Basic Training For Beginning Meditation Practice – Breath-Watching
I was recently asked by a reporter from a national magazine about basic good practices for beginning meditation. The following are responses to questions she asked on basic beginning meditation practice.
Where is the best place to practice for beginning meditation?
The best place to meditate is wherever you feel most comfortable. Obviously, if one feels most comfortable meditating outside, weather can be an issue. If you are meditating inside, which I do daily, a simple, quiet space is best. This usually is either a chair or a cushion in the bedroom. As a beginner, I suggest starting on a comfortable chair with a firm back so that you can put your feet flat on the floor. I recommend some light, but not a real bright light. The exception is natural light, which is always preferred. Some people find beginning meditation practice at a meditation center like Providence Zen Center in Cumberland, RI, helpful. It is also the site of one of my counseling and life coaching practices.
Exploring different meditation and mindfulness techniques is recommended, Tich Nhat Hanh is a great resource. Thomas Merton was also beneficial in my early training. Insight Meditation Society does good work with beginning meditation training. If you are looking for a local beginning meditation teacher, I encourage you to research how many years or decades they have practiced and taught beginning meditation. Ten years or more is suggested.
When is the best time of day to practice for beginning meditation?
Morning meditation is suggested for a couple of reasons. Evening meditation can be hard for beginners due to fatigue. For meditation to be successful, one needs to be alert and not doze off during meditation sessions. Mornings are also helpful since they give us the opportunity to clear and focus our minds at the beginning of our day. This supports the best version of ourselves to be present for others. A focused 10-15 minute session is where I started and recommend. It offers enough time to become uncomfortable, forcing us to pay attention to whatever is making the most “noise” in our heads. After maybe six months or a year, expanding the practice to 30-45 minutes is great, but 10-15 minutes in the beginning is enough.
Is there a best beginning meditation for people just starting to meditate?
Breath-watching is a simple mindfulness practice of counting your breaths from the number 1 to 10, then returning to one again. Many consider this the best way to begin meditation. Repeat this again and again as your basic beginning meditation practice of mindfulness. If you find your mind wandering along the way, return to one and begin again with no judgment. If you lose count, go back to one again and start there. Instead of fighting what your mind wants to think about work, life’s challenges, or the rest of your day, I encourage you not to judge how well you think you are doing at the beginning of meditation. Just return to one and begin again. This practice of not judging or criticizing ourselves for what and how we think we are doing translates well into our regular lives. We learn to acknowledge thoughts and feelings that come up and start again with whatever we are doing as an active mindfulness practice. I know that meditation and mindfulness are often marketed as relaxation techniques, and they can be. I find meditation and mindfulness most helpful in reprogramming and training our minds to be present during the other 23 hours of our lives! For me, this is the true benefit of meditation, not necessarily the time while sitting.
Example: Breathe in – one, breathe out – two, breathe in – three, breathe out – four, breathe in – five, breathe out – six, breathe in – seven, breathe out – eight, breathe in – nine, breathe out – ten. Breathe in – one, etc.
How hard is beginning meditation practice?
Meditation is not easy, no matter how many pictures you see of monks smiling and perfect young women without pores who look like they’re experiencing cosmic bliss. It is hard, needing continual effort and commitment. In fact, if it comes easy to you in the beginning, chances are you’re not investing enough into your practice.
Is there a best practice after beginning meditation sessions?
Allow yourself a few minutes after your meditation practice to transition to the rest of your day. Similar to a “cooling off period” after a workout. This allows our mind and body to transition. I schedule the “extra” few minutes into my practice to make sure I leave myself enough time. I do not want to finish a meditation session and scramble or scurry around the house trying to “make up” for these important few minutes. I invite you to create space for “breathing in” your experiences before moving to your next activity.
When did you start beginning meditation practice?
I began meditating in 1999 while going through an incredibly turbulent time in my life. I started at about 10 minutes a day. Over the next few years, my meditation practice kept increasing till I reached 45 to 60-minute sessions. In the last 15 years, I’ve probably only missed one or two days of meditation practice. I am incredibly grateful for the experiences, not that it is easy. Today my meditation practice is typically one to one and a half hours per day.
I often feel like I come from the Shaquille O’Neal School of Meditation. For those of you who do not follow sports, Shaquille O’Neal was a basketball player who was fouled often and shot many free throws, more than any other player in history. One would assume that since he was a trained, professional athlete who wanted to master his craft, Mr. O’Neal would excel at free throw shooting or at least be proficient based on the amount of practice and repetition he had. He never achieved even mediocrity as a free throw shooter. I have always felt that this is my experience as a meditation practitioner. Just because I do it a lot doesn’t mean I am any good at it! I certainly am more competent and skilled than when I started, but mediation practice is a practice and not a perfection, at least that is my experience, and it informs my teaching.
Do you offer beginning meditation training?
Yes, I do! I’ve trained individuals and groups in meditation since the early 90s and continue to do so today. I enjoy the opportunity to support people in their need for health and peace through meditation and mindfulness practices. I think it is very important and necessary in our modern, chaotic culture.
Does beginning meditation get expressed in your counseling practice as well?
I include beginning meditation in my life coaching and counseling practice. People who are stressed or having trouble with relationships find meditation very helpful and effective in supporting their need to be well and balanced. The great part is that basic beginning meditation practices require no previous experience. We can receive immediate benefits even the first few sessions together! Truthfully, there is no aspect of my life that meditation has not profoundly affected; my counseling practice is just one example.
Other posts you may enjoy:
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Michael Swerdloff
Providence Holistic Counselor, Coach and Reiki
Children Talk About Mindfulness in "Just Breathe" Short Film - Mindful.org - Michael Swerdloff
September 3, 2024 (8:48 pm)
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