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Explore External Sensory Experience
Episode 14th July 2022 • Beginning with mindfulness meditation • mindier
00:00:00 00:10:37

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Exploring the things we see, hear, and feel. In this one we methodically explore the different sensory modalities, working with them one-by-one, and becoming familiar with concentration, clarity, and equanimity.

From Issue #1

Guided meditation for students of the mindfulness training at the Nelson Buddhist Centre in early 2022.

Transcripts

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As we begin to learn to practice mindfulness, we're really learning

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to appreciate the things that are around us by being more aware of them.

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And we can practice that today by just giving ourselves an opportunity

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to explore what's happening in our external sensory experience.

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So.

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Assume a posture that is right for you.

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And you can start with your eyes closed.

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If you choose to practice in a seated posture, go ahead and lengthen your spine

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and you could relax your shoulders and your arms and going through a motion

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like this just gives our body the signal that we're about to start practicing.

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Bring your attention to what it is you are hearing

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and specifically what it is you're hearing with your ears in the outside world.

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So you may be hearing traffic or.

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Birds.

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You may hear the sound of your own breath, or you might not

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hear much of anything at all.

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If you hear some kind of sound.

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That's great.

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And if you do not hear sound, that's also great.

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Just notice.

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Whatever it is, you are hearing.

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If you're hearing more than one sound, you can just pick one to listen to, or

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you can listen to all the sounds at once.

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Or you might just let your attention be naturally pulled from sound to sound,

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play around with these different options.

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See what you gravitate to most.

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If you find your attention starts to wander to other experiences like thoughts

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or physical sensations that's okay.

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You don't have to stop thoughts.

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We just wanna let them come and go in the background and direct

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the focus of your attention back to what it is you are hearing

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by focusing your attention on external sounds.

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It can sometimes offer a nice break from other sensory experiences, like

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an active mind or pain of some sort.

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You're not blocking out these other experiences.

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You're not suppressing them.

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You're just letting them come and go while intentionally directing your awareness

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towards what it is you are hearing.

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And as you let these other experiences be in the background of your awareness,

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you get to appreciate the power of sound and the absence of sound.

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Now,

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let go of that and bring your attention to your body.

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Specifically, let's pay attention to the physical body

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as opposed to the emotional body.

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This might include sensations like your feet on the floor.

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Or the sensation associated with breathing

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your hands in your lap.

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Sometimes you can find it relaxing to take a couple of deep breaths and

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focus on the sensation of the exhale.

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Nice work.

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Now, let go of that.

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And if your eyes are closed slowly, open them and bring your attention

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to what it is you are seeing.

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You might choose to focus on a single object in front of

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you like a wall or a plant.

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Something out the window, or you can take in the whole visual field at once,

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or you might let your attention be naturally pulled from object to object.

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And if you move between objects, just let the pacing of that.

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Be nice and easy.

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Just pay attention to what it is you were seeing with

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your eyes.

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If your attention wanders to thoughts or sounds just let those distractions

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come and go in the background and gently return your attention back to

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what it is.

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You are seeing this practice of.

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Focusing on something and realizing we are not focused on the thing is

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sort of like a concentration exercise.

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You are working the muscle by returning to the things you intend to focus on when you

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notice that you're not focused on them.

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Focusing on things that you're seeing can offer a nice break from other sensations.

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So for example, if you were feeling pain of some sort, you might try letting

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the pain come and go in the background.

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As you direct your awareness towards what it is you are seeing.

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So as we come to the end of this meditation, just take a quick moment

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to check in and see how it is you feel.

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And in this case, we'll actually look at the inner side of feel

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for that kind of emotional flavor.

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Of feeling,

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how would you describe that?

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If you notice energy or a sense of tranquility, maybe something feels

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more balanced, allow that feeling to follow you into the rest of your day.

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And if you notice any type of impatience discomfort, uncertainty,

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self-judgment just try and greet that with a little bit of acceptance.

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The more we practice, the more these skills develop and the easier it becomes.

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By practicing with our awareness in this way.

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We start to appreciate the things around us with a little bit more intention,

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and some might consider that to be living a little bit more presently.

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So try that throughout the day, the week, whenever you get a moment and.

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See what develops for you?

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I hope to do this again with you sometime soon.

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More Episodes
1. Explore External Sensory Experience
00:10:37
2. Explore Internal Sensory Experience
00:11:04
3. Guided Meditation: See Hear Feel
00:14:32
4. Guided Meditation: Feel Rest
00:11:30
5. Guided Meditation: Feel Flow
00:12:57
Guided meditation: Feel In
00:12:46