Today’s practice
Staying Open
7 min, guided by Sean Fargo
Today we practice staying open. Not open as in anything goes, but open as in: I can be with what is here without tightening around it.
In your day
When something unpleasant arises today, one question: can I soften five percent right now?
From Sean
When resistance shows up in practice, I try to greet it. Oh, yes, hello, resistance. My old friend. It is understandable that you are here. Then I drop what I think I should be doing and bring mindfulness to the resistance itself, because it is as much a part of this moment as the breath. Some days it feels restless, some days sleepy, some days intense. All of it can be met.
A question to carry
Where did you notice resistance, and what helped you stay with it?
Saved on this device only, and kept for all 28 days.
A few lines, for whatever they are worth
Hello, old friend.
You again,
with your tight jaw
and your reasons.
Sit here.
I am not sending you away.
If you want more today
- Script: Opening Your Awareness to Whatever is Arising (PDF), to read aloud for yourself or someone else.
- Workshop: Austin Hill Shaw on feeling at home in the world, about an hour, for when you have it.
- Podcast: Caring Awareness of This Moment a Meditation with Sean Fargo, for the drive or the walk.
Read the practice as text
Transcription
Let’s begin by taking a moment to allow your body to settle. Find a comfortable position that allows your spine to be long but with a natural curve in the low back. You can close your eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze downward a few feet in front of you (2 seconds).
Let the belly and shoulders relax.
Today I’ll guide you through an open awareness practice.
Before we start, take a full breath in (2 seconds) and a long breath out (5 seconds).
Now along the breath to find its natural rhythm (2 seconds),in and out.
As you breathe, the breath can be like an anchor or a foothold.As you observe what’s happening right now,as you allow yourself to notice whatever is arising,you can decide for yourself if you want to dial up or dial downhow aware of the breath you are at a given moment (10 seconds).
To practice giving equal open attention to whatever is arising, light questions can be helpful. What sounds do you hear that maybe you didn’t notice before? (5 seconds)
What do your clothes or the air on your skin feel like? (5 seconds)Are there any smells around you?Are there any sensations in your body? (5 seconds)
This kind of active curiosity can reveal the more subtle parts of our awarenesswithout getting us stuck or swept away by anyone thing (15 seconds).
Whenever you realize, you’ve gotten caught up in thinking just come back to rest and simple clear awareness of what’s here now.
Focusing on a few breathes before coming back to open awareness can also help settle the mind before you open up your awareness again (20 seconds).
As we begin to close this open awareness practice, come back to focus on the breath letting awareness of other things fade to the background (2 seconds),breathing in and out.
Let’s finish this open awareness practice now by taking a full breath in and a long breath out (5 seconds) ding (15 seconds).
Integrated Practice:
Write for 2 full minutes for each journaling prompt below. Once you’ve finished, take a minute to reread what you wrote and reflect.
Journaling Prompts:
Practice using an open-awareness mindset as you respond to the following journaling prompts:1. Some effects of this practice period for me have been…2. What I’m surprised about in my life right now is…
Your progress
Day by day. No streak to protect.
Kept on this device. A missed day is part of the practice: pick up where you are.
Daily by email
This is Day 10 of the 28-Day Mindfulness Challenge.
One short practice a day for four weeks, sent to your inbox each morning with the worksheet and a podcast episode to go with it. Free.