When we first begin to deepen our meditation practice, one place we often begin is through awareness of feeling tone. Feeling tones are not the same as emotions, but are a way to notice our reactions to what arises in practice without being sucked into story. We simple notice if we find what arises to be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Without judging anything as good or bad (notice how quickly that can happen!) , we work to approach our experiences with curiosity. It is natural to have preferences, notice the preferences as part of your practice as well.

You can notice the changing feeling tones naturally as they occur in practice. For example, you might find the first moments of your practice as you settle in and let go of the day and come home to yourself to feel pleasant. And then after a time , maybe your hip hurts and then you notice, unpleasant. You stay with the discomfort with curiosity and the sensation fades and you notice a neutral feeling tone.

You might also work with this in a more applied practice. Intentionally bringing awareness to a place in the body that feels pleasant and staying with it for a time, investigating it. Then you might notice a place where there is some discomfort and hold awareness in that space for awhile, noticing what it is like to be present with discomfort. Then locating a place that feels neutral and holding awareness there. Getting used to watching feeling tones come and go, cultivating the ability to be with those passing states with skill and grace will help us as we move along the deepening path of practice.

Wholeheartedly,

Kim