Here is a little exercise you can try for yourself using a sport’s match or some kind of competition.
In this example, I am going to use tennis, but you use what you like. Why its good with tennis, is because its 1 vs 1 (unless it’s doubles obviously), since not so much going on like in a team sport.
Let’s say in this example the match that is being observed is Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic.
The first thing to note is that in most cases your mind has already chosen a favourite for you to cheer for, this is because the mind loves to take sides. Remember, it separates oneness into dualities. Just let this play out naturally though. This is especially powerful when you watch a match where you have a clear favourite.
The key to focus on here in this meditation exercise is watching yourself observing the match.
Become aware of all the little things your mind is doing as you are watching this match. The sensations going on, the feelings that are present, the thoughts coming in, the emotions, the excitement, the anxieties, etc. Most likely you wont be able to just observe, you will be sucked into the additions that are being added to the moment. The mind will bring all sorts of these overlays onto reality, such as: judgements, analysis, ideas, commentary, beliefs, etc. Just observe these things from a birds eye view rather than just being consumed by them as if they are true. Also, do not fight them. Just allow them to be like rough water is. It will settle if you don’t disturb it.
Ideally you want to come to the point where you can just allow what is to be and not get sucked into adding your own shenanigans to the match. The fact is that there is two humans just playing this game we have called tennis, but even that is additions. Can you see that in actuality all there really is, is awareness? That’s it!
Can you just bask in the awareness of this moment? All the happenings, internally (feelings, thoughts, sensations) and externally (the match, your favourite player, your rival, the commentary from the tv, the sounds, the visuals) These are all just happening in your present experience. Don’t try to change them, or even understand them, or classify them, just let them be there how they are.
See, usually, you are just occupied in all the things that your mind adds on top of the moment. In a tennis match you might like something about one player and dislike things about the other- their strokes, their movements, the way they look, the way they handle themselves, the things they said in interviews, the way they make you feel, etc. But see, this is all extras that you bring to this moment.
Can you notice that you are never just totally in pure awareness of all the happenings, you instead are making stories, trying to make sense of the happenings that are going on. But that is just an overlay and it is useful and fun, don’t get me wrong, but if you seek to connect with God, Truth, Consciousness (I use these all synonymously here) then you need to once again just become aware of what is fundamental and not just be occupied with your mind’s additions, which is what most of humanity is trapped in. If that’s where you live from, then you will be occupied in duality all your life and never realize that life and death are also a duality and you will always be afraid of death, while clinging to its opposite, life. Or, you will always be fighting “evil” with “good”, and not realize that it’s impossible because all of these are just one thing.
This simple switch of just becoming pure awareness doesn’t seem valuable, but you are very mistaken if you believe that. Nobody will convince you of this, or teach you in school, you just have to try it for yourself. It’s a practice and if taken on, it will bring you peace.
Once you make the merge within yourself, then go ahead and play whatever game you want. Overlay on top of reality all the grandiose things you want because then you will be able to play, but still deep down you will know that you are creating this fantastical world for yourself with whatever additions you choose to add.
You can love Federer and hate Djokovic (or the other way around), you can argue who is the best ever, you can get so totally involved in anything you want because it’s fun to create the stories that compel you to live your best life.