Chapter 8

Sit in a relaxed state as you have in previous exercises. As you sit, notice your breathing and any other movements, sounds, vibrations, aches, pains, etc. that your body may be producing. Once you get in touch with your bodily sensations begin noticing any thoughts that may pass through your mind. Simply notice everything that is happening in your body and let it all be. Don't try too hard - just relax and notice. Don't judge them as good or bad because they are simply just happening. Once you have become "one" with all of your thoughts and all of your body's sensations see if you can disconnect from them and simply feel your whole body from the inside out and from the outside in. This is your presence.

If you can commit yourself to experiencing presence, you have automatically stepped into being the witness - the essence of being. When you witness your presence, you know that you are more than just a body and a mind. You may be into achievement, importance, control or acceptance and you know it, but those things don't matter because what you do know is you are the awareness - the witness. Awareness not only includes feeling presence but also noticing anything that enters your field of sensing. You may notice cars whizzing by, people walking, birds flying overhead, dew on the grass. This "act" of noticing takes very little effort if any at all. It is an opening and simply letting things come to you - a field of experience opens - life is being fully and completely witnessed. You are in "the bubble of awareness," so to speak.