Choiceless Open Awareness

In open awareness, what we’re doing is letting go of any effort to focus. In open awareness we’re open to all and any sensations that arise within consciousness.

Transcript

Choiceless open awareness meditation.

How am I relating to what's here?

Imagine how long your sit will be,

Arrange your body in a comfortable stable posture,

Making sure your spine feels aligned and feel your whole body sitting here,

Your whole being.

Open to yourself just as you are in this moment with kindness,

Curiosity,

Acceptance.

Slowly sweep your attention through your body,

Inviting,

Softening,

Relaxing,

And releasing.

Connect with the sensations of breathing.

Enjoy being with each breath as it occurs.

Expand the field of awareness to allow plenty of room to relax around these sensations.

When something else becomes more predominant than the breath,

A thought,

A sound,

A smell,

Or an emotion,

Or even a sensation in the body,

Softly note it.

Thinking,

Sadness,

Tingling.

Pay special attention to how you're relating to this experience.

Are you open to it just as it is?

Are you accepting it with curiosity and kindness?

Are you giving it lots of spaciousness,

Allowing it to just be?

Or are you resisting it by judging it,

Trying to change it,

Fix it,

Or caught in a story about it?

If so,

Softly note,

Here's judgment,

Here's resistance.

Bring curiosity to how you're experiencing it.

Invite yourself to relax with it and let it be as it is right now.

Notice the thoughts and stories.

Investigate the sensations.

You might inquire about what you're wanting that isn't happening.

Relaxing with all that you are noticing and encouraging yourself to accept whatever is here by saying,

It's okay,

Whatever it is,

It's okay.

Let me just be with it.

Opening to whatever occurs,

Remembering that it's helpful to ask,

What's the wisest and kindest way to respond to myself right now?

You can always return to your anchor,

To the sensations of breathing,

Or to a sound,

Or to a sensation in the body.

Whatever is most predominant in the moment,

Just staying present,

Steady and receptive until your practice period is complete.

We'll take a few moments to just be here quietly.

Reviews

Succinctly enjoyable

Really nice meditation 😀

Thank you so much for this. Thank you for this gift!

Hi Maritza,

Loved this work. Thank you for publishing it here. Inspires me to grow my practice and perhaps some day publish my own works here as well. Insight Timer is more than an app — it’s a beautiful community.

With lovingkindness in mind,
Ritvik

This was a perfect way to recenter and prepare for the day. I will be using this meditation many times.

Clear guidance and helpful reminders of the process.

I thoroughly enjoyed this meditation today...Namaste🙏🏽

Super neutral and lovely. I cried but it didn’t, like, hurt. You know?

Very helpful! Thank you!

Enjoyable direction , soft, caring, guidance. Thank you.