Today we will explore a series of different ways to develop mindful attention. It’s a particularly helpful practice when the mind is busy, when we find it difficult to be present, when we’re triggered by something, or when it’s really hard to settle down. Of course, this may look like any day of the week. But there are times in particular when we’re so busy thinking, planning, worrying, and stressing that it’s really hard to focus on the breath or the body, or whatever specific meditation thing we’re using.
Pay attention
This practice is a really useful technique or tool that supports the attention inherent in our somatosensory experience. So I will direct you to shift your attention from seeing to hearing to sensing your body.
And when I say, “Be aware of seeing,” it means that I will invite you to lower your gaze, as I am doing now, and sit with soft, focused attention: eyes relaxed, gaze soft, and perceiving visual stimuli—color, light, shape, form. You are not looking at anything in particular or observing or studying anything closely, just being aware of receiving visual field in the same way we listen – which is the next thing we will turn our attention to. We will move from vision to hearing.
And with hearing, again, you’re just opening up your attention and allowing the full auditory landscape to be known – hearing ambient sounds, distant sounds, close sounds, the sound of my voice. This also includes sounds in the room you are in, or sounds of nature, and mechanical sounds – the general panorama of sounds.
So, we’ll do that for a few moments, and then we’ll shift our attention to sensing our physical experience. This means sensing our position and, in particular, feeling the contact of the body with the ground or whatever you are sitting on. The focus will be on feeling your sit bones, legs and feet. We’ll also move toward some awareness of our breath. Next, we’ll move through those three basic experiences: seeing, hearing, and sensing. And we’re going to rotate this a few times as a way to really grab attention.
Another benefit: Every time we move our attention in this way, it sparks our curiosity. When we feel curious, it allows our attention to be engaged, and allows us to stay more strongly in the present.
An essential exercise to focus your busy mind
Watch the video:
Listen to the audio:
Read and practice the guided meditation text below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to audio exercises.
- Start by finding a comfortable position where you can sit up straight and relaxed. Just take a moment to feel your physical experience. Ideally, your eyes are closed, or if not, the gaze is lowered slightly. Feel your body stabilize. Feel the contact of your body with the floor or chair. Be aware of your posture, aware of breathing movement and sensations. In the body.
- Now, through the experience of body sensation, I invite you to open your eyes And just look in front of you. Lower your gaze perhaps a few feet, and aim for relaxed, soft eyes and a soft gaze. Be aware that you see and receive through your eyes color, light, form, and movement.
- Now, close your eyes, lower your gaze further, and turn your attention to hearing. Be aware of the sound. Be aware of the silence. Be aware of the full diversity of the soundscape.
- And then shift awareness to sensing your body again. Sensing your position, your touch, your touch, and your breathing. And open our eyes: now we see. Aim for a soft look. Think about saving through the eyes. There is no need to make any special effort. This is just simple vision awareness.
- Close your eyes now and become aware of your hearing. No need to think about sounds or where the sounds come from, just relax in the simple experience of hearing, listening.
- Now attention has turned to body sensing again. Be curious about everything you notice: temperature, breathing, the experience of contact and touch, and other physical sensations.
- And moving to awareness of vision againSo open your eyes. Move your eyes down slightly, and have a soft gaze. Be aware of the experience of knowing you are sitting here: sitting, seeing, hearing. There may be all kinds of noise going through your mind—thoughts, planning, worrying—yet this attunement to seeing, hearing, and sensing allows you to remain grounded here.
- Now we’ll move our attention a little more quickly Between these three areas of our experience. So, let’s close our eyes, and shift our awareness to hearing and feeling the sensations of our body. And now to the vision: opening the eyes. Now, once again to listen. Sensing your body. Finally, opening the eyes and seeing.
- When we finish meditating, be aware of all three These areas of expertise include: vision, hearing, and sensation. Notice how this practice allows you to stay grounded and present.
No matter what may be going on in your life, whether it’s a busy mind, challenges in your body, or anything else that is pulling you away from the present moment, we can use this simple practice. Seeing, hearing, sensing: it is a way of staying grounded, present, and open. It is a way to support yourself in staying grounded in your direct experience.
You can practice it anywhere: in your office, at home, in the park. Pay particular attention to the contrast between doing the practice indoors versus having the support of the sensory experience outside. See if this makes a difference. Remember, you can rely on this practice at any time, especially when you feel difficulty attending or concentrating.
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