Establishing a ‘broad band’ of awareness
In order to meditate effectively we need to tune in to a background awareness of ourselves. We need to be connected to our experience, in order that we can work creatively with ourselves. We need to enter the meditation, by inviting all parts of ourselves in to awareness. We can bring whatever is going on for us to the practice and let the meditation work its
transforming effect on us. Meditation is always about working to increase awareness. We have to ‘tune in’ to our experience just as it is.
How we do this is very important. We need respectful acknowledgement of how we are now, and as well as this we need to honour and respect our intention to become calmer and more concentrated. We cannot force ourselves into awareness, we need a kind and interested attitude. One can think of this as being like catching up with a good friend at the end of the day. They might need to let off steam or they may be happy, one just tries to give them good attention with no investment in how they should be. If you have ever been listened to like this you will know how refreshing it is, to just be heard. When we enter meditation this is what we can do for ourselves. However, if our metaphorical friend keeps going on inappropriately about some difficulty they have had during their day, we might gently redirect their attention to some more positive element of their experience.
We can establish this kind of awareness by paying attention to three major aspects of our experience:
Body
Feelings and emotions
Mental activity
