Meditation - moodZEN

Anyone may practice meditation; here's how. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is both easier and more difficult. Set a timer, read these instructions, and make sure you're in a place where you can unwind and try it out.  

1. Take a seat. Locate a spot to relax that is peaceful and quiet.

2. Establish a deadline. It might be beneficial to start off with a short period of time, like five or ten minutes.

3. Pay attention to your physique. It's okay to kneel, to sit loosely cross-legged, or to sit on a chair with your feet on the floor. Make sure you are secure and in a posture that will allow you to remain there for a while.

4. Feel your breath. Pay attention to how your breath feels coming in and going out.

5. Recognize when your thoughts have strayed. Your focus will inevitably go from the breath and go elsewhere. In a few seconds, a minute, or five minutes, you will eventually notice that your mind has strayed. At that point, just bring your focus back to your breath.

6. Show kindness to your straying thoughts. You shouldn't be hard on yourself or worry excessively about the ideas you can't seem to shake. Simply return.

7. Be nice to one another. When you're prepared, raise your head slightly and open your closed eyes. Look around you for a bit and listen to any noises. Take note of your current physical sensations. Take note of your feelings and ideas.

  And that's it! That is customary. You concentrate, your thoughts stray, you pull them back, and you make an effort to act as compassionately as you can (as many times as you need to).