Basic Meditation

by Cina Hoey | Mar 13, 2017

“…meditation, properly performed, prepares you to meet the ups and downs of existence. It reduces your tension, fear, and worry. Restlessness recedes and passion moderates. Things begin to fall into place, and your life becomes a glide instead of a struggle.”

– Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

People often tell me that they would love to start meditating, but are not quite sure how to begin. There was a great article in the New York Times recently on developing a meditation practice, but I will give you a brief overview of mindfulness meditation here if it is new to you.

I want to begin by clearing up the most common misconception – that you have to completely clear your mind and get rid of all thoughts in order to meditate properly. This could not be further from the truth. Even Buddhist monks would agree that this is simply not possible. What makes us a unique species is our capacity for intelligence, emotion, and thought. Our brains are working constantly, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we are at the top of the food chain, we make new advancements daily, and we continue to evolve, change, and grow. A curse because when we sit down to meditate, our minds don’t shut up!

No worries. Release any expectations you may have. You are about to learn how to let it go and let it be in just a few very simple steps:

Pick a place where you will not be disturbed

Eliminate as many distractions as possible – put your phone on silent, turn off the TV, and if you have a cat (or other pet) that loves to sneak up on you and bite your toes like mine does, you may want to make sure they are not in the room!

Get comfortable

I recommend sitting up straight with folded legs, but any seated posture will do – try to sit upright without leaning back on the seat of the chair or wall behind you – this will help you to stay awake and alert

Try to get in a position that you feel you can sit in for a little while without having to move (discomfort and pain will hinder your concentration)

You may want to invest in a meditation cushion, however any time I find myself cushionless (traveling, at someone elses home, etc.) I usually just snag a cushion off of a couch or chair and put it on the floor. Sitting in a chair is absolutely fine if sitting on the floor is unrealistic for you physically

Pay attention to your breath

Take a few deep breaths and then just begin to breathe naturally

Notice the air going in and out of your body. Notice all sensations associated with breathing. Do not try to control your breath in any way – just notice it – in your chest, belly, throat, nose, etc. Stay with those sensations for as long as you can

Notice what takes your attention away

Distractions are inevitable – just notice the essence of it, any sensation, thought, feeling – and see whether or not you can let it pass easily, like clouds in the sky or leaves on a stream. No judging. Just watching.

Bring your awareness back to the breath

Repeat!

This is it. Breath, distraction, breath, distraction. Meditation, much like the rest of our lives, is the simple act of starting over time and time again. We slip up, get distracted from the moment, and we need to find our footing again. Challenge yourself to do this daily for however long you can. Even one minute a day can be beneficial if that is all you can manage.

Your mind will come up with all sorts of things to distract you – shopping lists, hunger, fantasies, obligations, memories, and so on. Do not be alarmed, we are blessed to have such active imaginations. Every distraction is an opportunity to wake up. To come back. To begin again. Just keep bringing the attention back to the breath. I will talk more about how to handle distractions in a later post.

This is a very brief and basic overview of breath meditation. There are many different ways to meditate, different objects to focus on, this is only one. Find what works for you and fit it in when you can. Remember, the length of the meditation is not your main concern – even one minute is better than no minutes!

Good Luck!

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Written By Cina Hoey

Cina is a licensed therapist, meditation teacher, and energy healer. She is most passionate about blending traditional and non-traditional practices to help her clients achieve peace and healing.