We had the Sunday Introduction to Meditation Class at Yoga Bliss today: several guided meditations and a period of mindful walking. We began with the first foundation of mindfulness: awareness of the body and, in particular, the senses. I drew the guidance, Feeling Your Sense Gateways, from Anne Cushman‘s new book, Moving Into Meditation. Seeing hearing, smelling, tasting and touching are all embodied experiences – like yoga – which we can include in our mindfulness practice.
In this practice, you consciously feel and relax the sense gateways of your eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin. Have you ever tried to feel deep inside your ears? How do you relax your eyes? What happens when you simply “allow” your senses to receive stimulation? It’s interesting to notice the difference between actively pursuing stimulation and passively receiving sensory experiences. We talked about how loud the room became in our stillness. You can appreciate the energy it takes to screen out the continuous “noise” of the world in order to focus on something of your own choosing.
I can’t count the number of times my mind has been stalled by trying to screen out stimulation while trying to form my own thoughts. I wonder about the cumulative effects of so many aggressive calls for my attention. How have I been changed by answering those calls – to buy something, to judge someone, to open my heart to suffering far and near? In meditation, we’re trained to develop one pointed concentration. Eventually we learn to open our awareness to it all – sensations inside, sensory stimulation outside: until, in transient moments, inside and outside are one.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the whispering sound and sensation of air pushed by the wings of an owl swooping inches above my head. There wasn’t any time to distinguish between the internal and external – there was only Whoaow! There is owl swooping over head!!!!!! Awake! Wonder-ful! I’m so glad I didn’t miss it. I think I needed the quiet hours on the cushion in order to arrive in time to meet the owl.