Quick Guide on How to Get Started on Meditation

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To get started on meditation, just follow these steps:

Just Sit: Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what
happens. Don't pick up the phone, don't answer the doorbell, don't add
another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise
and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it
is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn
something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the
ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the Sounds of Life: Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds
percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive
attitude. At first, you'll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over
time, you'll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned
out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or
resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the
present deepens.

Practice Bare Attention: Notice the raw sensations of the present
moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and
ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the
shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your
experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment
will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into
the here and now.

Follow the Breath: Attach your mind to the breath. While you're breathing in,
note that you're breathing in, and while you're breathing out, focus on the
exhalation. Don't manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your
mind's eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of
the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find
that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the
breath and begin again.

Use a Mantra: Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem,
and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a
quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has
wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words
you've chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice Kindness: As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone
you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your
mind's eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your
skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.