Begin this meditation as you begin all meditation sessions by interrupting the flow of that chattering,
Ruminating mind and engaging fully with the sensory present.
Your attention can roam between sounds that you are aware of or tactile sensations.
But maintain peripheral awareness and allow thoughts,
Fantasies,
Memories,
Mental images to remain in peripheral awareness.
Now narrow the scope of your attention to the tactile domain only.
So now sound also remains in peripheral awareness.
You can be aware of sound without it capturing your attention because your attention is focused only on the tactile domain,
The somatic,
The sense of touch.
Now narrow the scope of your attention once again to tactile sensations that change as the breath enters and leaves your body.
Wherever they occur simply let your attention notice these sensations and you may notice them in unexpected places.
And now narrow the scope of your attention again give a target to your attention to the subtle tactile sensations of the breath at the nose.
Could be right inside the rim of the nostrils.
Let your attention be a stable gatekeeper there.
You notice the sensations as the air passes but it doesn't go with the air.
It remains there at the rim of the nostrils to notice the exhalation as well.
Give your bare attention to these sensations meaning you are engaging only with the tactile field and noticing any conceptual activity as being mental.
Let that remain in peripheral awareness.
So it is not a picture of your body breathing.
It is not a visual image of the breath entering and leaving your body.
Let your full attention be captured only by these sensations as the breath enters and leaves your nose.
The key to stability is the exhalation.
Release all distracting thoughts on the out breath.
Let them leave your body on the exhalation.
As you deepen your relaxation with each exhalation as if with an inaudible sigh.
And maintain your clarity as you continue to deepen your relaxation with each exhalation.
If your mind has wandered and been captured by some thought,
Fantasy or memory release your grasp on the distracting object.
Rejoice,
Ah I am lucid again,
This is it.
Return to your chosen object those tactile sensations of the breath at the nose and then reaffirm your intention to remain engaged with those sensations all the way through the full course of the exhalation where you may discover a pause before the next inhalation.
If your attention is feeling lax or drowsy check your posture and sit erect.
You may notice a jolt of energy simply from doing that.
Or open your eyes.
Or if your eyes are open elevate your gaze.
If your attention has been shanghaied let this be your reflex.
Release rejoice return reaffirm.
Over and over again mental training is simply doing that.
When you discover you have been shanghaied simply release rejoice return and reaffirm.
Over and over again mental training is simply doing that.
Release rejoice return and reaffirm.
