Just Sit?

What happens when we "just sit", without an object of meditation (like the feel of the breath) to focus on, with nothing to help stabilize our attention?

"Choiceless awareness" or "open awareness" happens - now & then. Now & then, we observe our inner or outer experience, depending on the source of the most dominant sensation. Each perception fades, only to be replaced by another.

That's now & then. But most of the time, at least at the beginning, we worry, plan, daydream, and go over "the story of me" for the gazillionth time. And when we become aware that once again we're lost in thought, we gently let thoughts go - release and patiently open up once again to "just this, right here, right now."

There's a felt sense of tightness & constriction in both mind & body, and an overall claustrophobia-like weariness that comes from constantly obsessing about ourself. On the other hand, there's a felt sense of openness, porousness, freedom & lightness when we freely observe with acceptance (rather than anxiety & judgement) whatever arises naturally in our perceptual field. Instead of "things as they are", we usually focus our awareness narrowly, almost exclusively on "must haves" and "must avoids," which leaves out most of our inner & outer experience, and keeps us emotionally & physically tense.

Just sitting is an advanced form of meditation. It does depend on prior cultivation of at least a moderate level of concentration (some stability of awareness / some facility to notice drifting off to thoughts & returning to the object of meditation). Then we can benefit wonderfully by practicing open awareness continuously - formally, as well as informally, day & night.