Choiceless Awareness Meditation
Photography: Jillian Clark
Words by:
Charman Driver
I’ve been practicing various forms of mindfulness meditation for over ten years. The more I practice, the more I want it—and need it—in my life.
The essential feature of mindfulness meditation is to pay attention (on purpose and without judgment) in the present moment. Meditation takes consistent practice and there is no “right” way to do it, but practicing is essential to get the benefits.
I’ve written about several methods of mindfulness like Loving-Kindness, Body Scan and Walking Meditation and I always suggest to clients to take a stab at a few types to find what resonates.
While I appreciate all meditation methods, I continually return to Choiceless Awareness as my preference. I like it, frankly, for its lack of form. There’s no there, there. Yet, it’s all right there. I find it almost impossible to explain in steps, but I’m going to try, because I think it’s worth it.
Choiceless Awareness Meditation:
1. Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit. Set an alarm for how long you’d like to try.
2. Close your eyes and breathe naturally.
3. There are a set of conditions in the space where you are sitting: Maybe you hear birds chirping, car horns beeping, clocks ticking, appliances humming—or all of the above. Hear whatever it is, even focus on it, then let it go. Hear something else? Take note, then let that go.
4. Don’t try to choose the sounds or images that come to your awareness, but rather, accept them, then let them go.
5. Continue this kind of awareness without attaching any thought, judgment or emotion to it. Hearing is just hearing, there’s no separation.
Please share your experience with the practice. I’d love to hear about it.