Week #1

This week we are practicing remaining still, quiet and focused on nothing else than the sensation of breath for one breath at a time. 

And although we are 'practicing,' no amount of trying will work! That's because trying is not necessary... only allowing works. Allowing what already is to just be... equanimity. In equanimity, there is no trying or not trying, there is no movement of the personal sense-of-self (i.e., thought) to do anything. When there is no thought movement, the stillness of awareness is sensed in equanimity. Thinking about getting still, quiet and focused with equanimity is done within the movement of thought - it is conceptual. Being still, quiet and focused with equanimity is experiential.

Focusing only on sensation brings the movement of thought to a stop long enough to recognize that awareness, or presence, is there and to realize that it is always there. In the stillness, the silence, the equanimity of awareness, when thought does arise - and it will simply because of conditioning - it is seen as just that: a thought arising in awareness. And then the thought dissolves in awareness. There is no movement to do anything with that thought, including taking it personally as 'my thought' or a thought 'about me.' Rather, it is seen in equanimity for what it is - a movement of energy that arises and dissolves within the stillness of awareness.

So, this week, we just have to be serious about our intent to practice shifting our attention to breath even though thought is demanding that we do something. For just this breath, we devote our entire life to focusing only on the sensation of breath. That’s the practice.