Just Fifteen Minutes Of Meditation
(Deepening Your Practice)
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 fifteen minutes (it can be helpful to set an interval bell at five minute increments to help with this practice). 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.
In this meditation I will be providing minimal instructions so that you have more room to guide your own practice.
Inhale. Exhale.
Another inhale, bring your attention to the sensations of breathing. Exhale, focus.
Again, inhale. Exhale.
Inhale, shoulders up to your ears as you stretch your spine up, sitting as tall as possible.
Exhale, drop your shoulders down and back to open your chest.
Gently rock your body forward and back. Then, gently rock your body side to side. Allow your body to tell you how to sit.
Inhale and fill up with as much air as you can.
Exhale and let your belly to relax.
•For this practice you will be using your awareness to directly experience the physical sensations of your body.
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Move from the top of your head down your face.
Focus on your ears. Focus on the back of your head. Move down your neck.
Move from right shoulder all the way down your arm to your hand, front and back.
Your left hand and up your left arm to your left shoulder.
Chest, ribs, stomach.
Upper back, mid back, low back, hips.
Right leg to right foot.
Left foot up your left leg.
Now inhale deeply. Exhale deeply.
•Begin again at the top of your head. This time, as you experience your sensations, take note if anything has changed from the last time you scanned a particular area of your body.
Your practice is simply noticing.
Move through each area of your body at your own pace and begin your scan again once you have moved through your entire body, refocusing any time that you notice you have become distracted.
Continue your scan for the next five minutes and then, for the final five minutes of your meditation period, you will shift focus.
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•Pause now wherever you are in your scanning.
Take an inhale and exhale and shift your focus onto your mind.
For the next few minutes you will be watching your thoughts, as you would watch a play on a stage. You are not involved, you are not a part of the play, you are simply an observer.
Your mind is allowed to wander, to think about whatever it likes, and your aim is to simply observe the thoughts that arise.
Continue in this way, watching and observing, for the remainder of your meditation period.
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