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Decide ahead of time how long you plan to meditate, and try to keep that commitment. At the beginning, keep the meditation under thirty minutes. Don’t push yourself

Wear clothing that is comfortable and loose. You don’t want a tight belt to become the focus of your meditation.

As you prepare to meditate, bring a sense of moderation, restraint, and self-discipline with you. Approach the meditation session (and the world outside) with reverence and respect.

Prepare yourself mentally for meditation by trying to let go of images or things that bring to mind what you crave or desire. This isn’t always easy to do, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. Even trained masters have lamented some of the images that come uninvited to mind while meditating.

During your meditation sessions, practice contentment. We are very fortunate in being able to meditate; it is a gift we give ourselves. We try to cultivate gratitude for what we have been given.

Make the effort to let go of discursive thinking and compulsive, obsessive thoughts. Notice repetitive, compulsive thoughts and the familiar stories we tell ourselves. Label them as “that old tape again” and return to the object of your concentration.

Cherish the simplicity and quiet of meditation. Nothing is missing. Enjoy the richness of the present moment.

BODY AND BREATH

Traditionally we learn to meditate while sitting. Meditators are often seen cross-legged in a lotus or half-lotus position, often using a cushion beneath their backsides. However, a cross-legged position isn’t necessary. You can also sit in a straight-backed, comfortable chair. Here are some basic instructions:

Straighten your body and sit erect. Don’t lean to either side, and try not to bend forward or backward. Let your shoulders drop naturally.

Try to keep your nose in line with your navel and keep your head placed so that your ears are over your shoulders. Keep your head on straight.

Let your tongue rest lightly on the roof of your mouth, with lips and teeth gently closed.

Place your hands in your lap or on your knees.

Keep your eyes closed or half closed.

Allow yourself to experience some spaciousness, ease, and clarity, letting the mind settle naturally into its own natural state.

Begin by breathing in through the nostrils, then out through the nostrils. Concentrate on the physical sensation of air going in and out the nostrils. Simply observe your breathing at that very sensation point, and focus on nothing else. Connect to your present experience by maintaining contact between your mind’s concentrated attention and that sensation of breathing.

Whatever occurs while you are meditating—noises, an itchy foot, a memory, be it pleasant or unpleasant—let it go and return your focus to the breathing.

Keep your body still and your breathing free and easy.

Stay loose, open, and accepting.

Enjoy the moment.

WHAT WE MEAN BY

“LET GO OF YOUR THOUGHTS”

“But what do I do with my thoughts?” is a question I often hear. Some people think meditation is about suppressing thoughts, trying not to think, or even seeking oblivion. This is a major misconception. Meditation is about bringing awareness to whatever is, in the present moment. It is about knowing reality. In meditation we bring awareness to everything, including our thoughts and feelings. We are cultivating present moment-to-moment awareness. We want to be conscious, awake, and aware—not oblivious. Because of our meditation training, we will be better able to notice and appreciate the flowers coming through the cracks in the sidewalk. We will be better able to find joy in the children playing at the beach with their tiny shovels and plastic pails.

Of course you will have thoughts in meditation. Thoughts arise all the time, like waves on an ocean. You don’t have to iron out the ocean. Just notice the waves as they arise and disappear on the ocean’s surface. In meditation, we maintain that same attitude regarding our thoughts. We observe the process of thinking. We notice