Here you are, ready to self-meditate, and this section offers some simple guidelines and information for your practice.

Meditation Checklist

Gather Together:

• regular time slot and amount of time
• quiet or peaceful place for your meditation
• meditation cushion, bench, or favorite chair
• distractions turned off, e.g. phone, answering machine, etc.
• comfortable attire
• comfortable sitting position
• meditation technique
• desire to meditate and diligence
• a smile

Considered Options:

• stretching before sitting (e.g. cat/cow, downward dog, cobra, lunges, cobbler/butterfly, pigeon/cradle)
• blanket, shawl, or sweater if you tend to feel chilled
• personalization objects or altar for the area

Creating a Meditation Space
It is great to have a regular spot (or maybe two) for meditation.  The space should be quiet, pleasant, clean, naturally lit, and simple – an oasis in which to meditate.  There will always be some noise, but do the best you can to find a quiet spot.  Make a comfortable seat by choosing a cushion, bench, or favorite chair.

Choosing When to Meditate
The best time to meditate is very individual, depending on your constitution and when you are alert and fresh – not worn out or overstimulated.  Consider: first thing in the morning, before bed, right after work, lunch hour or coffee break, waiting periods or other predictable idle times.

Choosing How Long to Meditate
Short, regular sessions are better than infrequent longer sessions.  You can start slowly (5 minutes) and work up to 20-60 minutes.  Remember not to pressure yourself, to meditate for the length of time that makes sense within your lifestyle.  The most important thing is to practice regularly.

Positions for Meditation
The position in which you sit or kneel should be comfortable.  Your back should be straight, with the vertebrae stacked like blocks and your head being pulled up by an invisible string.  Be a mountain or a tree. Your hands should be in a position that feels natural or is meaningful to you.  Your eyes can be closed or half-closed.

Focusing on the Breath
The breath is always available and always simple, making it the best anchor for meditation.  Focusing on the breath calms the mind and provides the stability necessary for you to cultivate concentration.  You will be studying its nuances and how it changes – and it will teach you awareness of the present moment.

Working with What Arises
When sounds become dominant and call your attention away from breathing, focus all your awareness on the experience of the sound.  Make a soft mental note of `hearing’, but do not specifically call it `car’ or `clock’ or another concept.  Attend to the sound, then let it go and return to the breath.

Working with Sensations
When sensations in the body become dominant and call your attention away from breathing, focus all your mindfulness and attention on the sensation.  Make a soft mental note of `sensation’ or `feeling’ or `ache’ or `pain’.  Attend to the sensation, then let it go and return to the breath.

Working with Thoughts and Images
When thoughts or images arise in the mind, as soon as you become aware of this, make a soft mental note of `thinking’ or `wandering’ or `seeing’.  Notice when you become aware of the thought or image – without judgment.  Be mindful of where your mind has gone, then let the thoughts or images go and return to the breath.

Working with Hindrances
When different mind states or emotions arise, especially the hindrances of desire, aversion, sleepiness, restlessness, and doubt, make them the object of awareness.  As soon as you become aware of one of these, make a soft mental note.  Do not get lost in the mind state or emotion.  Observe it, then let it go and return to the breath.

Meditating Anywhere
By visiting this site, you have chosen to meditate at your desk or in the area of your computer.  Think of this website as your guide.  The site is called self-meditation because even if you have a meditation teacher or belong to a meditation group, no one can meditate for you.  You have to meditate yourself.  You have to be able to meditate anywhere – because your time on the cushion is not the extent of your meditation.  You are on the path to making your life a meditation.

Meditation Tips

• Make sure the meditation space is well-ventilated.  An overheated or stuffy area will contribute to drowsiness.  In nice weather, you may want to meditate outside in a peaceful spot.
• Tell others: do not disturb during meditation!  Seriously.
• It is a good idea to vary leg positions from one sitting to the next, especially as you are adjusting to sitting and developing your flexibility.
• If you are not using a timed meditation at this website, set a timer or use a prerecorded timed tape or CD.
• Take three deep breaths to start your meditation.
• Relax your jaw and rest your tongue on the roof or bottom of your mouth.
• Breathe through your nose during meditation.
• To develop concentration, you can count your breaths, or note in/out or rise/fall, or use any of various other methods of training and calming the mind.  If you lose count or track, simply start again.
• If you are sleepy or restless, try walking meditation.
• The hindrances are guaranteed to come up.  Accept this, observe them mindfully, then return to focusing on the breath.
• Trust your meditation.  Do not waste time doubting or analyzing your practice, your “progress.”  Let go of expectations for results and just meditate!
• Keep meditating, day after day.  Keep coming back to the breath, time after time.  When you practice meditation, you develop mental muscles like awareness, concentration, and mindfulness.  Many people exercise their physical body regularly – and meditation  is the equivalent for your mind.
• At the end of your meditation, open your eyes gently and take three deep breaths to readjust.
• Dedicate the efforts of your meditation to benefit others. Try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.

Meditative Life

• Drop any expectations but do take note of your intentions.  Intention is the mental factor that directly precedes an action or movement.  Notice the intention to do anything mental or physical as this shows you cause and effect.  Mindfulness of intention helps you more deeply understand the mind-body connection and process as well as the basis of karma, cause and effect.
• Reflect on impermanence and change in life.  This will help you appreciate life’s preciousness.
• Realize the limitations of success and stuff and wealth.  Nothing outside of yourself gives you happiness.
• Practice not being attached.  Let go of constant desire, greed, and grasping.  Let go of constant aversion, dislike, and hate.  When the cat’s prey has escaped, it is no longer attached.
• Simplify your life.
• Cultivate patience, diligence, and perseverance.
• Practice Right Speech and Right Action.  Live with honesty and integrity.  Ask: Is what I am about to say or do beneficial to anyone?

