Noticing the present without thought.
In the moments you're happily immersed, losing track of time, staying present while noticing only the breath is what leads directly into samadhi. The most important method for entering this samadhi is exactly "noticing the present without thought."
Turn the mind only to the object that is arising right now. The moment thought intervenes, the mind wanders off into the past and the future.
Don't analyze, don't discriminate, don't like or dislike. Even if a thought would be beneficial, during practice stop the thought and notice the present without thinking. For instance, if you're carrying coal briquettes and you start discriminating about their shape, you drop the one in your hands, and then you drop the briquettes coming after in succession.
When thought begins to move, notice what kind of obstacle this thought is, let it go, and cultivate the power to return quickly to the present. Then when an obstacle (desire, anger) moves, moment by moment -- at each instant -- notice it immediately, let go of the obstacle, and come back to the sensed object of the present, able to abide in it -- that wisdom arises. This wisdom is called "direct insight."
Whenever you meet some object, regardless of your own intention, you tend to habitually start discriminating. Do not discriminate unconsciously; do it deliberately, with intention.
In daily life, too, no matter what object appears, through walking or breath practice alone, let go of obstacles like desire and anger; when seeing, only see; when sound comes, only hear; when sensing, only sense; when knowing, there is only knowing. There is no liking or disliking, and there is no obstacle of a discriminating, clinging mind.
For this you need 'the power to observe your own mind (mindful awareness).' In a still posture, stand quietly, stop your breathing, and turn your mind first to the breath to notice it. In a moving posture, turn your mind to the movements of hand and foot and notice them.
