Q. Hi, I hope this e-mail finds you well. I’ve been practising pure awareness on the cushions every day for the last few months alongside metta bhavana and visualisation practice. I find the practice is enriching and seems like a necessary addition to my spiritual life. I find your comments regarding the hara very helpful and much of the practice seems to be bringing awareness ‘home’ to the hara. At times the experience of doing this simple practice is very energising, powerful and balancing. Sometimes I seem to be aware of my bodily energy in a very different, more alive way. Energy blockages in the neck, shoulders and heart areas start releasing. I find when this happens I want to bring my awareness to these areas to try and release the energies there, but then I remember that I need to bring my awareness ‘home’ to my hara. When I do that, the intensity of energy in the shoulders, neck or heart goes. I can feel a bit dull or disappointed as everything seems so ordinary again, and I wonder if I have missed an opportunity to integrate these energies, which are strong but not centred in the hara. Any comments would be appreciated.

A. You generally cannot release energy by just giving it attention where it happens to be. The best way to work with these experiences is to go to the area with your awareness and ‘drag’ the energy down to the hara with your awareness. By doing this you are returning the wanderer to its home. Once it is there, keep it there, and in this place learn to abide and return throughout your day. In time you will be able to cultivate your meditation in this place as well. This is integrating. There is nothing for you to ‘do’. Just be ordinary.

If you feel disappointed, I can only think that you must be expecting something. Maybe somesort of reward or insight? Learn not to go down that route, because I can guarantee you will always be disappointed. Just cultivate the meditation and practice in general without seeking reward, this is the Dharma Mind. For sure, fruit will come from correct practice, but when it will come and in what form is something you will never be able to predict.