2. Awareness Practice

Open Mind

Sit in a straight-backed chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Feel your feet and legs and the connection to your seat and to the earth. Sit with an upright back without tension, without leaning back on the chair. Feel that the top of your head rises to the sky. Rest your palms gently on your legs. Your eyes are open, with a soft gaze, cast downward. Be present and grounded in the body. Notice the feeling of your breathing and rest your attention on that feeling. Whenever you notice that your mind has wandered away from resting with the breathing, let go of thoughts of the past or future or judgments and comments about the present. Let thoughts go and simply rest with the feeling of the breathing. Practice gently without judgment. As thoughts settle, experience a more spacious and open mind.

Open Heart

Begin with a short session of Open Mind practice. Then bring to your mind thoughts of people or situations with whom you are directly working – either a personal, institutional or global situation. Reflect on the fact that there is confusion, aggression or suffering of some kind there. Open your heart to that. Say to yourself that you wish to be of the most benefit to those people – to bring more clarity, more kindness, more courage – whatever is needed. Send this feeling out to those people involved with a strong intention to be of benefit.

Open Will

Open Will practice instantly cuts hesitation and doubt and brings us in contact with Source or with genuineness. Sitting or standing, 1) cut thoughts and notice the feeling of the body. 2) Notice the larger space of earth under the body and the sky above. 3) Join that sense of earth and space at the heart level of the body. 4) Tune into your own genuineness, your own source of knowing. 5) Radiate that awareness (loving attention) out –front, sides and back. [This practice is adapted from a practice of unconditional confidence from the Shambhala tradition.]