Welcome to this meditation on sound as a doorway to presence with Jonathan Faust.
I'll be offering some instructions at the beginning of this meditation,
A reminder midway,
And a few words at the end.
As you're ready,
Let's take some time to settle in.
We're exploring here the somatic experience of the body and sound.
You might like to let your body move and stretch in any way that feels most pleasurable and natural for you.
Let your attention come into the sense of your posture from the inside out,
A natural sense of alignment.
And you might take a few long and full deep breaths,
Letting the awareness of breath draw your awareness to this inner world of sensation and aliveness.
As you feel settled,
You might now very gently open your awareness to the field of sound,
Noticing the sounds 360 degrees all around you.
Sense,
If you can,
The sounds which are the furthest away,
Just on the edge of your awareness.
Notice the sounds that are the closest in.
Through this practice,
Your primary practice is to let the sounds come to you.
No need to seek them out,
No need to identify them,
Just simply to receive.
And you might notice how the mind has this capacity to identify the source of the sound,
To label it,
And then to automatically determine whether it's a threat or not.
There is another way of practicing awareness of sound,
And that is to experience the sound without any labels.
It's possible to feel the vibration of the sounds as they happen.
And as you move into your practice,
You might notice now if it's possible to relax even more,
To soften even more,
And to move your awareness into this sense of receptivity,
Noticing how sounds arise and fall away,
To let go of any mental labeling of sound,
And to feel the texture,
The pitch,
The rhythm of sounds without any story.
To notice as well the space between the sounds.
When you notice the mind lost in the narrative or thought,
Is it possible to hold this moment without any judgment,
Perhaps even a quality of celebration of re-arriving,
And bring your attention to these sounds right now,
The experience of sound vibration.
You might gently now refresh your practice.
Is there anything inside right now that could relax or soften or let go?
Is it possible to refresh this sense of receptivity,
Noticing right now the sound vibrations that are present in the present.
Is it possible to let go of any need to understand or interpret the sounds,
But to listen with your whole body,
Noticing sound vibrations and noticing as well the silence between and behind the sounds.
In these remaining minutes,
You might again refresh your practice.
What could soften or relax or let go right now?
How intimately can you sense this quality of receptivity,
Awake to the sound vibrations,
A quality of deep relaxation and allowing.
Is it possible now to rest in deep receptivity and open awareness of both sound and silence?
In this remaining minute,
You might now drop all technique,
Relax,
Feel,
Receive and allow.
And gently now in your own time,
You might lengthen the breath just a bit,
Noting the quality of presence.
Very gently beginning your transition.
