"There are a few things to know before we begin," says the meditator.
• Nothing will happen to you • You will not float away • You will not imagine anything will happen to you You will not be able to stop your mind, have any mystical or miraculous experiences, or solve all of life's problems in a few moments of stillness. There are no right or incorrect ways to practice; all you have to do is sit and breathe. Expect nothing but to sit and breathe during this session.
Help People Understand Posture Before Meditation • Posture is crucial because you want to be comfortable and aware • Please sit in a chair; there is no need to sit on the floor and cross your legs • Keep your back slightly straight • Shoulders relaxed
Hands on knees or in lap • Feet flat on floor • Eyes closed or slightly open, mouth open or closed • Breathing through nose or mouth, whatever is most comfortable
Meditation for Beginners
"As we begin the meditation, I will now guide us."
• While you settle into a natural rhythm of the breath, keep in mind that you will hear sounds within and outside the room throughout the practice. These are not distractions or disturbances; they are just what is happening around us as we sit and breathe. • Begin to notice your mind as it wanders from thought to notion (30 seconds pause)
Direct the focus and attention to the stomach or chest. Feel them rise as you breathe in, and drop as you breathe out. Pause for 30 seconds
• Simply keep practicing and noticing your breath sensations (30 second pause)
Keep close eye on your thoughts as they stray. Return your attention and concentration to your breath by letting go of that notion (30 second pause)
• Breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing out, breathing (30 second pause)
• If your mind wanders, gently refocus it on your breathing (30 second pause)
• Sitting and breathing (30 second pause), letting go of any expectations or judgments about your practice.
• Inhaling deeply and noticing the rise in the stomach. Feel your stomach drop as you exhale (30 second pause)
• Developing a sense of calm in the presence of silence (30 second pause)
• Having experienced what it's like to simply sit and breathe (30 second pause)
• Slowly open your eyes and begin to move (the leader takes 3 deep breaths as well).
Meditation is followed by
The most important part of meditation practice is now, right after you realize that any sense of quiet, stillness, peace, or calm you experience, or any racing mind you may experience, has nothing to do with anything I said, has nothing to do with how you sit or cross your legs, and has nothing to do with the sounds around us. It's all about your own mind and how it reacts to a circumstance outside of yourself. What we learn from meditation practice is that this is how we live every day: things happen, we react, and then more things happen, and we react again. The majority of people react to meditation in a calm and tranquil manner.
But how do you react to the rest of your life? This feeling is very different for most of us from how we felt an hour ago, or how we will feel in an hour. We're attempting to bridge the gap between how we feel right now and how we feel all of the time. Just as determined, motivated, effective, and productive, but with a calm, concentrated mind, unaffected by anything or anyone. Meditation is difficult and unpleasant, but it is free and requires only a few minutes every day and a racing mind, which most of us have. Meditation is a direct perception into one's own thoughts, not an escape from reality.
It is from our thoughts that we are in a good mood, and from our thoughts that we are in a poor mood. Life becomes a bit easier, a little more calm, a little happier once we stop trying to change and control everything outside of ourselves and instead focus on changing our minds, hearts, and reactions to the world around us.
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