How to Meditate for People Who Don’t Meditate

I was faced with a problem.

How do I meditate when I've never really meditated before?

What was meditation really?

Do I just sit cross-legged and chant "om"? How do I know if I am doing it right?

This desire to meditate all began when I realized that it was a great way to tame my mind (click here to read how that realization came about). I have experimented at home with sitting on the floor and being aware of my breathing but somewhere deep inside, I felt there was more to it than that ...

... and there was.

After reading Making Space by Thich Nhat Hanh, I learned more deeply about meditation. I found the idea of meditating with mindfulness instead of forgetfulness surprising because I always thought meditation was about "clearing the mind" which to me meant trying to forget where I am and "getting lost" in the meditation (whatever that means). One aspect I especially enjoyed applying to my meditation are the gathas (short poems you recite during meditation).

I am going to share with you a great way for someone who normally don't meditate to begin meditating:

The first thing to do is

STOP.

Consciously stop trying to do something. When I used to meditate, I would count the breaths and view myself as moving forward towards finishing the meditation. I was so preoccupied with accomplishing my daily meditation that I wasn't really meditating, just counting my breaths and sitting there waiting for my alarm to go off to signal I was done. Knowing now that stopping is the first step, before I even get into the sitting position, I visualize myself coming to a full stop (sometimes abrupt) and just opening my senses to what is around me. What do I hear, smell, see, feel and hear? I also stop during various parts of my day even when I am not officially meditating to practice. I find the visualization of coming to a full stop very effective for me.

Having stopped, it is then helpful to mindfully

BREATHE.

Here is where I try to balance with being aware of my breathing and actually controlling my breathing. I haven't yet been able to make a fine distinction since I feel that being aware of my breathing causes me to control it. There are two gathas (both from Thich Nhat Hanh's book) that I find helpful to recite during mindful breathing:

Breathing in, I know I'm breathing in.

Breathing out, I know I'm breathing out.

and the second one that I really enjoy using when I consciously breathe is:

Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile.

I have began focusing on my breathing outside of my home meditation practice and it has been a valuable tool for me to relax my mind when I feel overwhelmed or frustrated. We know how to rest our bodies but I think many of us (myself included) don't know how to rest our minds (until now!).

As I mindfully breathe in stillness, I proceed to

SIT.

I have created a small area in the house where I sit to meditate. I sit indian-style (chrysanthemum for the people who know the lingo) mainly because it hurts when I try to sit in half-lotus (I'm not even going to attempt the full-lotus, at least not now). I keep my posture straight as if someone is pulling me up with a rope attached to the crown of my head. I am supposed to sit just to enjoying sitting but currently I am still trying to find the most comfortable sitting position and to concentrate on my posture and breathing. I am sure it will get easier with practice.

So there it is, a guide to meditation for people who don't meditate.

I'll end with this enlightening line from the book:

"Distraction only comes with forgetfulness, the absence of mindfulness."

I would love to hear about your own meditation practice and what you find helpful when you meditate.