What is my practice? It is to use as much of my day as possible to become deeply aware of the intimacy I have with the world. It is to be mindful of an experienced intimacy I have with every one and every thing.
My practice is to try to be fully aware of everything I experience: the firm softness of the carpet when my feet first touch the floor, the warm water flowing over me in the shower, the cold hardness of the granite counter.
To practice this kind of mindfulness, I have to experience some degree of intimacy. My senses are key to mindfulness because they are the most foundational of my perceptions. My senses are the doorway through which I experience my intimate world. I first must experience the natural connection with that world . I can perhaps imagine a sensory awareness, but I typically choose to go through the common sensory portals available to physical me.
I practice with my senses. It is like a form of exercise. I deliberately touch, I deliberately taste and smell, I deliberately look at what is before me. This allows me to experience intimacy with whatever I am near.
Being able to be mindful of the sensory experience of intimacy actually enhances the experience of intimacy. I may be lightly aware of he softness of the carpet, but when I am mindful of that experience, my senses become more focused and alert. I taste more intently, I look more deeply. Experience of intimacy grows with mindfulness, even while mindfulness depends on the experience of intimacy. This grows with practice.
It is my intention to practice a deep experience of intimacy with the world and to be deeply aware of that experience. I want to share that practice with others. I want to connect with anyone who has a similar intention of mindful intimacy.