The key to meditation is developing the ability to focus and shift awareness, sometimes called cultivating awareness, or focusing attention. This ability can only be developed through practice.
A process to develop awareness
Concentration, Receptive Awareness, Cultivation, Contemplation
Begin by developing concentration on a particular object. This allows the mind to become quiet, grounded and stable. It also provides the foundation for the next step, receptive awareness.
Some examples of meditation objects:
• Following or counting your breath
• Concentrating on a simple visual object or symbol or geometric shape
• Noticing the flow of sensations in your body
• Repetition of a sound or mantra
• Repetition of a meaningful word or phrase
• Holding a mudra
When your concentration has become stable, you can expand your awareness through the practice of receptive awareness. This can be done by imagining a state of expansive openness or an experience of welcoming invitation. This loosens and extends the mind’s boundaries and creates more interior space, enabling you to become more familiar with the mind’s contents and environment.
Next, you can concentrate even further to cultivate positive emotions and mind-states. This helps you transform your inner life by directing the concentration you develop to strengthen positive, healthy mind-states and withdraw energy from those that are more reactive and self-defeating. Some examples of states of being that can be cultivated are: compassion, well-being, lovingkindness, equanimity, joy, devotion, appreciation, celebration and forgiveness.
You can use your awareness to contemplate the nature of existence itself. The aim is to investigate your inner experience, inquire, and ultimately see deeply into the nature of things. This enables you to transcend your thoughts, emotions, and the stories your mind tells you, and discover your true identity, which is being itself.
The concentration and receptive awareness can be experienced simultaneously — a balance of active (yang) focus and receptive (yin) relaxing and opening. The Budddhist concept of “Mindfulness” — ongoing attention to whatever arises moment to moment — blends concentration and receptive awareness. It is a valuable practice for living a more enjoyable and loving life.
Accepting and Letting Go
Notice the difference between Accepting, and attachment / grasping at / holding onto. Notice the difference between Letting Go, and aversion / avoiding / pushing away.
Accepting and Letting Go can also be experienced as a cycle or an ebb and flow, then experienced simultaneously with each aspect finding its own level or balance.
- Begin by sitting comfortably and taking a few deep breaths. Then place your attention on the coming and going of your breath.
- After a few minutes, shift your awareness to your thoughts and feelings. Decide you will welcome whatever arises in your experience without judging or rejecting it.
- As thoughts and feelings come and go, notice any tendency or movement to avoid or push away anything you find unpleasant or unacceptable. Accept this movement as you continue to welcome your experience, whatever it may happen to be.
- After five or ten minutes, when you have a feel for accepting, shift your attention to the process of letting go. Decide you will let go of whatever arises, no matter how attractive or urgent it is.
Notice any movement to hold onto or indulge or get involved with thoughts and feelings you find pleasant or compelling. Gently refocus yourself and continue to loosen your grip and let go.
When you have a feel for both accepting and letting go, you can combine them in the same meditation. Whatever arises, welcome and let go, welcome and let go. This is the twofold rhythm of mindfulness meditation.