More on attention

Yesterday we looked at the principle that whatever we give our attention to flourishes and becomes important in our experience. Today I want to share with you an excercise I found on line about learning to increase our actual skill in paying attention:

The poet and doctor William Carlos Williams used to carry a notepad around with him in which he listed "Things I noticed today that I've missed until today." Make his practice into an ongoing project in your home or group. Every morning, remind yourself that during the day you are going to notice something new or see a familiar sight in a new way. That evening, describe your discovery to family or friends. If you are doing this project as a group, allow time for reporting at your meetings.

I do think that's a wonderful practice. I already specifically look for things I haven't noticed before on my drive home from the Center every evening. And I think keeping a notebook as suggested here will help motivate us and will enable to remember and appreciate what we notice. Maybe we could all make a point of reporting new things we've become aware of throughout the week when we come to class at the Center. I actually think that's a terrific idea. In the meantime, why not report on those things in the comment section here on this blog.