Sensations prayer by -Swami Sivananda ,
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Choose one sense object for a basic object of attention. It is
suggested that you choose either the sensations in one part of your
body of your breathing or the sounds around you.
Focus your attention on this object, but do so in such a way that
if your attention shifts to something else you are immediately aware
of the shift.
Let us suppose you have chosen for your basic object of attention
your breathing. Well, then, concentrate on your breathing... . It is
quite likely that after a while your attention will move to something
else-a thought, a sound, a feeling.... Now provided you are aware of
this shift of attention to something else, this shift is not to be
counted as a distraction. It is important, however, that you be aware
of the shift while the shift is taking place or immediately after it
has taken place. Count it a distraction only if you become aware of
the shift long after it has taken place.
Suppose you choose breathing as your basic object of attention.
Then your exercise will possibly go something like this:-
"I am breathing... . I am breathing... . Now I am thinking....
thinking.... thinking.... Now I am listening to a sound....
listening... . listening... . Now I am irritated... . irritated. Now I
feel bored.... bored.... bored...."
In this exercise, the wandering of the mind is not considered a
distraction provided you are aware that your attention is shifting to
some other object.... Once you have become aware of this shift, stay
with the new object (thinking, listening, feeling....) for a while,
then return to the basic object of your attention (breathing). ... your
skill in self-awareness may become so great that you will not only
become aware of the shift of your attention on to some object, but
even of the desire to shift, the impulse in you to shift on to
something else. As when you want to move your hand you will first
become conscious of the desire arising within you to move the hand,
your consent to this desire, your carrying out of this desire, the
very first stirring of your hand.... All of which activities are
performed in an infinitesimal fraction of a second and so we find it
impossible to distinguish one from the other until the silence and
stillness within us has become almost total and our awareness has
acquired razor edge sharpness. Self-awareness is a powerful means for
increasing in love of God and of neighbour. The self-awareness
heightens the love. The love, when it is genuine, fosters deeper self-
awareness.
Do not go in search of abstruse means for developing your self-
awareness. Begin with humble things like the awareness of the feel of
your body or awareness of the things around you and then more on to
exercises like the ones which are suggested here and it won't be long
before you notice the fruits of peacefulness and love that heightened
self-awareness brings with it.
XII. Finding God In All Things
(This is a recapitulation of most of the previous exercises)
Do any of the awareness exercises that have preceded. Take your
body sensation, for instance, as the focus of your attention... .
Observe not only the sensations that yield themselves readily to your
awareness, the grosser sensations but also the subtler ones.... If
possible, do not give the sensations any names (burning, numbness,
pricking, itching, cold.... ). Just feel the sensations without
putting a label on to them....
Do the same with sounds.... Capture as many of them as
possible.... Do not try to identify the source of the sounds. Listen
to the sounds without putting a label on to them.
As you proceed with this exercise you will notice a great
peacefulness coming upon you, a deep silence.... Now become aware,
briefly, of this peacefulness and silence..... .
Feel how good it is to be here now. To have nothing to do. To just
be. Be.
For those who are more devotionally inclined. Do the previous
exercise until you sense the peacefulness that comes with it....
Become aware, for a brief while, of that peacefulness and
silence....
Now express yourself to God non-verbally. Imagine that you are
dumb and you can only communicate with your eyes and your breathing.
Say to the Lord, non-verbally, "Lord, it is good to be here with you."
Or, do not communicate with the Lord at all. Just rest in His
presence.
Also, for the devotionally inclined, a rudimentary exercise in
finding God in all things.
Return to the world of the senses.... Become as keenly aware as
possible of the air you breathe.... of the sounds around you.... of
the sensations you feel in your body.... Sense God in the air, the
sounds, the sensations. Rest in this whole world of the senses. Rest
in God.... Surrender to this whole world of the senses (sounds,
tactile sensations, colours....)
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-Swami Sivananda