.
Assume a posture of stability and openness.
Become still and unperturbed,
And also open and flexible,
So that air can move through freely so that there's space and balance.
Not too much pressure in any one place.
Breathe deeply into the abdomen,
And let each exhalation flow out with ease.
Bring to mind an idea of an inner space which you are cultivating with your imagination.
Aspects of this space are already there,
And you are just uncovering them,
And other aspects will be new.
Take the breath as a tool.
It sits between concrete form and spirit.
It interacts and instructs on many levels.
The more stable the attention we bring to the breath,
The more powerful it becomes.
Take a few moments to observe the breath with this understanding.
Believe it thoroughly,
Seeing how it interacts with the body,
The mind.
Play with subtle changes in the breath,
And see how the body and mind are influenced.
Now that you have sharpened the tool of breath,
Begin to work in earnest on your awareness.
Begin with what is already there.
With the idea of a cathedral of awareness,
A sacred space of sanctuary,
Of power,
See what you encounter in your awareness and decide if it needs to be put aside for the time being or if it should stay.
You can use the in-breath for the encounter and the out-breath for the placement.
For instance,
While breathing in,
You see a feeling of warmth for a beloved friend,
Or a feeling of gratitude,
Or a refreshing,
Relaxed breath,
And you decide that this should stay in the cathedral.
And so on the exhalation,
You let that feeling settle into the body and mind.
Or if you see something that upset you,
Or you have a feeling of ill-will,
Or an anxious feeling,
Perceive it fully on an in-breath and let it leave the body and mind on the out-breath.
This exercise doesn't presume that a single breath will rid a certain feeling forever,
Or keep a certain feeling forever.
You can remain on one feeling or idea for several breaths,
Perceiving on the inhalation and placing on the exhalation,
Until you reach a satisfactory relationship with it for now.
You can go a step further with difficult thoughts and feelings by placing them in the earth below the cathedral,
Where their negativity can be transformed into the power of foundation.
They have taught you something,
But you don't need to hold onto them right now.
Continue in this way in the following space of silence,
Witnessing an idea or a feeling arising,
And making a decision about how you will place it in reference to your cathedral awareness.
Seeing the arising thought or feeling,
And deciding where it should go.
Now that you have spent some time observing and making some basic planning decisions,
It's time to elaborate on those things which you consider essential in your cathedral.
What are the main feelings,
Thoughts,
Ideas,
Images which come to the mind?
Begin to imagine your cathedral of awareness coming to shape.
You may wish to paint the walls and ceilings with goodwill.
Let the air quality be compassion.
Gratitude be the seating.
Does it contain pictures of your chosen wise men and women?
However you wish to design your awareness,
Begin with the basic ideas and gradually see their foundations and integration.
Spend some moments in the cultivation of this space.
The strength of this space relies on you having overcome many obstacles.
You may be intangible to others,
But you can feel its reality.
Make this space so sacred that even if degenerate energies,
Thieves,
Thugs were to enter the space,
They would put aside their greed,
Lay down their weapons and ill will as they witnessed the majesty of this place.
Seekers,
Haggard at the end of many trials,
Would enter this space and find nourishment.
Finally,
As we prepare to leave this meditation,
Place this image,
This feeling,
As a layer of your understanding of your capacity for awareness.
The integrity,
The tangibility will grow as you practice.
This is a space where you can return and continue to develop without limit.
