Atheist's Guide to Shiva - Step 2 - Exploring life directly

For those of you who haven’t completed the previous step yet, I strongly recommend you to do it properly before engaging in this step. You can find it here ( https://steemit.com/life/@navidzar/atheist-guide-to-shiva-step-1-direct-experience )

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to step 2 in these guided meditations.

In the last step, we made ourselves familiar with our direct experience.
In this step and the next one, we will explore life with this new “tool”.
With other words, we will start to explore life directly, behind the filters of our conditioned minds.

The following exercises are meant to be done practically. If you merely read through them, think about them or analyze them, they won’t be to much or any use. But if you do them properly, you will have the opportunity to experience, literally, incomprehensible clarity.

So, Lets start.

1. Sit comfortably, Take 3 deep breaths and just relax for the very simple exercises to come.

2. Now take a look at whatever environment you have around you, directly. Meaning that you focus on your direct visual experience. Just give your fullest attention to the raw colors and shapes that fills your field of vision. Your mind will probably want to comment and label your vision, and you can let it do so. Just keep your attention on your direct visual experience.
   Do this now, for at least 20 seconds, and then move on.

3. Now, we will do the same thing again, but letting our mind noticing a few simple things.
   When you look at your vision directly this time, play with and explore the following:
   – Notice that visual object has a name or story by it self. They just are. The rest is projected on them by your mind. Notice how different they feel underneath these projections.
   – Notice that your total field of vision can be seen as one whole vision. Play with this :)
   – Notice how your alertness and sense of presence change while focusing on your direct experience. Play.

4. Now, do the same exercise, but with sounds. Close your eyes and give your full attention to your direct experience of the current soundscape. Your mind might want to label or comment the sounds or even the fact that you are doing this exercise. Let this happen if it does, and just bring your attention back to your raw direct experience of the sounds.
   Do this now, for at least 20 seconds.

5. Now, do the same exercise again, but like with the visions, let your mind notice a few things:
   – Notice that sounds are just sounds. Their meaning or source is projected on them by the mind.
   Just like with the vision, notice that the current soundscape can both be heard as one sounds, or consisting of “several” sounds. Don't rush through this - Play!

6. Now, combine the previous exercises, with the addition of all the other senses too.
   Just be with your entire direct experience of life. Sounds, colors, shapes, smells, sensation, emotions, thoughts…. Let them all come and go as they want. You focus purely on your raw and direct experience.
   Do this now for at least 1 minute. Go for it!

Now, I want you to answer the following questions by ONLY observing your direct experience.

A. Is life complicated? Observe, then answer.
B. Is there any past? Don’t be clever, Observe, then answer!
C. What is going on? Observe, then answer. ;)

That was all for this step.
In the next step, we will go to the most essential part of this exploration, namely the one that is exploring. ;)

Please share your experiences and your answers below if you feel inclined.

When you feel that you got the hang of this exercises, and what they point to, you are ready for:
https://steemit.com/life/@navidzar/atheist-s-guide-to-shiva-step-3-who-am-i

Lots of love
/ Navid