Meditation as a Flashlight
Consider the two primary types of meditation, like a twistable flashlight that you use to navigate in the dark. Twisting the flashlight one way narrows the beam, making it more powerful and focused - this is akin to meditation that hones in on focused attention. Here, you're zooming in, shedding a concentrated beam of awareness on a singular point, whether it's your breath, a phrase, or a particular sensation.
Twist the flashlight in the opposite direction, and the beam widens, illuminating a larger space but with a softer glow. This mirrors the other type of meditation that emphasizes open awareness. Here, rather than focusing narrowly, you're zooming out, expanding your awareness to soak in the whole panorama of your experience, embracing whatever comes into the light of your attention.
Both the narrow, intense beam and the broad, gentle glow of the flashlight serve useful purposes, depending on what you're trying to explore or understand. In the same vein, both focused attention and open awareness meditation techniques have their unique benefits and can shed light on different aspects of your inner self. Practicing both can equip you with a versatile toolset to illuminate the various corners of your consciousness, promoting a more comprehensive understanding and fostering greater inner peace.
As you proceed to try each of the meditation techniques in the challenge, consider how each one falls into one of these two categories.
