Fields of Awareness There is so much to be aware of in each and every moment,
But too often we're caught up in habitual patterns of thinking.
Or sometimes we're focusing on one activity and entirely unaware of other experiences.
As humans we tend to run on automatic pilot,
Which can be useful when navigating the complexities of daily life.
However,
Opening to all the different fields of awareness will help you tune in to the present moment in a much more meaningful way.
So finding a comfortable way to sit,
With the spine lengthening up,
And choosing to rest quietly,
Noticing all the fields of awareness that you can access.
Be inquisitive,
Curious,
Seeing what you discover as you go.
And so we'll begin with the senses.
Becoming aware in the present moment of the full spectrum of life that comes in through your eyes,
The ears,
The nose,
The mouth,
And the sense of touch.
Feeling all the points of contact with the earth beneath,
The clothing against your skin,
Maybe the temperature of the air.
And with your eyes open,
Notice the colors,
The textures,
The shapes that appear in front of you.
What sounds are arriving at your ears?
My voice?
The sounds within you and around you.
Allowing them to reveal themselves as you tune in and expand your awareness,
Maybe touching into the furthermost sound.
And perhaps you can notice a fragrance or a taste in the mouth.
Noticing how the senses pick up information from the outside world without attributing value to it.
It is the mind that decides whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.
And now shifting to your inner world.
Getting in touch with interoceptive awareness,
Where we can notice the subtle sensations of the muscles and bones,
As well as your internal organs.
Learning to stay aware of your body,
Whilst also gaining an intuitive sense of the world around you and behind you.
We have neuronal matter in the heart and the gut,
As well as the brain,
Which means that we are taking in information and energy from multiple sources all the time.
Now opening to our emotional world.
Getting in touch with feelings,
Moods,
Without needing to change them.
What are you feeling right now in this moment?
Bringing awareness to the arising and dissolving of each experience without getting too involved or exhausted by them.
An emotion is essentially a turbocharged thought and can often be very strong even in the body.
By bringing kind awareness to your emotions,
You start to realise that they pass when you don't interfere,
Allowing you to return to a natural state of calm,
Receptive awareness.
Now exploring the world of thoughts.
Getting familiar with where your thoughts like to take you,
Be it into the past or the future.
Or maybe commentating or analysing the present moment.
And just as with emotions,
You can stay interested in them without getting involved.
Over time you may even be able to catch the moment when a thought arises and dissolves away,
Replaced by a new thought,
Followed by another and another.
A continuous flow.
And next we can explore awareness of awareness itself.
This may feel like dropping in or perhaps opening outwards.
Allowing yourself to experience how it is to touch into a quality of awareness when you feel no need to do anything.
Simply being with whatever arises and passes out of your experience.
And finally we can explore our sense of interconnectedness.
Experimenting with an awareness of the relational world.
With people both near and far away.
Many people have profound experiences of their connections with others,
Such as when someone comes to mind,
The phone rings and it's them.
This is a mysterious and magical field of awareness.
Where we find there can be communication between ourselves and others without ever needing to speak a word.
And when you feel ready,
Very gently noticing yourself once again connected to the earth.
Feeling the breath flowing in and out.
And in your own time allowing your eyes to reopen.
As we bring our practice to a close.
