Criterion: ‘What’s This?’

Stacking my three cushions
In the usual way,
And setting the timer
For twenty minutes,

I sat the body down
And assumed my customary posture,
Aiming for stability
And attentiveness.

‘What shall I do this time?’
‘What’s this?’ Came the unexpected reply,
And my attention turned
Towards what was happening in the body.

‘What’s this?’
The label-thought arose spontaneously,
And then gazing towards that thought,
‘What’s this?’ I inquired.

Then it occurred to me to
Turn towards the turning towards
And labeling and noticing process,
And ask ‘What’s this?’

Who knew that such bliss
Could arise from simply asking, ‘What’s this?’
And then, looking towards that bliss,
‘What’s this?’

A sense of flow arose too,
‘Flow? What’s this?’
The bliss turned into rapture,
‘Rapture? What’s this?’

The bell sounded, but the enjoyment of
‘What’s this?’ persisted all evening;
Such relaxation! Such ease!
Has not been felt in these parts
For many a day!