The natural world offers us the ingredients to nurture our body, mind and spirit. With this mental practice, we sit by the seaside on a late afternoon day, and keep our focus on the sea and the sun. And when we practice this enough in the real world, we then have the sensory memory (sight, sound, smell) embedded within us to empower our meditation in the quiet of our homes.
Where do we seek to arrive with this mental practice? No where, this is not a means to an end. We just be, and see what happens. In the process of doing this practice, your body may over time become more relaxed and tension free, you may notice your mind is clearer and able to perceive reality more aptly, and your spirit just comes alive with greater ease. Above all, you may experience a kind of wholeness and integration, at least for a time after practising, where your inner and outer worlds just evolve in synchronistic harmony. In fact, many things may arise that you’ve never experienced before. It will depend upon you, what you need and where you are on your path. Let’s go and sit :)
Sit in an upright cross-legged posture by the seaside in a quiet spot. Because we intend to keep our eyes focused on the sun, it is best practiced during the late afternoon when the sunlight has weakened.
Move and tweak your body around, loosening up any tight spots, until it is supple and relaxed, yet upright with a long spine.
Engage the breath. Begin a rhythmic cycle of breathing in through the nose, and out through the nose, slowly. Begin to notice the breath as it moves into the nostrils and out, as the stomach expands and contracts. After an initial adjustment phase, no other body part ought to be moving except the stomach and the nostrils. We will retain this steady, slow rhythm of the breath throughout the practice (eventually, our perception of it may disappear because it becomes so subtle and quiet).
Now, notice the sensation of energy moving up the body starting in the pelvis as you breathe in, all the way up to the top of the head at the end of the inhale, and then down the spine as you exhale, all the way back down to the pelvic region
With the body and breath engaged, we are in a relaxed yet concentrated posture, and can direct our attention onto the sparkling lights in the silvery sea closest to us (at the bottom of the video above).
Keep the attention on the sparkling light in the sea. Absorb it. Let it become you by surrendering to it. Each time a thought or itch or emotion arises, notice it, then return the attention of your eyes back to the sparkling lights in the sea. You can eventually close your eyes and continue with the image in the quiet of your mind. If you become distracted or are having a hard time remaining focused on the image, then gently open your eyes and return your gaze toward the sparkling lights in the water.
When this becomes stable, start to move your eyes attention closer toward the horizon. Notice the light becomes more concentrated, whiter. Keep the focus on this white light, surrounded by the vast silvery blue ripples of the sea. Notice, also, the sounds of the water. Keep the attention of the eyes focused on the white light on the surface of the water, and the attention of the ears listening to the cleansing movement of the water itself. Again, you can eventually close your eyes and continue with the image inside your mind. If you become distracted or are having a hard time remaining focused on the image, then gently open your eyes and return your gaze toward the white light in the water.
Now, if focus has been sustained here with less and less interruption by thought, you may also notice the mind is clearing, emptying out. You may notice random tendencies of your face to smile. This expression of joy is natural. It is without reason. You are experiencing your inherent bliss. Let the joy erupt, and then return the relaxed concentration of sight and sound to the water.
Once we feel comfortable enough to move out of the support that is the water, usually after a period of sustained attention, and a mind rather clear, we direct our focus to the orb in the sky, to the sun.
Notice the orb. Notice the details. Notice the delicate rainbow-like colored outline swirling around it. Notice the glow. Notice the defined circle of the sun. Keep this focus going. Just be with the orb, with the white light. There is a rich tradition in the ancient meditative practises with this orb, sometimes referred to as the nimitta, and a sign of entry into high states of concentration called the jhanas. This is not important here. We are not doing these practices directly. We are just working with the ingredients of nature and letting them lead the way. The way to where? A body loose and free. A mind clean and pure. A spirit full of light. An awareness able to direct the light and darkness within and without.
From here, just stay with the orb. You may notice certain sensations arise inside of you. New types of experiences. Bliss. Ideas. Tears. Love. Whatever comes about, just notice it, and when it passes, return to the orb. As before, you can eventually close your eyes and continue with the image of the white orb inside of yourself. If you become distracted or are having a hard time remaining focused on the image, then gently open your eyes and return your gaze toward the orb in the sky. We harness sensory tools of sight, sound and smell to empower our ability to cultivate a sustained focus on this image, anywhere.
The beauty of this practice for those lacking in a little patience is that the sun will eventually set :) You’ll probably get a maximum of 1-2 hours of this, however that is not necessary to experience the effects, which may come in as little as 15 minutes.
How quaint and simple. Thank you!