This four-part, bell sound meditation is a short guided practice led by Arthur Zajonc. For our (overdue) weekend exercise, take these ten minutes to try this contemplative meditation. Then, reflect on your experience and share your thoughts with us:

1. How did the sound of the bell help you focus your attention?
2. Did you find that paying close attention allowed you to “let go” and be openly aware?
3. How did/didn’t the voice of a guide help you in this exercise?

At Amherst College’s the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, you can find other guided meditations and Zajonc’s five-minute introduction to the bell sound meditation you heard above. Here, he describes this unfamiliar state of open awareness with a lyrical passage from the Tao Te Ching:

“Do you have the patience to wait ‘til your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving ’til the right action arises by itself? The master doesn’t seek fulfillment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present and can welcome all things.”

Updated: 2010.07.14 with stricken language.