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Here you look at your world in a new and different way such that when it appears as usual, you immediately know that your mind has drifted. Adding this element to almost any other eyes-open concentrative meditation can make it easier to keep a focused, present mind.

This method was cut from Matrix Meditations because we found that although some people find it poweful and useful, others just can't do it. If it appeals to you, try it for a week. By then you'll probably know whether it will work for you. If so, bon voyage. If not, forget it. (We recommend this only for an intermediate or advanced meditator.)

THE ESSENCE

Place a candle, or a flower in a vase, or any other object that is visually distinct from its background in front of you between three and twenty feet away. If you're outdoors, you can choose a large object that's more distant, like a treetop or telephone pole. Then, after you go through the complete starting sequence described in Cell 9, page 101 of Matrix Meditations, focus your attention on the object you've placed in front of you. Point at the object. focus your eyes on the tip of your finger that you're using to point. Then begin to slowly move your finger inward toward your nose, while keeping your sharp visual focus on your fingertip. As you do, in the periphery of your attention you'll probably notice that the candle or other objects divides into two objects that move farther appart as your finger approaches your nose. The closer your fingertip comes to your nose, the farther apart they get. When your finger touches your nose, the two visual images may seem quite far apart indeed. (An observer watchigng you closely would see you becoming cross-eyed as you do this. Now gradually move your finger back outward from your nose toward the object, still keeping your sharp visual focus on your fingertip. As you do, you'll probably see the two visual images move closer and closer together and eventually merge back into being a single object.

If your visual image of the object does not divide into two separate images that move apart, it means that you're keeping your visual focus on the object itself rather than on your fingertip. Look intently and carefully as it moves toward your nose. Keep practicing and within a few sessions at most you'll probably experience the phenomena just described. If you don't get the effect, then this technique is not for you.

When you can reliably see your chosen object divide into two images that move farther apart as your finger moves toward you, let your arm drop and IMAGINE your fingertip moving from the object toward your nose while keeping your visual focus on the smoothly moving location of that imaginary fingertip, and watch the object divide in two. Then IMAGINE your fingertip moving back from your nose to point at the object and watch the distance between the two divided images narrow until you see only one object.

Once you can do that, you can forget the finger entirely and simply bring your visual focus gradually from the object to your nose and watch the chosen object divide in two. Then move your focus back outward once more and watch the two objects move toward each other and merge. At that point, continue in that same way, again bringing your visual focus toward you and watching the objects separate as you inhale; then moving your visual focus away from you as you exhale and watching the two images approach each other and merge into one.

Finally, make sure the separation and touching of your fingers, or thumb and forefinger, in your moving mudra (as described in Cell 4, page 78 in Matrix Meditations) is also occurring in unison with your breathing at the same time that you're separating and bringing together the visual image of your chosen object.

VARIATIONS IN TECHNIQUE

You may find it easiest to keep your attention focused by using the method exactly as described above. Or you can experiment with keeping your visual image divided into two instead of leting them come back together when you exhale. Be alert! As soon as you notice that you're seeing just one visual object and it's not moving, that's a signal that you've almost surely drifted off into daydreams or metal chatter. Notice that you've done so, and then bring your attention back to your breathing, visual splitting, and moving mudra. (You can go back to pointing with your finger anytime you like. Some people find that it takes them days--or in certain cases even weeks--to shift their visual focus without a finger as a guide. Our optometrist tells us that this variation, and some people's inability to perceive this effect at all, results from differences in the way different people's eye-muscles work.)

POINTS IN THE PROCESS

Once you've mastered this technique, you can use it together with other methods you've already learned. Combining it with basic breath counting or mantra meditation is a good starting point. If you like, you can add in figure-eight breathing. Including this added element of visual splitting in your meditation makes it easier to maintain your concentration and to notice when your mind has wandered.

After you have this method down cold, you can try doing the same thing with a complex visual field, like a patch of forest filled with leaves and light and shadows, or a room at a party filled with many people, shapes, and colors. When you choose someone or something in the room and divide them (or it) in two as you breathe, many other things in the room will also turn double as you inhale. You can watch with amusement and perhaps even delight as you see what happens to that complex field once you uncouple your attention from its usual sharp focus. If you find yourself feeling bored and restless while meditating, one option is to witness your boredom and restlessness and discover how you're creating it. Another option is to jazz things up, entertain your mind, and deepen your concentration by moving into visual splitting.