and out.
Gently guiding your mind back each time it wanders away.
This is all part of the process.
It's the mind wondering that gives you the opportunity to train your mind,
Bringing your attention back each time.
Following your breath in and out.
Now allowing your attention to shift from your breath to the sounds around you.
Tuning into all the sounds you can hear.
And there's no need to search for sounds.
Just like your breath in and out,
The sounds are there,
Happening all the time.
Each sound comes and goes.
We're just observing them,
Noticing them.
As with your breath,
Noticing what the sounds around you are like.
Noticing sounds that are near and far.
Sounds in front,
Behind,
To the side.
Sounds that are above or below.
Sounds from inside your body and outside your body.
Opening to the whole space of sounds around you.
The soundscape.
And each time you notice your attention is no longer on the sounds,
Acknowledge where it went,
Then re-tune back into the soundscape.
Noticing how the obvious sounds stand out more than the subtle sounds.
Noticing any spaces between sounds.
Moments of quiet.
Seeing if it's possible to be aware of the sounds simply as sounds,
Without the need to label them or think about them.
Perhaps noticing their sensory qualities.
Patterns of pitch.
Loudness.
Duration.
Whether the sound has a regular rhythm.
Or it's sporadic.
Each time your mind wanders,
Re-tuning your attention back to the sounds around you as they arise and pass again.
From moment to moment.
Allowing your focus on the sounds around you to fade into the background now.
And re-tuning back into your breath to finish the practice.
Following it in and out once again.
Noticing how it breathes itself.
In and out.
And tuning into the weight of your body on the chair or floor.
Noticing where your bottom meets the chair or floor.
Where your feet meet the ground.
Allowing your fingers and toes to wiggle a little.
And when you're ready,
Opening your eyes or refocusing your gaze.