• Sit comfortably, whatever that is for you.
• Let your eyes close gently.
• Invite your body to relax and release into the ground or cushion.
• Let go and accept the non-doing of meditation.

• Become sensitive to and listen to your breath.
• Breathe through your nose.
• Feel the air as it goes in and out of the nostrils.
• Feel the rising and falling of the chest and abdomen.
• Allow your attention to settle where you feel the breath most clearly.
• Focus there.
• Follow the breath.
• Allow the breath to be as it is without controlling it.
• See the space or pause between breaths.

• Thinking will start.
• It is a habit.
• See each thought like a railroad car of a train going by.
• See it, acknowledge it, let it go, and come back to the breath.

• It does not matter how many times you get caught up in a thought or for how long.
• Begin again and bring awareness back to the breath.
• This is your practice.
• You are strengthening mindfulness.
• Awareness of one whole in-breath and one whole out-breath is a big accomplishment.

• If a physical sensation or pain arises, do the same.
• See it, acknowledge it without getting caught up by it, let it go, and come back to the breath.

For 20 minutes, follow your breath with bare attention
When your mind wanders, stop and come back to the breath. <20 minutes pass>

As you gently open your eyes, try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.

• Sit comfortably, whatever that is for you.
• Let your eyes close gently.
• Invite your body to relax and release into the ground or cushion.
• Let go and accept the non-doing of meditation.
• Become sensitive to and listen to your breath.  Breathe through your nose.
• Feel the air as it goes in and out of the nostrils.
• Feel the rising and falling of the chest and abdomen.
• Allow your attention to settle where you feel the breath most clearly.
• Do not control the breath but allow your breath to be as it is.
• Follow the breath.
• We are going to sit for 20 minutes.
• Be aware of what is present.
• Listen to the music and relax.

Subtly note the nuances of the sounds of the music.
<20 minutes pass>

As you gently open your eyes, try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.

• Find a comfortable place to lie down on your back, but not so comfortable that you will likely fall asleep.
• Your arms lie slightly out from your sides, palms up.  Your legs should be separate and fall open relaxed.  Your eyes should be closed.
• Sense your whole body, especially the points where it touches the surface you are laying on.
• Follow your breath and then bring your awareness to your feet.  Wiggle your toes, flex and relax the feet, letting go of any tension there.
• Bring your awareness to your lower legs, slightly tensing the muscles and then relaxing them.  Do this for your thighs.  Then do this for your hips.
• Bring your awareness to your abdomen.  Think of the tension draining away, your abdomen opening and softening. Continue to follow and observe your breath also.
• Bring your awareness to your upper abdomen and ribcage, feeling the areas open and soften.  Then do this for your chest and then your neck and throat.
• Bring your awareness to your shoulders.  Feel their heaviness melting into the surface.  Do this with your upper arms, then the lower arms.  Wiggle your fingers, flex and relax them, letting go of any tension there.
• Now bring awareness to your head and face.  Feel the tension and then let it melt into the surface.
• Feel the calm now in each part of your body.  If when you scan your body from toe to head and you feel an area of tension, imagine that area relaxing.
• When you have scanned your entire body, go back to the breath.  We will continue this way for five more minutes, following the breath.

<10 minutes pass>
Now slowly wiggle your fingers and toes.  Begin to stretch your arms and legs.  Open your eyes slowly.  Gradually come to a sitting position.

Try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.

This is a simple practice.  It can be practiced regularly, with or instead of sitting practice.  It is great for after a busy day or on a lazy weekend morning.

The art of walking meditation is to learn to be aware as you walk, to use the natural movement of walking to cultivate mindfulness and be in the present moment.

Choose a place where you can walk comfortably back and forth, indoors or outdoors – at least 10 to 30 paces in length.
You may experiment with the speed on your own, walking at whatever pace keeps you most present.
This practice is done for any length of time that you wish.

You can use walking meditation to calm and collect yourself and to live more mindfully in your body.  You can extend your walking practice to when you go shopping, whenever you walk down the street or to or from your car.  This practice allows you to enjoy walking for its own sake instead of filling it up with the usual planning and thinking.

• Begin with your feet firmly planted on the ground.  Let your arms and hands rest easily.
• Close your eyes for a moment, centering yourself, taking a few deep breaths.
• Feel yourself standing on the earth. Feel the pressure of the bottoms of your feet on the ground.  Feel the sensations of standing.
• Then open your eyes and be present and aware.
• Begin to walk slowly.  Walk with ease and dignity.
• With each step feel all of the sensations involved in lifting your foot and leg up from the earth.
• Be aware as you place each foot back onto the earth.
• Relax and let your walking be easy and natural.  Be mindful of each step.
• Your mind will wander many times, just as in sitting.
• As soon as you notice this, acknowledge it, then return to feel the next step.

Whether your mind has wandered for one second or 10 minutes, simply acknowledge this and come back to being aware of the next step you take. <20 minutes>
At the midpoint of your path, pause for a moment. Center yourself and carefully turn around. Pause again so you can be aware of the first step as you walk back.
Walk simply, being truly present. <20 minutes>

At the end of the path, please pause.  Try to carry the momentum of your mindfulness into whatever your next activity may be.