When one composes one’s mind and looks inwards, there is a sense of coming to one point. If we are not caught in the thinking process, we can be aware of the here and now, the body, the breath, mental states, moods; we can allow everything to be what it is. The attitude of many people is that there is always a need to change something. When we practise meditation with this idea of getting something, then even the word ‘meditation’, can bring up the reaction of: ‘There’s something I’ve got to do. If I’m in a bad mood I should get rid of that mood. I’ve got to concentrate my mind.’ If the mind’s scattered and we’re all over the place, ‘I should make it one-pointed; I’ve got to concentrate.’ And so we make meditation into hard work and there is a great deal of failure in it because we’re trying to control everything through these ideas.
[Instead]….Try looking inwards with an attitude of observing whatever is present. Just notice what kind of mood or feeling you are in. So now put yourself in this position of the Buddha – Buddho, the knower—not the judge — and just look.
Ajahn Sumedho, Developing an attitude toward meditation
