Listening Meditation

This is another Mindfulness Meditation.  It can truly be done anywhere! 

To begin:

Settle your self and if sitting, place your feet flat on the floor.  Uncross your arms and place them gently in your lap.  Close your eyes or gaze softly at the floor in front of you.  Sit with an upright, yet relaxed spine.  Now bring your attention to the solid chair beneath you...the solid floor beneath your feet...connected to the solid building...with its foundations deep in the solid earth...........

Now turn your attention to the noises around you.  Listen to everything in the room...outside the room....without judgement....simply allow all of the sounds around you to register....acknowledge and accept each sound.......if you find yourself distracted by thoughts, return to your listening......take note of each noise inside the room......and outside the room.........living in this moment in time..........allow other thoughts to float away...you can think about them later............now is the time to simply listen.........(continue as long as you like).

To end this meditation, focus your attention once again on the floor beneath your feet, feeling the solid floor, connected to the solid building, with its foundations deep in the solid earth.  Now focus your attention on the solid chair beneath you.  And when you are ready slowly open your eyes.  Rub your hands and face.

Take note of how you feel and your observations during the meditation.