Just listen,
A listening meditation.
This meditation has four parts.
1.
The sounding of the bell three times.
2.
Imagining the bell sound in memory.
3.
The letting go of the memory sound of the bell completely.
4.
Let arise whatever arises.
Either sitting in a chair or on a cushion,
Find a comfortable sitting position with good posture.
Head over shoulders,
Shoulders over hips.
Shoulders are relaxed.
Hands are placed either palms down on the thighs or on the lap with the palms facing up.
Left hand on top of the right hand,
Thumbs gently touching.
Chin is parallel to the floor and eyes gazing downward.
Breathing should be easy.
Take three slow full breaths,
Possibly counting to four or five on the in-breath and counting to four or five on the out-breath.
1.
Listen with full attention as I play the bell three times.
Each time I play the bell,
Listen to the bell's sound with full undivided attention as it occurs.
Do not imagine,
Name,
Or analyze the sound.
Just listen with wide open awareness and curiosity to the whole sound,
The attack,
The sustain,
And the decay.
Let the vibrations come to you and touch you.
Go inside the sounds and notice their impermanent nature.
Neither grasp at the bell sound nor any other sounds.
Neither reject the bell sound nor any other sounds.
The bell sound is not the same as the sound of the bell sound.
The bell sound is not the same as the sound of the bell sound.
3.
When the bell sound goes quiet,
Sound it again.
Imagine its attack,
Its sustain,
And its decay.
Repeat the bell sound in memory as many times as necessary until you are filled with the memory of the bell sound.
4.
Now,
Let the memory of the bell sound go.
Now,
Let the memory of the bell sound go completely.
4.
Now,
Open your attention wide.
Be present.
Be present in a way that will welcome all things.
If you are distracted,
Imagine the memory of the bell sound,
Its attack,
Sustain,
And decay.
Again,
Having filled yourself with the memory of the bell sound,
Let it go completely.
Be present,
Open,
And aware.
5.
Now,
Open your attention wide.
Be present,
Open,
And aware.
We will close the practice with an inner gratitude and dedicate this meditation to everyone,
To all living beings.
The bell sound is not the same as the sound of the bell sound.
6.
Now,
Open your eyes.
Be present.
Be present.
