Mindful looking with MBS or Mindfulness instructor Una Keeley.
Sometimes when we are faced with a stressful event we may not be able to change the context or the contents that are present in the event.
And this may be triggering a stressful reaction in us.
However,
We may be able to change our perception which in turn literally shifts our relationship to what is happening.
So how do we do this?
When we are stressed we often see things from just one perspective.
Mindful looking is a practice which helps us to see more of what is directly in front of us.
It helps us to become aware of the details.
It helps us become aware of what is literally in front of us.
And this brings us into a clearer sharper view.
When we focus our perception on something our opinions about it can begin to rise to the surface.
And these opinions can literally keep us preoccupied and they can blind us from what is directly in front of us.
For example,
The mind can begin possibly judging or maybe dismissing.
In mindful looking we allow curiosity to arise as we investigate and explore what is directly in front of us.
We explore this from different perspectives,
Shifting from a deep penetrating telephoto lens way of looking at the details.
And we shift to an open,
Soft,
Unfocused,
Wide angle way of looking.
And this helps us access the bigger picture.
So to practice this and to get an internal direct experience of this we are going to do an exercise.
And this is called the mindful looking exercise.
It's part of the MBS or mindfulness based stress reduction course.
And this version is inspired by the work of Dr.
Neils Altner.
We are going to explore now in this mindful seeing exercise directing our gaze and selective sight.
So it's best to do this practice in a room with a large window,
If possible,
And one that ideally looks out onto the outdoors.
You can also do this practice outside in the open air and choosing an atmosphere that's supportive to doing this practice.
So you can begin to do this either by standing or by finding a comfortable seat and setting yourself up by a window.
So when you're ready,
Beginning to let your gaze wander and noticing,
First of all,
The window frame.
So allowing the window frame to come into your attention and into your awareness.
Noticing its colour,
Noticing its size in relation to your body.
And noticing how it literally frames the window and what it is you're able to see through the window.
So beginning now to bring your attention to the glass of the window and beginning to look through the window.
And allowing whatever it is that's outside the window to begin to come into your awareness.
Perhaps you're seeing grass,
Maybe trees,
Maybe houses,
Apartments,
Traffic,
People.
Just becoming aware of all that is there as best you can.
And we're going to begin to experiment with perceiving this in different ways.
So beginning to perceive the foreground.
So what's closest to you and literally closest to your physical body.
And then continuing to look out the window and beginning to see what's in the middle ground.
And then what's in the background.
So seeing the layering of objects,
Buildings,
Traffic.
Seeing things behind each other and in front of each other.
Beginning now to allow into the awareness the colours you're becoming aware of.
Becoming aware now of the surfaces,
The textures.
Becoming aware of how the light is falling onto these surfaces.
And becoming aware of perhaps shadows that are being created by the light.
Becoming aware now of movement,
Any movement you're becoming aware of.
So perhaps that's leaves and trees changing and rustling.
Grass moving,
Traffic moving.
Perhaps for you it's people moving.
And now becoming aware of stillness.
So noticing wherever stillness is showing up and revealing itself.
And as you do this beginning to ask the internal question of which thoughts are arising as I look this way.
So becoming aware of the thoughts that are accompanying this way of looking.
And now turning the awareness towards emotions and internal moods and weather patterns.
So what emotions and moods am I aware of,
If any,
As I look this way?
And now choosing a small area to begin focusing your gaze.
So how do you perceive when you focus in tightly on this area?
How do you perceive what surrounds this area?
What surrounds this point?
What happens to the rest of the picture when you focus exclusively on this point?
So beginning now to allow the eye muscles to relax and so softening your focus,
Perhaps allowing your gaze to blur a little bit.
So relaxing the eye muscles.
Breathing with this.
And we're going to begin now to practice a few different ways of gazing.
So beginning now to expand the area of your gaze until it encompasses everything that's in front of you.
From the left all the way across to the right.
And now we're going to see if you can practice changing your focus of attention without moving your eyes.
Or are your focus and your eyes actually linked?
Just experimenting with this.
And becoming aware as you do this,
What thoughts or perhaps sensations or maybe emotions that you're becoming aware of as your attention is spread in this way.
Over all that's in front of you.
And now we're going to shift our attention to a narrow focus,
Like almost like a laser beam in on one point.
And what do you notice as you do this,
As you do this shift?
And now without moving your head,
We're going to see if you can see any aspects,
Literally see aspects of yourself.
So,
For example,
Perhaps you're wearing glasses.
Can you become aware of the glasses?
Can you become aware of your nose?
Can you see your nose?
Perhaps your cheeks.
Maybe your upper lip.
Maybe for you there's an awareness of your knees in front of you.
Again,
Doing this without moving your head,
Or perhaps you can see your hands.
Or maybe none of this is in your awareness.
Just being curious.
And now we're going to practice turning our awareness and our attention inward as we sit here.
So continuing to keep your eyes open,
But beginning to sense the breath inwardly.
So the sensations of breathing as you sit here.
Can you sense the contact of your body on the chair?
Can you sense any movement in your body as the breath comes in and out?
And as you do this,
Are you aware of any thoughts or feelings?
Perhaps both.
And now beginning to experiment with gazing around the room and out the window.
Staying focused internally,
So keeping this internal awareness as you do this.
And now allowing the awareness to become strongly focused on the body,
The sensation of the body.
As you simultaneously look around you and look in front of you.
So can you sense your breath?
Do you sense your full body sitting here?
The weight of your body?
Are you aware of thoughts,
Feelings?
What actually happens when you turn your attention inwards?
And what happens to your gaze as you shift your awareness inwards?
I'm beginning now to allow a little bit more of the attention outward with the gaze.
So sensing the body and really seeing what's in front of you simultaneously.
So seeing if you can hold this,
This dual awareness,
Awareness of the body,
Breathing,
Contact with the chair,
Contact with the air around you and simultaneously gazing,
Being mindfully aware through the sense of sight.
And slowly now beginning to lower the eyelids and relaxing all the muscles of the eyes,
The eyeballs,
The eye sockets,
The eyebrows,
The eyelids,
The temples and allowing all the facial muscles to relax now.
Taking in a couple of deep breaths.
With your eyes closed,
Allowing the hands to begin moving,
The feet to begin moving and then slowly allowing the body to move in whatever way it wants to.
And when you're ready,
We're going to bring this meditation to an end so when you're ready,
You can begin to open your eyes and to go about your day.
