Alan

focus.

Alan sat in full lotus posture, watching the breath enter and exit his nose.

focus.

His white lay robe freshly pressed and rolled, the black kesa firmly tied in place. Or was it?

Focus.

Now that he thought about it, the sash seemed to be riding his right side a little high. He knew he should have wrapped it more loosely, but at ordination the Abbott wrapped it tightly and it stayed put all day that day. If he could just pull it down a little...

CRACK.
Ow! Focus.

Alan sat, watching the breath and contemplating the sharp pain on his back from the Master's rod.
It's interesting how the mind can contemplate two distinct sensations at once. There is the breath, there is the pain. But really one should only pay attention to not-thinking, not the breath or any other sensation. Dogen is clear about this point in the Zazen gi ...

Focus! Focus!