We are in a river of time, all the time, whether we’re aware of it or not. This is pretty far from a mindfulness practice, very thinky, but is certainly a meditation on seconds. A contemplation, perhaps?

You can bring this contemplation to any sound you hear in meditation – the heater or fridge kicking on, the sound of traffic, the collection of noises on your commuter train.

• How does the sound occur?
• How does your body process the sound?
• Who made the instrument producing sound?
• What was the world like before we had this invention?

I find that these thought exercises help me rediscover the wonders of our natural world and our insane human ingenuity and industry, and are a great complement to my mindfulness practice.