The Weight Of Our Attention

The root of the biblical word for honor comes from the word weight- it also can connote glory, respect, distinction, and importance. Where we place the weight of our attention determines much in navigating our path. Please enjoy this mindfulness practice.

Transcript

GONG.

.

.

.

.

We might notice at the beginning of the sitting,

Open ourselves to noticing where does the mind want to place weight right now.

I may have skipped ahead to the end and said,

Well,

I have things to do or gone back to the past on something that's troubling.

Be helpful to know the inclination of the mind and we can honor that as well.

In a way we can thank the mind for its attempts at making us happy.

Then decide to honor this moment in this tradition of seeking true happiness.

In part,

We honor this moment by staying in it,

Maybe addressing the posture.

How might we best stay in this moment?

In what posture might that be more easily done?

Balanced alert,

At ease.

Make it a point to not allow our thoughts to wander into greed and ill will,

Delusional fantasies.

We can assist the mind in that.

Placing some weight on the awareness of the body.

And enter the awareness of the body through the awareness of the breath.

It's just enough movement there.

So there's something to place our minds on,

Something to return to if the mind does wander into greed or distress in reference to the world.

There's something to place our minds on,

Something to return to if the mind does wander into greed or distress in reference to the world.

There's something to place our minds on,

Something to return to if the mind does wander into greed or distress in reference to the world.

The longer,

The more consistently we bring the mind back,

The more we can open into this world of the breath energy and the body,

Sensation,

The consistency and stilling of the mind.

And if a thought of ill will should arise,

Returning to the breath,

A thought of fear and anxiety,

Restlessness,

Laziness.

For this time,

In this moment,

Returning to this moment again and again,

We extinguish those thoughts,

Leave them behind,

Allow them to pass and returning to the breath,

Body,

The wish for wellbeing,

Limitless.

If this mortal life should end in the next moment,

How do we want the mind to be on this next in breath,

On this next out breath?

How do we want the mind to be on this next out breath?

As we get ready to transition out of the sitting practice,

We just having a thought for what we might do to remind ourselves to return to a mind of goodwill,

A mind of ease,

A way of comporting ourselves that others see us and maybe will inspire goodness and generosity,

Gratitude.

It may be difficult to sustain our attention for each in breath and each out breath through every moment of our life,

But when we have a memory,

A thought for this idea,

Our practice,

Our spiritual bearing in the world,

Returning to what we're thankful for and what we might like to give and just goodwill in general,

Filling our hearts,

Filling our hearts to the size of the cosmos.

Reviews

Update: I randomly returned to this two years later, having nearly forgotten how terrific it is. It truly is a masterful session delivered by a gifted practitioner.

At one point, it is suggested that we consider “thanking our minds for trying to make us happy.”

This is emblematic of the sort of fresh, simple profundity from Mark that I so deeply appreciate. I’d never considered such a thing, yet it’s an optimal way to see the monkey mind—an ally, racing from what’s no longer, to what’s not yet materialized, to protect us, and to satisfy our human conditioning.

The pacing, the wide-open spaces, and the remarkably well-suited, lower-volume-in-the-mix background music all work to make this a favorite.

Initial review: There is solid, superior instruction here. An especially effective aspect is the teacher’s inquiry/thought-experiment re: “…how do we want our minds to be?” It’s a fine question that can assist with clarifying matters—or, at the very least, moving in that direction.

This meditation felt like hearing harp music in the distant and walking toward it, a butterfly sharing the journey with me, cool grass on my bare feet, a soft breeze on my skin, sunshine between the leaves on a tree. Thank you for creating and sharing this beautifully guided meditation, Mark, inviting my mind to rest in contemplation, peace and gratitude.

Hey my friend, that was an absolute delight. One of my favourites 🙏

A beautiful little meditation… Mark has a soothing voice and is a deep thinker. This is a very sweet piece to contemplate to, or to fall asleep to.

Good space and gentle guidance

🙏🙏🌱