A Morning of Bare Attention - Taking the first few steps of a new beginning.

 

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                                     Of Light and Shadows - a sculpture by Raja Shahriman.

A Morning of Bare Attention

Good day, Sunshine.
I went to the store and greeted a few strangers in good faith with smiles. What more can I ask of myself?

Even so, it is still a cry from serenity and comfort; even a short walk these days is a test of physical endurance. I’m not complaining—just observing. It seems as though my spiritual practice has slowed, mellowed, as if I’ve stepped back from the drive for answers. I feel as though I’m on a break from intensity.

There’s a Buddhist practice I’ve long liked called bare attention—to observe with detachment. That’s how I feel now: lighter in body, mind, and soul. Perhaps it’s my imagination, or perhaps something has truly shifted.

Yet my head still feels heavy from watching the news, a habit I keep as a practice of sorts. The fate of the world and humanity remains a cause of concern, even if I am helpless to do much about it. I remind myself: compassion doesn’t mean carrying the full weight, only caring without drowning.

So I turn the news into a mindfulness practice:

• Set a clear container for how long I watch.

• Begin with a grounding breath.

• Watch with bare attention, noticing my reactions without clinging.

• End with compassion and release.

Some mornings, I simply repeat:
"I witness with compassion, I release what I cannot change."

Such is the event of my morning more or less. My son is working from home—perhaps to keep me company—while my daughter is in Turkey. I am writing. That alone counts for something in the creative sphere.

Simplicity is the heart of the Buddha’s Way. Keep the mind on a short leash. Walk with the grace of a mendicant monk.

Om Tat Sat! Such is! Aho!
I am off to a new beginning, a new adventure, even if through the plains of mediocrity. New doors open into the gateless gates beyond awakening. Let the light shine through and beyond what the eyes once saw, and what the mind once conceived.

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin.

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