Our aim this week is to have a constant inner body sensation of ourselves. Throughout the day, try to keep an organic sensation of the body. Sense your body again and again, continually without interrupting your ordinary activity.
This Fourth Way morning exercise might help:
This exercise is designed to collect your attention. It takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, but take as much time as you need.
Between sleeping and waking, there is something precious open in each of us. Each morning, immediately upon waking, find a place where you can sit comfortably without distractions.
Before you begin, quiet your mind and body and release any unnecessary tension. You may notice thoughts, words, or sounds in your mind; or you may notice emotions, or other sensations in the center of your body. For any distractions, put your attention on them until they melt away, then gently bring your attention back to the sensing exercise.
Begin by sitting upright in a chair (or on the floor if you prefer) with your hands on you thighs or at your side.
Sit as if suspended by a string from the top of your head, or as if there is yeast rising in the dough of your body.
Breathe normally, in a relaxed manner. Relax any unnecessary tension in your body and mind before you begin.
Now close your eyes and place your attention on the toes of your right foot. Move your attention from you toes to the rest of the right foot. Then bring your attention up to your right ankle, lower leg, knee, thigh, and hip. You want to sense anything you can, nerves, muscle, bones, etc. You want to sense as deeply and finely as possible.
Next place your attention on the fingers of your right hand. Then move on to your entire hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder. This completes the right side of your body.
Moving on, place your attention on your left shoulder. Slowly move down your left arm to the upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers.
Now place your attention on your left hip. Continue to the left thigh, knee, lower leg, ankle, foot and toes.
When finished, open your eyes. You are now in a state of collected attention.
The exercise creates a kind of magnetic center in a human being by defining the edges of deep pool; at the center of that pool is the heart of the Mind.
The Song of Nothing or the Morning Exercise
Posted by Bob Sabath into the Wisdom School Facebook Page on October 26, 2018 for Inner Task Friday.