"Did you feel some quietness, some silence?"

• Use the words "quietness" and "silence" to be sure that he is quite sure about the meaning.
  
  
  • If he says "yes" go to point #11.
  • If he says "no" go to point #8 .
  
  
• If again he says "no," say the following:

"What did you feel anything?"

• If he says "yes" (if he indicates he has some physical sensations) go to point 10A.
• If he has no physical sensations and yet no quietness go to point 10C .

" All right, let's close our eyes again, easily."

" Slowly open the eyes."

"What did you feel?"

• In most cases his answer will indicate that the sensation or disturbance has diminished.
  • If not (i.e. the physical sensation continues to dominate or has even increased) go to 10B.
  
  
• If so, ask:

"Did you feel some quietness, some easiness?"

• If he says "yes" go to pt #11.
• If he says "no" but no physical sensation go to pt #10C.

"All right, let's close our eyes and continue to feel it easily."

• (if 10B is repeated again, use 3-minute intervals)

"Slowly open the eyes."

" How does it feel now, easier?"

• If he says "no" go to pt #10B .
• If he says "yes" then say:

  "Did you feel some quietness, some silence?"

  • If he says "yes" go to pt #11 .
    
  • If he says "no" go to point #10C.

• If his answer indicates that there is no physical sensation yet he doesn't feel any quietness, ask him:

Did you have any thoughts?"

• If he says "no" go to pt #8.
• If he says "yes" then say:

"Is it due to thoughts that you don't feel some quietness when you close your eyes?"

• He will naturally say:
  "Yes."
  • (If he should say "no" go to pt. #8).
  
  
• Then we say:

"Did you notice how spontaneously, how effortlessly thoughts come?"

• If he says "yes" go to point #20.
• If he says "no" or he hesitates to say "yes" or is doubtful whether he has experienced thoughts coming effortlessly, say:

"All right, close the eyes again, just sitting easily."

" Did you have some thoughts in that quietness?"

• If he says "yes" go to point number 15.
• If he says "no" go to point number 12.

" All right, close the eyes, sit easily."

"Slowly open the eyes."

• If he says "yes" go to point #15.
• If he says "no" go to point #12.

" Fine, you felt thoughts come in the quietness."

• We want to establish in his mind that he had a thought; he must understand that intellectually. We give an expression to his experience.

" Did you notice that a thought comes effortlessly, spontaneously?"

• If he says "yes" got to point number 20.
• If he says "no" go to point number 17.

"Slowly open the eyes."

" Did you notice that thoughts come without effort?"

• If he says "yes" go to point number 20.
• If he says "no" go to point number 17.

"This is how effortlessly we should think the mantra. Now this time, when we close our eyes, sit easily and after about half a minute, begin to think the mantra in that same effortless way we think any other thoughts. All right, let's close our eyes."

"Slowly open the eyes."

"It is easy?"

• If he says "yes" go to point number 27.
• If he says "no" go to point number 23.