The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness by Diana Winston
A practical guide to experiencing natural awareness-an effortless and spacious state of resting in the depth or our being. Do you recall, as a child, being enthralled by a drifting cloud, a rain-soaked leaf, a wandering ladybug? Or suddenly having a sense of timelessness, contentment, and ease? If so, then you've already had a taste of natural awareness. Known and revered in many traditions as a complement to focused mindfulness training, natural awareness transcends even these wondrous childhood moments. Some describe it as a profound awareness of awareness-an effortless, boundless state of resting in the depth of our being. For those new to meditation and experienced meditators alike, these 72 mini-chapters guide you on an in-depth odyssey into natural awareness, illuminated by many simple and enjoyable insights and exercises. The Little Book of Being invites you to explore: The spectrum of awareness practices, from focused mindfulness to flexible mindfulness to natural awareness * How classical mindfulness and effortless natural awareness enrich and shape each other, and how to practice both * Three ways to move into natural awareness-relaxing effort, broadening awareness, and dropping objects * A treasury of glimpse practices to spark natural awareness anytime, in just a few moments * How to bring this way of simply being into your daily life, into your connection with others, and into the world At first natural awareness may seem far away, just a whisper, but then it will begin to grow and expand and permeate aspects of living. Over time we may feel more peace, more connection to ourselves. We may find ourselves taking life a bit more lightly. We may feel a sense of relaxed `beingness' throughout the day, and when we do get caught in our dramas, we may find ourselves moving out of them quicker than we imagined we could. -Diana Winston