Like a butterfly resting on a flower (Sharon Salzberg)

Kawase Hasui Moon over the Ara River, Akabane, from the series “Twenty Views of Tokyo” (Tokyo nijukei, Arakawa no tsuki (Akabane)) 1929 AIC Bruce Goff Archive

 From Sharon Salzberg - "Balance and Begin Again" in Insight Timer

Letting experiences (starting with sounds) come and go

Don't chase after it

Let it come, let it go

let the sounds wash over you

Let your attention be like a butterfly on a flower

Just one breath at a time

don't lean forward even to the next breath

Remember that the magic moment is the moment when you realize you've been gone.

The Buddha said,

Rest your attention lightly like a butterfly resting on a flower.

And see if you can feel just one breath.

You don't have to be concerned with what's already gone by.

You don't have to lean forward for even the very next breath,

Just this one.

And the actual sensations of the breath.

If you can stay connected to the feeling of the breath,

Just let them flow on by,

Your breathing.

They can come and go,

It doesn't matter.

Here it's likened to seeing a friend in a crowd.

You don't have to shove aside everybody else and say,

Go away,

You're bothering me.

But your interest,

Your enthusiasm is going,

There's my friend,

There's the breath,