On a small cliff near Kaitalampi, Espoo, 60 minutes, +1ºC/+34ºF

13.2.2014, Forenoon

First, my attention goes towards sounds. I can hear the cars driving by. Some ice fishermen are talking to each other on the pond. There is a construction site somewhere far away. I can hear sounds of heavy machinery. I’m thinking how hard it is to get away from soundscape of humans.

Birds are singing. The sun is shining. It feels good to be out here. Many times during the session a phrase comes into my mind: “This is a day well spent.”

I hear someone walking on the snow. This makes me alert. Maybe the fishermen are walking on ice, but I can’t see anyone. There is the familiar sensation of being afraid that someone sees me and do not understand what I’m doing here. I observe these sensations for a while and little by little they are gone.

At some point I open my eyes and see little birds flying from tree to tree under the cliff I’m sitting. I’m curious what birds they are. I can hear the hum when they are flying. In tree near me there is a small bird with a sharp beak. It is climbing the tree upwards with its feet. Maybe it is trying to find something to eat from the bark of the tree. I feel happy to see this. There is curiosity and some kind of gentleness in this sensation.

At some point my concentration gets better. I start to observe some kind of flames I can see my eyes closed. There is some kind of sensation of relaxation and surrender. At the same time I’m thinking am I forcing myself into different mind state, but it doesn’t feel that way. I watch these luminous images in my sight for a while. At some point I notice that I have opened my eyes. I see the scenery very sharply. The earlier sensation of concentration is gone. If I compare, the earlier mind state felt softer. This present one is somehow harder and ruder. There is some kind of lack of warm emotions. 

In the very end of the session I keep my eyes closed again and see some kind of yellow plasma in my sight. My mind is peaceful. I’m quite surprised when the bell rings. The time went by very fast. This was a great day trip: a day well spent.