Sitting mindfulness meditation practice is generally referred to as ‘meditation’. When we meditate, we remove ourselves from external distractions, which allows us to observe our inner experience of life, our relationship with life, without the added complexities and disturbance of relating with the outside world. Learning to be mindfully aware in these circumstances helps us greatly in being mindfully aware during the rest of the day. Sitting practice also allows for deep, conscious penetration toward truth.
Meditation is not an attempt to change or achieve anything – it is to observe whatever is without motive – without judgement, denial, expectation, attachment, emotion, or identification.
Time and place
Try to practice at the same time(s) each day, and in a place where you won’t be interrupted. Decide how long you will practice for before you begin, and stick to that even when the practice is challenging. 10 -15 minutes is ok to begin with, but hopefully you’ll be so pleased with the results that you’ll want to do more. It’s important to practice whatever mood we’re in, so discipline is needed on the occasions that we don’t feel like it.
Are you sitting comfortably?
The body and mind are linked – the mind influences the body and the body influences the mind. So by adopting a particular posture for meditation, we teach the mind that this is the calm-mind, still-body position – that it‘s time for meditation. Our posture should be relaxed; so let go of any tension, paying particular attention to the jaw, shoulders, and mind. You can sit cross legged on a cushion, on a meditation stool, or a straight backed chair with your feet flat on floor. It’s important that the spine is straight, which aides focus, allows energy to flow within the body, and assists the higher energies to drop down through the body.
Close your eyes; roll the tongue back so that its underside touches the roof of the mouth (this helps energy to flow and symbolises taking our awareness within); place your hands in your lap with both palms facing up and the right hand on top of the left. Put the tips of the thumbs together to form a circle within the thumbs and forefingers (this circle symbolises the oneness of life, and the pressure on the thumbs releases chemicals that help to calm and balance the mind). Breathe through the nose (which encourages deeper, inner awareness than breathing through the mouth); and remain in the same position unless it becomes very uncomfortable (a still body helps to still the mind). After a little practice, it takes just a second or two to be comfortable and ready to begin.
Focus and breath
We cannot know the present moment by seeking it, because it exists beyond the desires of the thinking mind. However, by maintaining a relaxed focus, we still the incessant chatter of our thoughts and allow our awareness to naturally enter the present moment. There is no better focus than the breath. It is the link between the soul and the body, the bridge between the unconscious and the conscious – the guide home to present moment awareness. Its transformational power is amazing and is available to us all when we focus on it. As such, the breath is central and key to our awakening.
Mindfully mad
The first stage of being mindfully meditative is to become aware that we are unaware of what is going on within ourselves – aware that we are unaware! The second, is to realise the constant stream of repetitive and harmful, unconscious thoughts that we have. Meditation does not make us mad – it makes us aware of our madness! Until we start to become more mindful, when a thought arises, we identify with it (believe that it is who we are). With practice, we learn to realise when we have identified with the thought, and that realisation naturally breaks the identification – an ability which permeates into daily life.
During practice
Life is inclusive, and so is meditation; so maintain a relaxed focus, not a rigid concentration that excludes all else. The key to the practice is to maintain the focus, and return to it when you realise that the mind has wandered. When this happens, briefly acknowledge whatever you are thinking about (or that you had become unconscious, sleepy) and return gently to the focus. Whatever came up can be contemplated later if necessary. When the mind wanders, it will gain energy with time and become increasingly difficult to bring under control, so return your attention to the focus as soon as you notice that you have left it.
By repeatedly coming back to the focus, we break the distracting, habitual patterns of the thinking mind, and we create a new pattern of being focused on what is, aware of the present moment.
Breathe naturally; don’t strain, hold, or push – relax and allow. Through awareness, the breath will become naturally long, slow, and deep – free of mental and emotional influences, such as fear or anger, which have a profound impact on the breath. However, just let your breath be as it is and it will become natural naturally!
Be patient with yourself; each and every time that you come back to the focus, having realised that the mind has wandered, you are being mindful of what is – present. So try not to be disheartened if you are frequently bringing your attention back to the focus – it’s just part of the practice.
You may wish to begin by offering a prayer of thanks for all the blessings in our life, which helps to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. And a nice way to finish, is to bring the energy that you have cultivated to the heart (by placing the hands in the prayer position) and to offer the benefit of the practice to someone or a situation of your choosing.
When you finish your practice, take a little time to appreciate the inner stillness and peace of the meditative state, and continue to do so for as long you can, which will help to incorporate its benefits into everyday life.