There is the case where the practitioner remains focused on mind-states in and of themselves,
Ardent,
Alert,
And mindful,
Subduing greed and distress with reference to the world.
Mind-states are like the mood or weather system of the mind.
Like feeling tones,
During meditation practice we incline the mind toward wholesome,
Pleasant mind-states,
Gladness,
Concentration,
Release,
Because,
As a cultivation practice,
The purpose of meditation is to learn how to decrease the suffering,
Or dukkha,
The mind can cause itself.
To create a space that is conducive to observing mind-states,
It can be helpful to use the first two frames of reference.
Become settled in the body,
Through the breath,
And incline toward that which is pleasant,
Easy and refreshing in the simple act of observing the sensations of breathing and the sensations of the body as a whole.
Incline to a sense of simple,
Pleasant abiding,
So far as the body is concerned,
And as you become settled,
Observe the state of the mind.
As with the other frames of reference,
There will be a sense of mind-states arising and passing away.
You might note that the origination of a pleasant mind-state seems to have come from the establishing of the practice itself.
It's relatively quiet.
You found some degree of comfort in the simple act of observing the breath and body,
And you aren't burdened by everyday tasks.
You may also notice this relatively pleasant state has the tendency to fade,
Perhaps becoming more neutral or negative,
Depending on the thoughts that arise and how you react to them.
Continue to inhabit the body and breath,
Inclining toward ease and well-being,
And allow this ease and well-being to spread in the body,
And then allow it to spread in the mind.
Let the mind become glad,
Grateful,
Settled,
Concentrated.
The effort of the practice continues to center around the breath and body,
Directing the awareness and inclining toward calm,
And allowing this calm and ease to generalize to the state of the mind.
The effort comes from the understanding that there is an origination and a passing away of these phenomena,
And that there is the possibility to cultivate them.
The letting go of effort comes when the momentum of steady,
Alert,
Hardened mindfulness takes over to some degree.
Play with the level of effort in the practice.
Play with the breath,
Staying comfortably with the breath and the body in each moment.
As the meditation session comes to an end,
See if there is some degree of momentum from the practice that can be carried into daily life.
How might gladness be maintained?
Concentration?
Calm?
How does the practice continue,
If even in a small way?
Staying with this breath and body,
Calm and refreshed,
Glad and composed of mind,
In each moment,
And in each moment to come.
