Again,
Take a moment to check in with the muscles in your face.
Your face,
Your jaw.
Just be aware of the tension that may be there.
Let it drop.
Deep exhalations.
Let your shoulders be relaxed,
Your head level.
Breathing open and clear.
Engage your diaphragm.
Just allow your breath to deepen and slow.
The biggest idea we've been talking about this morning so far is that these muscles are these perceptual sensations,
These things which we might think of as distractions.
They aren't really separate from our field of mindful awareness.
But with directed attention,
We take ourselves out of ourselves.
We become a little disparate.
We go towards something to investigate it.
With receptive attention,
We stay with ourselves.
We stay in the field of awareness that we allow to arise.
But it's difficult.
It's a paradigm shift.
Be aware of the ticking clock and ask yourself,
Energetically,
Which way did your attention go?
Did it go to the clock?
Or did the clock come to you?
Consider holding yourself in open awareness.
Receptive to the sound of the clock,
The sounds outside in the trees.
Letting them come to you.
Letting them come to you.
And doing so,
Your mind may feel some concentration as it wants to move.
Give yourself permission to stay right within your field of awareness.
If you're like me,
You may feel yourself flashing back and forth between directing your attention to the sound of the clock or my voice and just receiving.
It's a matter of energy.
Letting them come to you.
Consider sati bare attention.
Without the intention to understand,
To name,
To question,
Just allowing things to be part of your mindfulness,
Not separate.
Letting them come to you.
The clock is not competing for your attention.
Letting them come to you.
Letting them come to you.
Letting them come to you.
Which way does the energy flow?
The sound of the chair,
Does your attention go to it?
And to take things one step further.
Consider that perhaps it's neither.
Open,
Broad awareness,
Non-separation.
The unity of mind and body.
Just a simple bear.
Where is it?
Where is it?
Where is it?
Where is it?
And so too with feelings,
Thoughts.
When the thought comes,
Can you receive it with the same non-attachment with which you receive the sound of the clock?
And so,
You receive it with the same non-attachment with which you receive the sound of the clock.
And so,
You receive it with the same non-attachment with which you receive the sound of the clock.
Invite you to connect with your breath.
Engage your diaphragm.
When your mind wanders,
Remember to practice.
Just come back to the breath.
What is it that neither cling to something nor push it away?
What just is?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
What's the just are?
