Attention, being, self

When you take a shower, lather up with the water turned off, and listen to the sounds of the soap being applied to your skin.

Note the various physical sensations, detailed stimulations, and bodily postures you create to complete the task.

Note how varied and loud the sounds are.

Note how smooth or rough different areas of your skin are.

Note how some parts of your skin get much more pressure than other parts.

While washing your head, listen to the sound of your fingers moving on your scalp.

When you turn the water on to rinse, plug your ears with your fingers and listen to the sound of the water hitting your head. Gradually remove your fingers and watch the transition from listening to internal sounds to listening to external sounds.

Ask yourself,Why do I ignore these sounds and sensations when I wash?

Why do I ignore most almost all sounds, sensations and perceptions in my life?

What should I pay more attention to in my life?

What is the process that gradually moves a new sound into the “I don’t ordinarily listen to it” category?

What is the difference between actively listening to sounds and merely hearing? How does it feel at that precise moment when I decide to “direct my attention?” What does it feel like to “make a decision to attend?”

What is the process that gradually moves a new sound into the “I don’t ordinarily listen to it” category? How long ago did I stop listening to my “shower sounds?”

During my daily life, how often DO I attend to sounds?

How often do I find myself “spaced out” and merely hearing music that is playing instead of listening to it with my attention fully directed?

What is my “listening-attention spectrum’s” range? Do I sometimes “absolutely” not hear the sounds around me and sometimes “fully attend” to sounds? Or, are the extremes of this spectrum rarely experienced, and I mostly am listening with some attention to most of the sounds?

Can I consciously control this process? Can I decide to attend most of the time from now on? How long would it take me to “get good” at this?

Can I undo my patterns and begin, once again, to listen to sounds I am presently ignoring? Do I want to do this? Would it just be too distracting?

If all my life I were having a quiet message inside me being spoken, how long ago would I have stopped listening to it?

If something were infinitely always there, how quickly (and how long ago) would I have gotten so “used to it” that I could NOT pay attention to it?

How does a fish notice water?

How do I notice my self?