Meditation Guide

Breath

Become aware of your breath. Don't alter your breathing; simply discover it and become fascinated by it. Using your natural breathing, become aware when you are breathing out and when you are breathing in.

Label each part of the breath in your mind so that you are thinking, "now I am breathing out", and "now I am breathing in". Use your own words, but be aware of each breath as it occurs, and of the transition between the out-breath and in-breath and between the in-breath and out-breath.

Don't try to force away or even ignore distractions. Simply return to the breath each time you find yourself distracted.

Continuing to monitor your breath, make a final check of your body.

Once you feel it is stable enough to proceed to the meditation, make a commitment not to move it even under compulsion, except in an emergency. Then, focusing entirely on the breath, begin to count the breath, starting with the out-breath.

Labeling each combination of out-breath and in-breath as one full cycle, count 21 full cycles of the breath. If you get distracted and lose count, start at one again.