CREATIVE DOZING
A central question for me these days is: how do animals doze?
Throughout evolution, the panorama mode has been fundamental to their survival. And for animals, this is a constant reminder of how it feels to stop thinking, be still inside, receptive to and connected with everything.
So, in the few moments animals have, when they can just doze and don't need to fight for survival, they are far more practised than we are, and much more able to turn off and just feel life with all of their physical senses.
It's an habitual rut which animals have. And this is what sustains them. It gives them an underlying background sense of peace with themselves and the world.
This practice of sensing inside and outside of the body with all the senses is consistent with Buddhist teachings.
If you already have a method to contain the routine chattering of the mind, then good. If you are a complete beginner with meditation and want to learn some more conventional methods first, please review the page on Meditation Methods.
Dozing
Humans have forgotten how to doze. When humans doze, we slumber and daydream and get lost in abstract thinking – we have lost the feeling of just being.Active panoraming is something which you can do for just a few seconds, and it will be effective.
But every animal needs a minute or so before they can settle down to doze. To find any depth, humans need to doze for at least five minutes. 20 minutes would be better, but five is enough.
Preparation
There are an infinity of variations. But essentially, are you comfortable?Start with a minute of panoramic seeing and listening. Like any wise animal: check the surroundings before settling down for a doze. Then close the eyes.
To give the thoughts some sort of stability, at best use active panoramic, pre-emptive listening-out.
The 'Breath-Body'
I think it's best to start with a few rounds of whole body breathing.Feel yourself filling up and emptying out; getting bigger and smaller; expanding and contracting; all these are wholesome ways to think about the body while breathing.
Maybe combine smelling with filling up and emptying out.
Then listening inside the body is very effective, listening to the hands and feet, arms and legs, then central body.
If you can do this for a few minutes, that would be amazing. But most people, myself included, will drift into daydreams at some point. Some sort of routine is advisable. And there are so many variations, develop something you're 'at home' with. It all depends on ability, personality type, and probably the weather...
The Inner Senses
And now, if you skipped them, you will need to go back and read all the other pages... there is no short summary.I usually start with light inside and all around or inner sound, simply because i find them more accessible. But sometimes i start with smelling and tasting.
I often do a short sequence of one breath in and out aware of light, one aware of sound, one scenting, and one tasting.
I experiment and explore. I often combine any two of the senses, but have never yet combined all four.
Listening is a good basis for any combination. But if you've read and done the tasting exercises, then try starting by tasting.
Remember – we can taste as 5-6 week old embryos in the womb. It takes months till we can see and hear. And we start smelling when the breathing starts, at birth. Taste is the most fundamental sense.
I'd love to ask animals or young children about how it's really done, but it's fun, often fascinating, and i enjoy experimenting, so i will continue.
And as with so much in life, it depends on timing and feeling, so follow your intuition.
Back to Chapter Seven : Creative Dozing
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