Anchoring the Mind

Anchoring the Mind:

Instructions for the Practice of Mindfulness

The word “anchor,” in this context, comes from the Late Latin anachorīta, and from the Greek anakhōrētēs, from anakhōrein, meaning ‘to retire, withdraw from khōra, a space.’ Thus an anchorite (or anchoress) is someone who deliberately retired, withdrew from the usual worldly concerns and life-style to pray and meditate. One of the most famous and spiritually productive of these in the Western Tradition’s Middle Ages was Julian of Norwich, whose book “Shewings” has been of great and continuing influence till modern times.

To some extent, most, if not all people require some deliberate form of daily withdrawal, to be alone, to reflect, and, if you will, to pray, though it is also certain that many people utilise “time alone” to create works of art and music, or simply to work in a focused way in their profession.

As a spiritual practice, becoming ‘present’ to what is, now in this moment (after all, it is the only one we have), is a deliberate and daily choice – one that, according to Philosopher John Henry Thoreau, many people don’t choose; for him “the only life worth living is the deliberate life.”

So now, to the practice of mindfulness – one that has its roots in Buddhist vipassana (insight) teaching. For those who are interested, I also recommend an exploration of the yoga sutras of Patanjali, and the West’s “Desert” Tradition of Late Roman Antiquity.

To commence: sit in a chair or on a cushion on the floor, keeping your back as straight as you are able – even if its up against a wall. Relax with a few deep breaths. Allow the body and mind to become relaxed while remaining very alert and attentive to the present moment (be attentive to the sounds outside and inside the room, and perhaps, within your own body. Try your best to feel the areas of your body that are tense, and the areas that are relaxing. Let your body follow its own nature. Try not to force, alter or fix anything.

Be calm: let your mind be soft, and sensitive. Allow a “spacious awareness” to wash, sift and sigh gently through your body.

Sitting

Simply feel the sensations of such things as sitting. But sidestep your mental tendency to image your body, to interpret, to define or think about it. Just let such thoughts and images come and go without being unduly bothered by them. Be sensitive to the bare sensations of sitting.

Body Awareness

Feel your body with an awareness that arises from within your body, rather than from your head. Awareness of the body provides an “anchor hold” for your attention – in this present moment.

Gently, calmly sweep your awareness through your body. Feel the sensations with no agenda, no goal. Allow your body to anchor awareness in the present moment by staying mindful of these moment-by-moment sensations.

Sound Vibrations

After some time, shift your awareness again to the field of sound vibrations. Sound-awareness has the potential to create openness, spaciousness, and receptivity in the mind. Be aware of both the pure sound vibration as well as the space or silence between the sounds. As with body-sensations incline your awareness away from trying to define the sound, or thoughts about the sound. Simply attune to the sound as it is.

Natural Breathing Process

After some time of awareness of body and sounds, bring your attention sensitively to your natural breathing process. Patiently locate the area where the breath is most clear. Once you find it, let awareness lightly rest there. For some it is the sensation of the rising and falling of the abdomen. For others it may be the sensations experienced at the nostrils with the inhalation and exhalation.

Mentally Noting

You can, if you wish, use a sacred word or syllable, or, if you prefer, use very soft mental labels to guide and sustain attention to the breath. “Rising/falling” for the abdomen and “in/out” for the nostrils. Let the breath breathe itself without control, direction, or force. Feel each breath – from within the breath, rather than from the head. Feel the full breath cycle from the beginning through the middle to the end.

Receptive Attention

This breath-awareness is sensitive: a sort of combination of light, spaciousness and receptivity. It’s like listening while being alert, with attentive presence. With such breath-awareness you can touch the actual texture, shape, and form of sensations.

Surrender

Surrender everything else, or, merely let it be in the background. Let the breathing “breathe itself.” Relax in you feeling of mindfulness, with the sensations of the breath.

Gently Returning to the Mental Noting

As soon as you notice the mind wandering off, as it often does, lost in thought, be aware of that with non-judging awareness. Gently connect it again to your anchor – the sacred word, or breath-awareness. Simply ‘feel’ from within the stream of sensations.

Returning Gently to the One Thing

Toward the end of your sitting, be aware of not striving or anticipating, not pouncing on sensations in the present, not bending back to what was just missed, or reflecting on what just happened. If you can, patiently keep inclining yourself to the totality of the present moment – grow in the feeling of wholeness. Keep anchoring easily, gently and patiently: remember – one breath at a time – mentally noting this, or repeating the sacred word.

Compassionate Insight

You will find, in time, that mindfulness of breath begins to collect and concentrate the mind. Your initial distractions: thoughts, emotions, sensations, and sounds, all soon become objects of awareness themselves! Increasingly you will grow in sensitivity and compassion toward yourself. As a consequence, insight is gained into the true nature of the body and mind.

Openness to All Sensations

As your concentration grows, the daily practice of mindfulness opens to the entire “flow” of body/mind experience through all the sense doors — sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch and mental/emotive.

Your seeing things “as they are,” moment-by-moment – this is the beginning of untangling the knots of attachment, fear, and confusion. The addictive behaviour patterns of craving for pleasure, aversion from discomfort and pain, and tuning out from the neutral experience will be seen for what they are – automatic patterns that need not be the ultimate ground of your daily life. Once the fruits of our addictions become clear – as attachments, fears and confusions – you will, if you choose be able to live more from a place of joy, compassion, equanimity and wisdom.

Guest House, by Rumi

This being human is a guesthouse.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honourably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the sham, the malice
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.