Reference: Mindfulness Meditation
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EXERCISE MM 5:
Being comfortably there.
PURPOSE:
To train the student to BE there comfortably in the presence of another person. The idea is to get the student to BE there and not do anything else but BE there.
PRE-REQUISITES:
The student must have completed Exercise MM 4: Relief from Guilt
The student must have read and understood: Be a Friend
INSTRUCTIONS:
You sit with a fellow student a comfortable distance apart facing each other with eyes closed. There is no conversation. This is a silent drill. (Note: The fellow student may be different for different sessions).
Both must establish themselves in mindfulness meditation with the awareness that another is sitting in front of you. Comfortably perceive whatever is presented by your environment and the mind. Hold still, watching the flow of your breath, not attaching yourself to passing attitudes, emotions, sensations and pains, and see what happens.
Do this with eyes closed for the first half of the session. In the second half of the session, the students sit and look at each other and say and do nothing. (Note: You may set up an alarm when to switch.) Students must not speak, blink, fidget, giggle or be embarrassed or go unconscious. They must not use a body part or some system to confront. There should be no apologizing or moving or being startled or embarrassed or defending self. They should just BE there and PERCEIVE.
Many reactions may occur, but they all disappear as one perseveres with this exercise.
Each session may be 20 to 30 minute long; but a session can be as long as two hours. You may continue with this exercise over several sessions until you reach the end of this exercise.
END OF THE EXERCISE:
When the students can BE there comfortably and PERCEIVE and have reached a major stable win, the exercise is passed.
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