Today we begin our exploration of CONCENTRATION with something you’ve known how to do all of your life: breathe. This practice entails paying attention to each in-and-out breath, and when your mind wanders (and it will because, that’s natural), noticing whatever has captured your attention, then letting go of the thoughts or feelings [by smiling] without berating yourself for having wandered.
You then begin again: return to focusing on your breathing. In this way, the meditation trains us to stay in the present moment in front of us instead of reliving the past or worrying about the future. It also teaches us how to be gentle with ourselves and others, to forgive our lapses and move on by coming back to the present. [Smile.] More + AUDIO
- TIP: It can be very supportive to establish a physical space that you can use every day for your practice. This meditation corner could be in your bedroom or office; in the basement or on the porch. Wherever you practice, pick a place where you can be relatively undisturbed during your meditation sessions.
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Real Happiness?
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| Hey, look at that. You're doing it, happily. |
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are
Sharon Salzberg, a pioneer in the field of meditation and world-renowned teacher acclaimed for her down-to-earth style, wrote Real Happiness, a complete guide to starting and maintaining a meditation practice.
Beginning with the simplest breathing and sitting techniques, and based on three key skills — concentration, mindfulness, and lovingkindness — it’s a practice everyone can do that can transform our lives by bringing us greater resiliency, creativity, peace, clarity, and balance. More
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