This week,
I'd like to reintroduce the Wonder Method to you a bit more explicitly than I've done.
I'm going to just help you identify four layers of the Wonder Method in this practice.
I want to be more explicit because perhaps by doing so,
You'll be able to practice throughout the day away from my guidance.
That is,
As you practice here,
You might take away some of this awareness with you as you're going through your work,
Going through your play,
Your relationships,
The rest of your life and thereby up the wonder ratio with your own mind,
Life,
And work.
There are four layers of the Wonder Method that we'll practice today.
One is sensation awareness,
Two is thought awareness,
Three is meta-awareness,
Which is simply awareness of awareness,
And four is wonder awareness.
Close your eyes.
Come into a comfortable seated position.
Assume a posture of dignity,
Stability,
Ease,
And just take a few deep breaths as you attempt to arrive here almost instantly.
This is your time to be here.
The first is sensation awareness.
Become aware of the physical sensations of sitting,
Part of your body against a surface.
Guide attention now to sensations on the skin.
Within the body,
Just give exquisite attentiveness to these physical sensations and observe how the temperature of the room or the climate where you are right now is affecting the sensations on the skin and body.
Guide your attention to the breath and its natural rhythms in and out.
As you do so,
Tend to any sense of smell as each inhalation is bringing parts of the outside inside the body on the back of breath.
For a moment,
Just acknowledge that each breath is a gift from the planet.
The source of that breath has come from somewhere far beyond this body.
Now bring awareness to the tongue and to sensations of taste.
Bring awareness to any sounds emanating from outside the body,
Including,
But not only,
My voice.
Just notice if you experience any expansiveness as you trace those sounds.
Now tend to the visual plane behind closed eyelids.
You'll observe some sensations of light and dark,
Possibly other images arise.
Just keep attention on that visual plane.
All of these sensations arise in the container of consciousness.
These sensations are like fish in a vast aquarium.
Let's add the level of thought awareness and of meta-awareness.
So become aware of any thoughts arising or any sensations of thoughts.
You may hear the sound of an inner narration.
If you notice a thought ensnaring your attention,
Even if it's interesting,
Just expose that thought.
Acknowledge it and let that thought float by for now in this open aquarium of awareness.
Now see if you can observe who's observing.
Part of your attention is observing those thought patterns.
With your next inhalation,
Direct your attention to who is observing.
And what vantage point?
And then release that awareness.
And simply reside as the one who is observing and as the one in wonder.
Reside as the one in wonder.
Just allow all of the other layers of prejudice,
Fret,
And thought to dissolve at the snap of my finger and be in wonder.
And be wonder.
In the last minute,
Draw your awareness back to your breath and this physical body.
So the skills of attention and awareness we're practicing can help us be perhaps a little more responsive,
Less reactive during the day.
They can help us experience again what is real and true.
And these skills can help avail ourselves again to what is beautiful and what is possible.
So you can keep your eyes closed for the next segment if you wish.
Just foster a sense of safety within your body and invite your imaginative memory to be present.
Let your memory take you back to a time when you were younger and you felt free and you felt alive to be or to express yourself uniquely without regard for reward.
You might be as young as 7 or 8,
9 or 10 or older if that's better for you.
Just allow your imaginative memory to give you images from a time and place or maybe a composite of images.
Just observe where you are,
What you're doing,
And how you're doing things your way or where you're particularly drawn naturally to find your freedom and aliveness.
This is if you're observing your young genius,
That force of character that's been with you all along.
Now as an adult,
Observe that young genius with appreciation and compassion.
What are the three adjectives that might describe that young genius,
The strengths of that young genius at their best?
And then center yourself and check in with your devotion.
What am I devoted to today with myself?
What am I devoted to today with my impactful work?
You might want to write down how you complete the sentence today I'm devoted to blank and feel that.
And finally ask yourself what am I curious about today?
Today I'm curious about blank.
So isn't that a beautiful way to shape your day,
Recognizing you are those genius strengths evolved and matured,
You are curious,
And you are devoted.
Okay well it's an honor to practice with you.
I hope this reintroduction to the Wonder Method helps you spend your days this week and this month with a little more openness,
Curiosity,
And connection and I'll see you soon.
Thanks for writing with me.
