Week #5 (5/12/10)

Focusing in thought results in a sense-of-self because there is identification with the thought. Focusing with equanimity on sensation inside the body, e.g., on the sensation of breath, results in a sensing of awareness - of Being. 

Sitting quietly, attention focused on breath, thoughts and/or feelings arise and are "seen" with equanimity - there is no movement to "scratch the itch." It is seen that this thought, if not given a second thought (which results in identification and a sense-of-self by making a story of "me" in relation to the initial thought) simply dissolves back into the awareness from whence it arose. Thoughts and feelings are seen to arise and fall away, but the sense of awareness remains. The separate-seeming sense-of-self falls away and the sense of awareness remains - aliveness, awareness, Being.

When you return focus to breath - just this breath - during the day, in the midst of your daily routine, the sense of awareness comes into focus and the incomplete sense-of-self falls away... just for an instant... just to remind you that your real "identity" is the alive awareness, being, and you don't have to "scratch the itch" in that moment - you don't have to identify with a habitual, sense-of-self reaction! You can remain focused in Awareness. Practice this during the week.