Keep nothing in mind

Notice what happens if you allow thoughts of what is right for you to limit your experience. The inner judge is active. Resistance, restlessness, impatience and disharmony are a focus.

As awareness grows, you see inner conflict only arises as you compare or exert effort to control. If this has not crossed your mind, its because thinking has nothing to do with it.

Notice what happens as you feel all is well and keep nothing in mind.  In this state of being, you appreciate everything as it is and see the beauty in it all. Intuition is the rudder and joy is the pilot. This is experienced as mindfulness.   Relish the sun rises and sets. Cherish all that is in between. At any moment, feel what happens as you no longer feel the urge to choose. 

Come to your senses

Falling asleep is easy.  Notice how many people are sleepwalking through life. Have you ever had the feeling that anyone is falling awake? Are you connected with yourself, your passion, your destiny? Who is asking this question? Who is answering it?

Many people have the impression their life is splitting apart.  Notice your own inner conflict? You may think you want one thing while you are doing another. If you work in one place, you may wish to work somewhere else or shift focus to start a business. If you are involved in one relationship, you may wish to be involved in another.

If you feel restless, think you want to go "there" while part of you is here, this is an invitation to recognize the nature of overthinking. If you have a body, a mind and especially if you have a cell phone to interrupt you, why not come to your senses?

Notice five familiar senses are sending you messages. The non-conceptual sixth sense is also active. Which ones do you hear and overlook? Senses reveal everything.  The mind judges or shifts focus from what no longer matters. Notice the focus of your attention.  How do you feel about it? What does this reveal about wakefulness? and tainted views?

Notice the diversions in your life of wants, fear, doubt and pain. Notice when you feel suppressed, repressed, or like you are running from something. How many times during the day do you interrupt yourself in thought and speech? Forget what matters?

Everything invites you to ponder what it means to be here in this moment.  Listen with your bones, your organs, your flesh and your whole being. Reflect on your life with an open heart and pure compassion. Notice what you see deep within. The distinct possibility exists you are re-introducing yourself to who you truly are. When not grounded by thoughts, time and space, then what happens to 'you?' Next time you are in the shower, notice who or what is in there with you. Notice the mind wanders away from the refreshing water and lather. Next time you are in public transit, notice the mind churning. Areyou asleep while awake? What sort of trail are 'you' leaving?

Do this simple exercise: be aware of the breath.  This is mindfulness or non-judgmental awareness.  It invites us to be aware of what is fundamental in life rather than on what the mind thinks is urgent.  Notice thoughts that arise as the mind prompts you run on an endless treadmill.  Notice the mind distracts you from the breath and just living.

Ever had the experience that you can see without seeing? Its like something is in front of you but you only notice it when you are ready. Something knows where you came from before you were born and observes everything all the time. We also only see and hear what we are willing to accept. Meditation allows mindfulness to arise. It enables you to cultivate intimacy with what is ordinary. Stop taking what comes naturally for granted.

How often are you true to yourself? The problem is not with doing anything in particular, its with the personal pronouns you use to identify with something you think has virtue. It is not what we do that matters but being aware of it and allowing ourselves to feel deeply. Allow yourself to be at home in all of the senses. Bring the mind home to awareness and refine your capacity to see things as they are. The challenge is to atop doing all that gets in the way. This is advanced training in the art of living.

"Today like everyday we awaken empty and scared." - Rumi

Train your attention

Mindfulness is training your attention to be awake and aware of what goes on inside and outside yourself.  It is a sharpening of the senses.  Notice what you are creating and adding to your experiences.  Notice also what ideas you cling to and also those attachments you are willing to let go. Notice the feelings that arise and dissipate as you decide nothing matters.

What do you sense about your own observation and evolving behaviour in this moment? How does your life perspective (the nature of seeing) shift as you only speak to people who are truly present? What do you see in common with people you encounter and those you don't?

"If you first fortify yourself with the true knowledge of the Universal Self, and then live in the midst of wealth and worldliness, surely they will in no way affect you." -Ramakrishna

Make sense of emotions

Notice how emotions unfold in your life, how you react or respond to the world around you.   Notice where emotions come from.  Track them back to see how they arise.  Sense how, why they build up.  What do they teach you? What do they invite you to see within yourself?

Notice how you respond to others as they confront you, get emotional or remain indifferent toward you. Eleanor Roosevelt reminds you that nobody can intimidate you without your consent. If you do not choose to be afraid, then fear cannot touch you. The apparent reasons for fear cannot last unless you believe in them and allow them to control your thoughts.

Notice whether you allow your emotions to escalate and affect your health and well-being or, whether you observe quietly, respond slowly and calmly, to whatever unfolds in your life. What if its all a test? To respond without anxiety or agitation is to exhibit what peace is all about.  You help others to know peace as you respond from this state of being yourself.

Why is it do you figure that people often focus on negative emotions and complaints? It comes back to creating unskillful thought patterns. Each of us has a choice to be mindful and to understand the origins of our thoughts and emotions. If you are angry or afraid, ask why. Every emotion is a pointer to the only emotion heart knows- unconditional love.

Consider that you always have opportunities to respond differently to comments and behaviours than you are taught. Be aware of emotional triggers and conditioned habits that do not serve you.  Fear and anger flow away as you view them as the teachers they are. Be aware that peace is itself an emotion that empowers and inspires you, come what may.

"Everytime you allow someone to trigger a negative emotion or anger or ill will, you do not have to follow that path. Why do you get angry? Anger arises from a series of agitations you think about or dwell upon. Anger is like a fire. It starts like a spark. If you catch it quickly, its easy to put out.  Through your mindfulness, awarenss and mental training, it is not hard to transcend emotions like anger, frustration and grief.  Its not a training of will power, but of wisdom power to see where things come from so you can catch them earlier." -Ajahn Brahm

Drop the self-deception

Much of the process of mindfulness is about touching the immediacy of the present moment, the quality of experience as it is. Notice how you can be attentive to whatever arises, to contact and feel infinite forms directly.  Open to notice who you are and what you do. What happens as you stay with it, trust more fully?

Many people are conditioned to be distracted from the present.  Meditation is a way to shift focus back to what is unfolding now.  It helps you realize why you may numb out or turn away from discomfort.

Remind self that if you do not get-to-know fear, then you do not understand fearlessness. You cannot drop conditioning without getting-to-know fear, surrendering and letting go of old ways of thinking and behaving.  You do not evolve alone. Your pain is not a dream.  It connects you with everything. Suffering dissipates as you choose not to focus on the ego self.  How you use beliefs invites you to see alternatives.

As you wish for others to be happy, as you wish for unconditional friendliness toward self, mind and emotions, then you also radiate acceptance out toward others. As you self-reflect, choose to see through your thoughts and feelings, you develop compassion. What unfolds no longer scares you.  Judgment fades.  You develop trust and strength. Insight into all feelings mirrors what other people feel and deeply connects you.  Let things evolve at their own speed. Drop ideals and concepts. There is nothing to measure up to.