1) If I have an itch, can I scratch it?
Yes—however, first try scratching it with your mind before using your fingers.
Once you have explored a basic seated meditation practice, you might want to consider other forms of meditation including walking and lying down. Whereas the previous meditations used the breath as a focal point for practice, these meditations below focus on different parts of the body.
Try this: feel your feet on the ground right now. In your shoes or without, it doesn’t matter. Then
track or scan over your whole body, bit by bit—slowly—all the way up to the crown of your head. The
point of this practice is to check in with your whole body: Fingertips to shoulders, butt to big
toe. Only rules are: No judging, no wondering, no worrying (all activities your mind may want to
do); just check in with the physical feeling of being in your body. Aches and pains are fine. You
don’t have to do anything about anything here. You’re just noticing.
Begin to focus your attention on different parts of your body. You can spotlight one particular area
or go through a sequence like this: toes, feet (sole, heel, top of foot), through the legs, pelvis,
abdomen, lower back, upper back, chest shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck,
different parts of the face, and head. For each part of the body, linger for a few moments and
notice the different sensations as you focus.
The moment you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention to the part of the body you
last remember.
If you fall asleep during this body-scan practice, that’s okay. When you realize you’ve been nodding
off, take a deep breath to help you reawaken and perhaps reposition your body (which will also help
wake it up). When you’re ready, return your attention to the part of the body you last remember
focusing on.
Most of us live pretty sedentary lives, leaving us to build extra-curricular physical activity into
our days to counteract all that. Point is: Mindfulness doesn’t have to feel like another thing on
your to-do list. It can be injected into some of the activities you’re already doing. Here’s how to
integrate a mindful walking practice into your day.
As you begin, walk at a natural pace. Place your hands wherever comfortable: on your belly, behind
your back, or at your sides.
You cannot will yourself into particular feelings toward yourself or anyone else. Rather, you can
practice reminding yourself that you deserve happiness and ease and that the same goes for your
child, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and everyone else in the world.
This loving-kindness practice involves silently repeating phrases that offer good qualities to
oneself and to others.
When you’re new to meditation, it’s natural for questions to pop up often. These answers may ease your mind.
Yes—however, first try scratching it with your mind before using your fingers.
Only worry if you’ve stopped breathing. Otherwise, you’re doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.
No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. If closed, not too hard, and not imagining anything in particular in your mind’s eye.
When you find yourself asking that question, your meditation has officially begun. Everyone wonders that. Notice it. Escort your attention back to your object of focus (the breath). When you’re lost and questioning again, come back to the breathe again. That’s the practice. There’s no limit to the number of times you can be distracted and come back to the breath. Meditating is not a race to perfection—It’s returning again and again to the breath.
Both are great! It’s enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.
Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. If you always choose the most convenient time, it will usually be tomorrow.
No big deal. Meditation stokes the imagination. In time, every thought and sensation will pop up (so to speak). And come back. Same old story. Release the thought, bring awareness and receptivity to body sensations, bring attention back to your chosen object (the breath, in this case). Repeat.
While meditating, we don’t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. If that’s what’s going to happen, try to find a way to avoid their interrupting your practice.