We are lost in thought for most of our lives. There is nothing wrong with this, thoughts are essential as rain is to the Earth. And without the blessings of this rain, the fruits of culture would simply not exist.
That being said….
My morning sitting usually occurs before my family awake. Weather permitting, I sit outdoors on the terrace in front of my home, otherwise I sit inside either in front of an open window, or in some quiet corner.
I sit on a firm chair as my handicapped knees disallow me to sit cross legged. I sit in good posture, often with open eyes, but sometimes with closed. My sitting may be a 10 – 20 minute ‘silent’ meditation, aided by a meditation timer that softly chimes every 2 minutes. This practice begins with me catching myself thinking, and then returning to open awareness.
Often, I choose to sit a 10-20 minute audio-guided meditation using my favourite meditation app, entitled ‘Waking Up’. This meditation may be concerned with open awareness, or it may be concerned with focused awareness on one aspect of sensation, for example, breath, bodily sensations, sounds, or sight.
‘Loving-kindness meditation’ (Metta) is another practice I enjoy doing. This is the practice that I also choose to use when I very occasionally manage to sit together with members of the Jedi Community Action Network.
The following is a short beginning meditation script I have adapted from an audio-guided meditation
Find a quiet place Be seated on a firm chair Take a moment to take a comfortable upright posture
Close your eyes
Take a few deep breaths Allow each in-breath to elongate your posture a little more Allow each out-breath to relax your muscles a little more
Gradually become aware of the sensations of breathing Notice where you feel the breath most distinctly. Perhaps it is through your nostrils, the rising and falling of your chest, or the expansion and contraction of your abdomen
Wherever you feel it, focus there on the pure sensations Let your breath come and go naturally. There is no need to control it. Simply feel the sensations of your breathing as closely as you can As you pay attention to your breath, you will notice other sensations of your body and sounds. Notice these things too. And then come back to the sensation of breathing. Become sensitive to what is happening in your mind. Invariably, your mind will wander.
When you catch yourself thinking, notice your thought without judgment and bring your mind back to your breath. Judgment is simply another thought. Come back to the sensation of breathing When you catch yourself thinking in either words or images, observe the thought itself
Then come back to the sensation of breathing For the last moments of this session, simply begin again Imagine your next breath is your first
Feel your next breath in its completeness
And so to the next
And now gently open your eyes and slowly begin moving your body again. …..
Please note, I am not an expert meditator, in fact I consider myself and mere novice. Although I sat with a few teachers in my tween years what little I know I has mainly been gained through an online teacher who doesn’t even know I that exist.