Contemplation
Five exercises in perceiving unity
The Art of Contemplation
Where Thinking Ends, Seeing Begins
Concentration Training
Contemplation needs a stable mind. Train your attention through nine stages, from first focus to absorption. Practise at your current stage daily, and complete its self-assessment honestly to unlock the next. You are on Stage 1.
Sit upright, with the spine like a stack of coins. Choose one object, such as the sensation of breath at the nostrils, and place your attention there. Each time you notice you have wandered, return without judgment. At this stage, noticing is the practice.
Obstacle: Forgetting the object entirely for minutes at a time.
Antidote: Count breaths from 1 to 10 and start again whenever you lose count.
Self-assessment