Easy fun with sensuousness - Discussion
Thought I'd post up a cool reminder of a way to maximize sensuousness throughout the day, for anyone trying to do that, or anyone else... nice for everyone, not just actualists. ;)
Pick an area, any area - inside or outside - to stop and sit down at at some point in your day. While sitting there see how much you can sensually notice about the scene - sights, sounds, smells, tactile, taste. Notice all the fine little details with as many of these senses as possible. For example with sights - Say you're outside sitting on a park bench and there are trees, birds, a stream. One of the nicest things I like to notice about trees is the way the light catches the leaves - the transparent quality of each of the leaves that allows the light to sparkle through, illuminating it to vivid shades of yellow, chartreuse, casting shadows upon other leaves, deepening their color and the contrast changing their shape. The interesting way water seems to have a thick body to it, but moves so gracefully.. smooth, silver and lucid when its flow is uninterrupted, a bit percolating and jumping white when it skips over a rock.
Switch it up to not sitting down too, since this can literally be done anywhere. Often when I'm walking around the city I opt to turn off my ipod (sometimes that seems to absorb me too much into "my" world).. feeling the breeze, fascinated by the dynamics of the city lights and architecture, people walking around, hearing the sounds of the cars whirring, catching the music people are listening to in their cars, smells wafting out of restaurants or a coffee shop. Catch onto each of the things in the environment you're in and notice as much as you can about their sensual qualities.
You can easily do this tons of times in a day. Yes, sitting down at work too (isn't there a nice quiet quality to just sitting down somewhere?) Just keep doing it more and more often each day, at more places, and there you have attentiveness to sensuousness extended throughout your whole day.
Steph
Pick an area, any area - inside or outside - to stop and sit down at at some point in your day. While sitting there see how much you can sensually notice about the scene - sights, sounds, smells, tactile, taste. Notice all the fine little details with as many of these senses as possible. For example with sights - Say you're outside sitting on a park bench and there are trees, birds, a stream. One of the nicest things I like to notice about trees is the way the light catches the leaves - the transparent quality of each of the leaves that allows the light to sparkle through, illuminating it to vivid shades of yellow, chartreuse, casting shadows upon other leaves, deepening their color and the contrast changing their shape. The interesting way water seems to have a thick body to it, but moves so gracefully.. smooth, silver and lucid when its flow is uninterrupted, a bit percolating and jumping white when it skips over a rock.
Switch it up to not sitting down too, since this can literally be done anywhere. Often when I'm walking around the city I opt to turn off my ipod (sometimes that seems to absorb me too much into "my" world).. feeling the breeze, fascinated by the dynamics of the city lights and architecture, people walking around, hearing the sounds of the cars whirring, catching the music people are listening to in their cars, smells wafting out of restaurants or a coffee shop. Catch onto each of the things in the environment you're in and notice as much as you can about their sensual qualities.
You can easily do this tons of times in a day. Yes, sitting down at work too (isn't there a nice quiet quality to just sitting down somewhere?) Just keep doing it more and more often each day, at more places, and there you have attentiveness to sensuousness extended throughout your whole day.
Steph
Steph S:
Thought I'd post up a cool reminder of a way to maximize sensuousness throughout the day, for anyone trying to do that, or anyone else... nice for everyone, not just actualists. ;)
Pick an area, any area - inside or outside - to stop and sit down at at some point in your day. While sitting there see how much you can sensually notice about the scene - sights, sounds, smells, tactile, taste. Notice all the fine little details with as many of these senses as possible. For example with sights - Say you're outside sitting on a park bench and there are trees, birds, a stream. One of the nicest things I like to notice about trees is the way the light catches the leaves - the transparent quality of each of the leaves that allows the light to sparkle through, illuminating it to vivid shades of yellow, chartreuse, casting shadows upon other leaves, deepening their color and the contrast changing their shape. The interesting way water seems to have a thick body to it, but moves so gracefully.. smooth, silver and lucid when its flow is uninterrupted, a bit percolating and jumping white when it skips over a rock.
Switch it up to not sitting down too, since this can literally be done anywhere. Often when I'm walking around the city I opt to turn off my ipod (sometimes that seems to absorb me too much into "my" world).. feeling the breeze, fascinated by the dynamics of the city lights and architecture, people walking around, hearing the sounds of the cars whirring, catching the music people are listening to in their cars, smells wafting out of restaurants or a coffee shop.
You can easily do this tons of times in a day. Yes, sitting down at work too (isn't there a nice quiet quality to just sitting down somewhere?) Just keep doing it more and more often each day, at more places, and there you have attentiveness to sensuousness extended throughout your whole day.
Steph
Pick an area, any area - inside or outside - to stop and sit down at at some point in your day. While sitting there see how much you can sensually notice about the scene - sights, sounds, smells, tactile, taste. Notice all the fine little details with as many of these senses as possible. For example with sights - Say you're outside sitting on a park bench and there are trees, birds, a stream. One of the nicest things I like to notice about trees is the way the light catches the leaves - the transparent quality of each of the leaves that allows the light to sparkle through, illuminating it to vivid shades of yellow, chartreuse, casting shadows upon other leaves, deepening their color and the contrast changing their shape. The interesting way water seems to have a thick body to it, but moves so gracefully.. smooth, silver and lucid when its flow is uninterrupted, a bit percolating and jumping white when it skips over a rock.
Switch it up to not sitting down too, since this can literally be done anywhere. Often when I'm walking around the city I opt to turn off my ipod (sometimes that seems to absorb me too much into "my" world).. feeling the breeze, fascinated by the dynamics of the city lights and architecture, people walking around, hearing the sounds of the cars whirring, catching the music people are listening to in their cars, smells wafting out of restaurants or a coffee shop.
You can easily do this tons of times in a day. Yes, sitting down at work too (isn't there a nice quiet quality to just sitting down somewhere?) Just keep doing it more and more often each day, at more places, and there you have attentiveness to sensuousness extended throughout your whole day.
Steph
Hi Steph,
The increase in sensuousness was one of the first things I noticed when I started to practice. And simultaneously the disappearance of emotions/feelings.
When I ask myself HAIETMOBA, several things happen, but the end result tends to be experiencing the world through the senses more. The wind on your arms, the sounds, the sights, smells, tactile sensations. Still very much me experiencing them, but more and more they're just there. No me interpreting or enjoying them and having glimpses of the beauty of the world as in AF.
Then, the next step for me was that the good feelings produced by this faded as well, and I was left with a very clean, sensate experience.
As Richard says, feeling bad doesn't lead into a PCE. So focusing on sensuousness and enjoy that is a very good idea. Even if it produces good feelings that aren't "supposed" to be there in the end, for now, they are useful. Because it is feeling good that leads to PCE's easily.
I've seen people worry about the fact that they are still feeling things during their practice. If they are good feelings, use them! Go with them for now and allow them to be a vehicle to lead you into a PCE.
And, one thing to remind for everyone doing this. This is one of Richard's best quotes:
"You need to have a keen sense of humour. This business of becoming free is not – contrary to popular opinion – a serious business at all. Be totally sincere ... most definitely utterly sincere, as genuineness is essential. But serious ... no way. An actual freedom is all about having fun; about enjoying being here; about delighting in being alive. All that ‘being serious’ stuff actively works against peace-on-earth. "
Great post Steph, using your advice already.
