Cultivating mindful presence is a doorway to profound calm, centeredness, and clarity. The training in mindful awareness is to begin a profound shift from the resistance, stories, and narratives in the mind to the direct experience of life. In this practice we simply connect to the calm, tender awareness that is and was always here. One metaphor that is used for awareness is the open sky. Since this practice is training the mind, the mind can be seen as a vast sky. Weather systems come and go, but the essence of the mind is always calm, clear, open, and kind- the calm steady presence of awareness itself.

Imagine the space of awareness to open in all directions, open up to the space above you, below you, behind you, in front of you, you may imagine awareness as a vast container like the clear, open sky, beaming with light, shining light on your feelings, sensations, you breathing. Sensing the awareness inside and out as one continuous space, a well-lit open sky, awareness perceiving the aliveness here, and sense it is effortless, open, kind, calm, clear. You may inquire, who is aware? Gently Let go into awareness. Let thoughts, emotions, sensations, sounds come and go in the awake space. Like clouds passing by in the open sky.

From Chinese Poet, Li-Po

Flocks of birds have flown high and away
A solitary drift of cloud, too, has gone, wandering on

We sit together the mountain and me, until

Only the mountain remains.

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