Find a Friendly Focus

You are your own teacher.  
Investigate yourself 
to find the truth 

- inside, not outside.

-Ajahn Chah

Take a break.

Get the pen and notebook. Walk into a garden or natural setting. Feel the energy to write into a variety of wonders.

Begin with your creative awareness. Write your mood or feelings at the top of the page.

Breathe in a count of four and out four. Repeat.

Focus on colors. Notice the edges, shapes, and shadows above. How does the green with its veins provide a background?  Imagine the life of a bee.

Move into the flow of your writing and let the words spread across the page. 

Discover surprises in scents and sounds. Absorb the breeze or temperature's sensations.

Gaze upward. Describe the color blue without using a color.

List five sensations that make you happy.

Write about what you take for granted.

Let notions change their course. Move your mind into ocean of waves. Imagine the variety of creatures who will come to visit.

Characterize them. Add a tint of humor to the seahorse who dances with its curled tail or the octopus with giggly eyes. Let the seagull spout its wisdom.

Continue to write and develop your private world.

Stop. Breathe in and out with the four count.

Write your current feelings or mood. Notice a difference from what you wrote on top of the first page.






Keep your friendly focus as you move into the rest of the day.