Sit down, relax and
close your eyes. Put your attention inside your body. "See"
inside yourself. What's happening?
Feel the feelings in your finger tips, the tip of your
nose, your lips and your feet. Can you detect tingling feelings? Is
there one feeling or can you feel more than one feeling at the same
time?
The sensation is different in different places. It may not always
be easy to feel. The sensation changes as you go around the body, feeling
the sensations. What are you feeling in your legs, thighs, neck, back?
If there is a response in the body, just observe it. Place your attention
into your shoulders. Feel the tension there. Allow the shoulders to
drop and release the tension.
NON JUDGING
You will notice that while you are sitting in meditation your mind
is constantly evaluating your experience. All things are seen either
as being good or bad for us. If something is good, then you like it.
Whereas, if something is bad, then you dislike. If it is neither
good nor bad, then you may not even notice it. Constant conversations
and evaluations in our minds create stressful situations.
The mind is like a chattering monkey. One has to learn to quieten it.
However, trying to quieten it will not help it. However, if you are
aware of the mind's constant churning of thoughts, it will soon tire
and stop. Be conscious that thoughts are being produced, but, do not
follow them or try at stop them. Simply do not worry about your thoughts.
Most of our thoughts are either about the past or future and are
ignorant of the present. We create our own suffering by looking into
the past and the future, by thinking that the past was better or worse,
and, that the future will be a certain way. By focusing on the present
moment you do not have suffering. Do not follow thoughts concerning
the past or future. Maintain a relaxed mind.
EXERCISE IN NON-JUDGING
Simply observe what is happening. You are in conversation with someone.
Take the opportunity to silently observe your reactions to what is
being said. How many assumptions are you making? Don't have expectations
because they only result in disappointment. When you are sitting in
meditation and find yourself thinking, gently bring yourself to the
present moment.
THE OCEAN
During your meditation practices your mind will become relaxed,
fully aware and profoundly silent. In this awareness a thought will
arise, like a wave forming on the surface of the ocean. The ocean and
wave may appear like two separate entities but in reality they are
only one. The ocean does not increase nor decrease as a result of the
wave. Similarly, the mind remains unaffected by the production of thoughts,
provided that you have not tried to "grasp" or follow them,
but just let them be. Keep the mind relaxed in the present.
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