Rhythm Breath Meditation – Practice Guidelines

Make time to meditate.

• Set aside enough time in your daily routine for meditating. The effects of meditation are most noticeable when you do it regularly, rather than sporadically.

• Some people will find five minute meditations worthwhile, for others, th e benefits of longer meditation are well worth the time. Many people meditate for 20 minutes in the morning, and twenty minutes in the evening after work to release the stress of the day and prepare for the family or personal time.

• You can meditate at any time of day; but devise a schedule you can keep. If you find yourself having a stressful time take a five or ten minute meditation break to refresh and calm yourself, then go back to your day. These sessions are in addition to your normal meditation times. A practice schedule you can commit to is important especially in the beginning.

Find or create a quiet, relaxing environment.

It’s especially important, when you’re starting out, to avoid any obstacles to attention. Turn off any TV sets, phone or other noisy appliances. If you play music, make sure it’s calm, repetitive and gentle, so as not to break your concentration. Create a meditation corner in your home where you practice. Make it special. When your family sees you sitting there they learn to give you your space. Shhhh, Mommy’s meditating!

Sit on a cushion or a straight back chair.

• You don’t have to twist your limbs into the half lotus or full lotus position or adopt any unusual postures. The important thing is to keep your back straight, as this will help with breathing later on.

• Tilt your pelvis forward by sitting on the forward edge of a thick cushion, or on a chair that has its back legs lifted off the ground 8 to 10 cm (3 or 4 inches).

• Lift the top of the head toward the ceiling. Note how this action straightens the spine and lifts the chest. This takes a small amount of effort, but it releases the breath and keeps you focused and awake.

• Relax your arms and legs. Place the finger tips of both hands together in a circle in your lap. This is the sign of universal consciousness. Release your shoulders. Breathe.

Let your attention rest on the flow of your breath.

• Watch it, follow it, but make no judgments on it (such as “It sounds a little raspy…maybe I’m getting a cold?”). Allow the “chattering” in your mind to gradually fade away.

• Try noting the breath. When breathe comes in note it in your mind by thinking “Soo”. As breath goes out note “Hum”. A guided meditation using this technique is in the left margin. It’s helpful when you get started; discard it when you no longer need it. Don’t try to control the breath. Just watch it. The “SooHum” is not a mantra. “So” denotes the sound of the in breath, “Hum” denotes the sound of the out breath.

• Your attention will go away as the mind is buried in thoughts. When this happens gently bring the mind back to the breath. Gradually with practice the time spend asleep or buried in thought becomes shorter as you become more awake. Think of it as “Wake Up” practice and you are the “Watcher”.