Choiceless Awareness

[Gareth]

This is something that I've seen mentioned in the mindfulnesss stuff that I've read, but it's not something that has been a part of my practice until recently.

In the past, my attention has always been 'fixed' to something, be it breath, sound or vision. Recently I have been experimenting with 'choiceless awareness,' that is allowing the attention to go wherever it pleases in the present moment. I'll start the meditation off paying attention to my breath for example, then I might hear some interesting sounds or feel another sensation in my body, and I'll move my attention to those. Thinking still occurs of course, and I return my attention to something that is going on in the present moment.

I have to say, it's a little bit tricky. When you are used to having your attention tethered to something, this kind of freedom makes it easier to get distracted. It's really pleasant when you can achieve it for a sustained period though. It feels more natural than locking your attention onto one particular thing, and I have felt deep relaxation when trying to follow this technique.

Anyone else out there have any experience of this?

[piedwagtail91]

i've been using it for some time. i like the freedom it gives.
it's relaxing to just float around from sensation to sensation, one of our practitioners likes to add "like a butterfly going from flower to flower" which i quite like.
i know a few people who struggle with it at first because they don't know 'if they're doing it right'.
we have it towards the end of our course and also in our day of mindfulness.

[Ponder]

I seek to experience this when out walking. Developing an awareness of my intent before I leave is key. If I'm not careful I will become fixated ... caught up, in a web that although is seemingly filled with many moments, they come at a rate that triggers thinking, making the process more challenging than it ought to be. This is a point at which I need to let go and rely on the accumulation of past practice, to allow my body's sensory perception to feel the way.

My goal it to focus effortlessly so the bigger picture falls into place. One in which emanates for the point itself. As for finding that point, tuning into my environment as I enter it helps raises my body awareness, as also tuning into my body I become environmentally aware ... quite literately!

"piedwagtail91's" comment of butterflies makes me think of my own experiences. I do get caught out in those moments, thinking how it may look to others, for a fully grown man to be rolling around in the grass following butterflies/moths from flower to flower. I got to smile thinking about that. It's not so much me doing the following as it is them tracking me.

It is an amazing connection that warms me all over whilst still standing in the shade. I will often find my self just taking it all in as I slowly walk then I suddenly stop as though in some attempt to let the little critters know, I mean no harm ... although while this act takes place, I am not so much doing it intentionally as it just comes to me. Little birds that some people think to be flighty will actually come down and land near me, dart back to a tree on the side of tack and bounce from tree to tree in my wake as if following the some kind of energy wave that is interpreted as non threatening.

This is how I at least like to think of it. I consider it a blessing of sorts although somewhat differently than your average spiritualist meaning ... yet I do feel some kind of energy that lives between me and the subjects I wish to both experience and capture with my camera.

Letting the focus take it's own place and the picture fall in from there, keeping my body awareness ahead of my mind helps to take away the choice and allows the experience to simply be:

I don't have very powerful lenses ... however this approach more than makes up for that ... hiding behind a veil or bush is also something I do not need. The following captures the experience taking place:

Here is one of those little critters (A Yellow Eastern Robin) that follow me like so:
...about the size of a tea cup high.

Eastern Yellow Robin by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

My Blog:
http://photographyformentalillness.blogspot.com.au/

[Gareth]

Thanks for the great reply!

In the future, I anticipate that we will need more photos for the site. I am particularly interested in photos that are taken as part of a mindfulness practice.

[piedwagtail91]

Thanks for the great reply!

In the future, I anticipate that we will need more photos for the site. I am particularly interested in photos that are taken as part of a mindfulness practice.

great photo,
i tried that once on a short 100 yard walk into a local wood. anything that my eyes focussed on i took a photo, whether it was close up or in the distance.
then realised that trying to cram all those photos into a collage was almost impossible!!

[FeeHutch]

I've seen people share photos of where they are sitting or even videos. Both are great ideas and a great way to share a different part of your practice. A thread of pictures and/or videos could go on the inspiration board maybe?