Noticing with interest and enthusiasm requires observation and concentration. Object fixation is a powerful tool for stilling the mind and discovering an altered state of consciousness which can later be used as a reference. The key to success with this kind of work is to stay with it. Be willing to stick it out if the going gets a little uncomfortable. It was in those moments that I learned the most about myself and got the greatest results.
All that is required for this exercise is you and an object and you must use your powers of concentration. There are a variety of objects I used on different occasions, all of which have worked to transform my consciousness for periods of time.
Alone in my room, I prefer to stare at a lit candle. Watching the flame dancing before my eyes, seeing the metamorphosis of color and design is both splendid and spectacular. This is also a great fun thing to do with a small group of people. Sit in a circle with the candle in the center and everyone silently concentrates on the flame. Do it from five to fifteen minutes or longer if you prefer. When everyone is complete, take turns in sharing your experiences.
There is much to learn about yourself and each other.
Outdoors, there are so many things available for observation, flowers, small rocks and stones, tiny insects, leaves and wildlife, all there to gaze and concentrate on. The more intense your concentration, the more possibility there is for transformation and change. These inanimate objects appear to take on another form. I actually saw faces in flowers, creatures in stones and magical fairies dancing before me.
Another exercise I always found to be intense and rewarding is Dyads. Of course you need another person who is as willing as you to concentrate and produce a result. Sit facing each other about twelve inches apart. Stare in to each other’s faces and do not look away. Do not laugh, but notice what comes up for you. Do it for five to fifteen minutes then share your experience, one at a time, with each other.
A long time ago, an artist friend, who used an interesting technique to create huge canvases in acrylics, depicting a world of colorful characters she developed which unfolded before her eyes. She taught me the process of squinting and staring at a canvas or piece of white paper until I began to see faces and figures and shapes jumping out at me. I chose pastels to work with as I drew what I was seeing, ending up with a series of fascinating art pieces. It turned out to be a year’s work in which I drew interpretations of many of the people in my life that I needed to forgive. In the process I noticed a sense of freedom and well being replacing some of the judgments I had previously carried around with me.
