So finding a comfortable seated posture,
Whether on a cushion on the floor or in a chair,
A posture that's relaxed but also upright and dignified as you let your eyes close.
Perhaps beginning just by noticing where your attention feels naturally drawn,
Which aspect of your sense experience feels most alive.
Maybe noticing the flavor of the mind,
If there's sleepiness or alertness,
Agitation or calm,
Softness,
Harshness,
Not needing to do anything to change it,
Tinker or manipulate,
But receiving this flavor of the mind,
Being interested in it,
Coming to know its textures,
Maybe beginning to bring the attention to the world of sound,
Noticing this ever-changing stream of experience at the ear,
And seeing how quickly whatever sounds we might notice or changing.
You might notice an image arise,
A name,
A notion of what the mind thinks it's hearing.
Just being aware of that,
Understanding that that's the mind doing its job,
But is distinct from the sound itself,
This stream of sound,
Its textures and vibrations at the ear.
We can bring our attention to bear directly on it,
Knowing that we'll have preferences,
We'll have notions,
The mind will conjure a world around the sound,
But that we can settle in underneath all that,
Investigating the sounds on their own terms,
Arising and passing outside of our control.
And then starting to bring the attention into the body,
The seated posture,
And just aware in the same way of this changing stream of experience,
This range of pressure and lightness,
Coolness and warmth,
Emotion,
Stillness,
Moisture and dryness.
Again,
We'll notice that the mind will come up with images,
Ideas,
Just trusting the mind doing what it thinks it needs to do to know the world,
Keep us safe,
But also knowing that the mind has the capacity to bring this awareness back into the direct experience of the body,
This constant changing stream of experience,
Bringing this gentle and kind interest to bear on this stream of changing physical sensations.
Sometimes,
It can be helpful to narrow the field of attention just to where the hands are touching,
Noticing pressure and warmth,
Changing,
Fluctuating experience in that place,
Or bringing the attention to the area of the abdomen as the breath moves in and out,
Not trying to control the breath,
Make it be how we think it should be,
But receiving the full rising,
The full falling of the breath,
Aware as much as possible of the direct changing sensations.
Of course,
The mind will wander,
Will find other objects to be entertained by.
It's okay.
You just notice the texture and flavor of the mind and bring the attention back to the breath or the body or the world of sound.
Finding in one of these places an anchor to the ever-changing present,
Understanding that it takes some energy and it takes patience and care to not be discouraged when the mind wanders or feels overwhelmed with sleepiness or agitation,
Just doing our best to receive whatever is appearing in the moment with interest and kindness and watching carefully as our life unfolds.
