Dear friends:

I found very interesting as a practice to notice what I'm thinking or what I'm paying attention to, but not being carried away by it, to see thoughts as "clouds passing in the sky" as the famous metaphor goes. It is specially helpful to realise non-self: when I see my "monkey mind" jumping from one subject to the other it is easier to accept that maybe there is no da5id at all...
I do enjoy it specially while walking. So while I'm going from point A to point B my attention is caught by noises, other people passing by, stuff in shops, posters, traffic lights changing colors... you name it.
Interestingly -or not- I found it much more difficult than paying attention to my breathing. In less than five minutes I rapidly get caught by what my consciousness is paying attention to, so instead of watching the clouds in the sky I start running to catch them. I can watch two or three posters just noticing what they say, but the fourth will rapidly get me thinking about what it says, and start pondering, feeling attachment or rejection and plop! concentration is gone.

So my question is: is there some sort of formal meditation to work on that or some tricks to make it easier? The general concept I know: let your mind wander without attaching to any thought, but it is easier said than done!

Thanks a lot for your help

Gassho

Da5id