The wide angle lens of attention

Find a viewpoint from which you can see a “good distance”. The greater the distance the better, and if it involves looking out a window, that’s okay. If you can see the horizon, that’s ideal. Daytime is best.

Pick an object that is moving and that is one of the farthest objects from you. This may be a leaf on a distant tree, a boat on the lake, a crop circle forming, whatever.

Now stare at this object and note how little of your field of vision it takes up. Decide an approximate percentage.

While you are watching this object with your physical eyes being focused upon it, note that other objects are also quite clearly delineated by your mind as separate “entities” which are not the object of focus but nonetheless discernible.

While still focused on the distant object, mentally note at least five other objects that are at varying distances from you. Note that these objects, especially the nearest of them are not as “in focus” as the distant object.

While still focused on the distant object, note that this “trip” that you take is done without moving your eyes to focus on the other individual objects, but instead it is a mental adjustment of your attention-in that your eyes stay fixed, but your mind can know that the other objects are “there” and have definite qualities of color and shape and distance that are easily observed.

Note that these other objects have emotional value to you that is also separately distinguishable.

Note other moving objects within this same field of view. Note how these and other objects are “alluring” to the eye which “likes” to shift its attention to moving objects and colorful objects.

Note that there are at MANY objects! Estimate the number.

Note that each object in your field of view, must necessarily be represented within your physiology by individual processes; for instance, the moving leaf, the bird that flies by, the cloud, UFOs, etc. are ALL happening simultaneously within your mind as separate “events” albeit seamlessly integrated into a single “picture”. Note that this must mean that your nervous system is able to maintain a huge number of separate “hunks”, and yet effortlessly the scene “makes sense”.

Practice “traveling around” your field of view while remaining focused on the one distant object.

Ask yourself,What is a separate thought? How do I have so much going on in my mind and yet it seems like everything comes “one at a time”?

Can I have more than one thought or emotion at a time? What would be the payoff if I could “skillfully use” two thoughts or emotions at once?

When I am having an intense emotion, is this like a part of me focusing on an object? Can I learn to “travel around” my “emotional field of view” when I am having an “emotional attack” that predominates? What would be the payoff to becoming skilled at this?

WHO decides where my attention goes? How do all these things get sorted out, and then spontaneously my attention is directed from one to the next? Why does my intellect and heart so seldom complain about the choices?

When I put my attention on something within my body, how far is it from where I am? What’s the farthest I can “see” out/into the world of inner sensations? Would the horizon within me be recognized as such?

If I focus on the faintest sensations, is that strengthening my skill to do so?

What would the payoff be to be able to amplify my awareness of everything subtle?

When God speaks to me, can I hear the whisper?