Introduction to Mindfulness - Dean Amory

focussing on being focussed. As if focus itself is the 'object' of your
awareness/meditation. This is tricky to understand as you need some
experience with it to know of that 'place' or 'zone' that I am talking
about, but once you truly know it, you can go back there rather
immediately.
The major difference between the form of concentration meditation
and the mindfulness form of meditating is that in concentration you
focus on content, while in mindfulness it is not about the content of
your focus, but about the quality or level of your focus, or awareness
itself. Mindfulness meditation is a way to raise your level of
awareness, of consciousness immediately, without having to deal with
and become involved in the infinite possibilities of content.
While practicing this beingness, this awareness, thoughts will arise. All
you need to do with these thoughts is nothing. Don't do anything
with them, don't try to watch them, don't try to manipulate them,
don't judge them, just don't try anything. Let them be and remain the
witness to all that happens. Open up your focus but remain alert. If
you notice you are getting involved with thought-forms, go back to
the focussed state of alertness, of witnessing and retain this state of
focussed awareness as thoughts pass by in the mind. The longer you
retain this state, the greater the decrease in thought-forms will
become and the greater the clarity and bliss.
Note that the goal is not to notice or become aware of everything
that is going on in the environment. This will happen in later stages
automatically and it is not even the purpose of this meditation; it is
just a possible result of mindfulness meditation. For now, don't try to
focus on things that happen, only retain high quality awareness when
things do happen to catch your eye or any of the other senses. Don't
focus on them, just remain focussed, conscious and let distractions be
and pass on their own account.
83