Open Focus - path of stillness #2

If feeling the inside of my hands startled me, the next exercise – Open Focus – practically blew my mind.

Sitting, I focused my attention sharply on an object in front of me.  That was easy.

Next, without moving my eyes, I broadened my attention until it registered everything in my field of vision, including the original object.  To the left, to right, up, down, right in front of me – all at the same time.  Had the weird feeling that if I tried, I could become aware of eyes at the back of my head & gain a 360 degree view.

Still not moving my eyes, I made the object of my focus the foreground, making everything else the background. 

Next – not moving the eyes – the object became the background & everything else became the foreground.

Felt like I was on an acid trip!

Finally, I focused on everything in my usual field of vision, all at once, while repeating out loud, “Floor to ceiling, all things equal.”

Zowie! 

There was an optional last step, which I haven’t tackled yet – while doing the final step, repeat the question, “Can I imagine the space inside the distance between my eyes?”  This optional step is said to have a terrific impact in shifting brainwaves into a deeply relaxed Wordlessness.  

Unexpected benefits - about a week after first doing this exercise, I was in Philadelphia, at an extraordinary concert on the Wanamaker Organ, Fred Haas playing the Bryn Athyn Cathedral Christmas song list.  Originally irked by the people & noises around me, turned to what I'd learned, I focused on the playing & let everything else drop into the background.