formal witnessing practice

this practice is adapted from Ken Wilber

witnessing is the most inclusive attentive-awareness “practice” we are capable of. mindfulness means living our life more from simple direct awareness, rather than feelings and thoughts that refer to past and future. when we are practicing mindfulness, we are not only aware of our surroundings, but also of our thoughts and feelings relating to what is happening. this means that we are able to pause, check in, identify what is happening, and begin to make conscious decisions, rather than being driven by unconscious needs or defenses.

how do i do it?

bring an embodied attention to bear on the present moment, and whatever is arising within it. this will include thoughts, feelings, sensations, and the cognition of all of these. at the same time, none of it is identified with, so that all become objects of consciousness, passing through awareness. because it is an act of becoming aware (being) rather than a “doing,” it can happen in any position or situation. yet, in the beginning, when our recognition of our own mind and its process is not yet strong, we can structure a formal sitting practice around it.

settle in a posture that is alert and relaxed.

as you begin to notice your breathing, simply trace the in- and outflow of air with your attention. riding the tip of the breath itself, trace the inward breath to the lowest point of breathing in. then trace the outward movement until you reach the most extended point of the out-breath. do this without changing your breathing pattern in any way. become aware of the soothing of body and mind. notice how thoughts calm down as the attention stays with the breathing.

become aware of the whole body by slowly feeling-tracing the outline of the body. feeling the skin from the inside, notice the whole body and every cell breathing. notice how you can be aware through the skin, and listen with your sensation.

now that you are calm and have awareness rooted in the body, simply stay aware of what is arising within awareness.

maybe in one moment the feeling of breathing arises within awareness, to be replaced by another sensation in the next moment; perhaps listening, or a thought, or a feeling, or an interpretation, or a sensation, etc.

notice how everything that arises within awareness is an object of awareness. you are aware of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, and yet those are all objects of awareness, appearing within the field of awareness. objects come and go, and awareness remains. you may even notice that you yourself are an object in awareness.

now notice the space that you are sitting in. the space of the room itself, the openness around you.

notice what arises within your visual field (interior or exterior). notice what arises within your hearing. and once again, notice the sensation of the whole body. notice little messages of contact, sensing, knowing. notice how it is not your thinking mind that is aware, but the whole of the body and the field of awareness extending from it.

always come back to resting in simple direct and pure awareness. notice when an identification (following thought or feeling or gross thinking, e.g. planning) takes place, and simply return to direct awareness.

using the practice as an inquiry

if you want your practice to be more of an inquiry, you may notice the following in paying attention to the nature of witnessing:

am i supposed to be feeling/noticing some kind of experience?

no, because this state is a constant, and therefore cannot be an experience, which is temporary. it is the constant within which all experience arises. if i use mindfulness to continually come back to this state, and i begin to rest in this state, i may notice a sense of freedom, an openness, a field of awareness, a clearing within which sensation, image, thought, and feeling arises, but which itself remains free and unmarred by anything that arises within it, in the same way that a mirror will reflect what is in front of it perfectly, without in any way being touched or altered by the image.

practice the above for at least 10 minutes per day as a formal practice for about 30 days. if you enjoy doing it, do it as much as you like. the only side-effect is presence. you can also practice it during your normal day, by simply reminding yourself of the following:

meditation in action: notice every now and then that you are already, without any effort on your side, spontaneously witnessing everything that is arising moment to moment. you are aware of birds singing, clouds floating, traffic sounds, people talking, all of it happening within awareness, always in a timeless present. so, notice that this profound mindfulness is always already present and does not need to be cultivated. it is impossible to avoid.

conscious mindfulness: just notice that which is already aware of the present moment, and realize that as ever-present mindfulness. so, consciously rest in that mindfulness, and then note of all the objects that are arising in that ever-present field of awareness.