Thoughts as Tools of Meditation
Before you start your practice, find a relatively quiet place to sit where you will be uninterrupted.
You will also need a timer, set for four minutes. You can use a timer on your phone, an app,or a simple kitchen timer.
Obviously, you cannot read and meditate at the same time. So briefly read through this document before you begin each session.
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•Once you have sat down and begun your timer, close your eyes.
Take a deep breath, focus on the air filling your lung. Exhale, and feel all of the air leaving your body.
Inhale, and zero in on the sensation of the air moving across the skin of your nostrils. Exhale, and feel the air passing through your nostrils.
Inhale and lift your shoulders up toward your ears, stretching your spine up to the sky; grow as tall as possible.
Exhale and gently drop your shoulders down and back to open your chest. Your posture should be tall and open, not forced or strained.
Gently rock your body forward and back until you find a spot that is comfortable. Then, gently rock your body side to side to find your spot. Allow your body, not your mind, to tell you how to sit.
Finally, take another big inhale and push your belly outward in an exaggerated fashion, filling it with air, pushing your abdominal muscles to their limit.
Exhale, and allow your belly to relax into a comfortable resting position.
•To anchor your awareness, you will be focusing on the physical sensations of breathing.
Find one, particular sensation to focus on that allows you to track and stay aware of your breath.
This can be the skin around your nostrils or upper lip as you inhale and exhale. This can be the expansion and contraction of your lungs or the pressure you feel in your belly as you breathe. Bring all of your awareness to the one, particular sensation you have chosen.
To keep yourself attentive, you will be counting your breaths: 1 on the inhale, 2 on the exhale, 3 on the inhale, 4 on the exhale … and so on until you count to 10. As you count, keep focusing on the physical sensation of your breath.
When you count all the way up to 10, begin over with 1 on the next inhale. Continue in this fashion, focusing on the sensation of your breathing as you count…
•Remember that it is normal for your awareness to shift and for your mind to wander.
It is your mind’s job to look around and notice and inquire, so if it wanders it is only doing its job.
Whenever you notice that your mind has wandered, take a deep breath and let that be your count of 1, exhale and 2, inhale and 3, and so on …
It is always okay to bring yourself back to awareness and begin again. This is what you are learning to practice, the ability to get back on track and start anew.
Continue in this fashion until your timer signals the end of the four minutes, but do not end your meditation just yet.
•Bring your awareness to your mind and give your mind permission to wander.
For the next minute allow thoughts to spontaneously arise and if your mind wants to follow the thought it can. Simply pay attention.
Watch and see if you can notice when the thought arises, how it arises.
Watch and see if you can notice when your mind is carried away by the thought, how it is carried away. You are the observer of your own mind, learning how to use your attention and focus and your thoughts are the way you learn.