Navigating the mind through meditation

Meditation is a skill that is learned over time but it's a skill where training and doing happen at the same time - i.e. we are learning on the job. As we allow the hindrances (distracting mind states) to drop away, we find ourselves meditating but unable to direct our meditation - we rely on intuition and short, felt experiences to direct us (occassionally guided by words). One such felt experience is the idea that we are resting inside a bubble beneath the surface of activity. We sit in our bubble and observe mental experience coming and going. We are at rest, simply being aware of what is going on. Interestingly, if we try to solidify our bubble by directing thought at it (look at me in the bubble), then it pops. It's a case of being in the bubble and not getting involved. This is the training.

One interesting thing to do once we are in this still, observing state is to notice what takes us away from this state. Perhaps it is a thought, a sensory experience, part of the breath cycle, or some other urge or moment of excitement. We watch ourselves get lost and come back again. Away and home. Perhaps nothing takes us away and then we might find an invitation to go deeper into stillness ... Perhaps even this makes our bubble burst.

In short:

- establish the observer behind experience.
- while here, we use felt experience to guide us.
- allow the mind to invite you deeper places of stillness