Unitarian Universalist
Buddhist Fellowship of Fayetteville

Posture

According to Geshe Namgyal Wangchen, the correct posture is important because it "helps to balance our physical energy, so that when we meditate there is no tension or physical heaviness. When the energies in the body are balanced, it is much easier for us to calm our mind and make it stable." The Seven-Featured Sitting Position is a centuries-old recommendation for effective meditative posture.

1. Sit on the floor with the legs crossed in the lotus, half-lotus, or standard cross-legged position. These positions are uncomfortable for many; alternatively, sit upright in a straight-backed chair. Meditation should not be painful.
    
   
2. The back should be perfectly straight. Try to straighten out even the normal curvature of the spine. Imagine a string running through your spine and pulling up to keep it straight. If you're sitting in a chair, do not lean back against the chair-back; only the base of the spine should be touching the back of the chair.
    
   
3. Your shoulders should be straight and level, but without any tension.
    
   
4. Place your hands in the position of meditative equipoise: The right hand is placed in the left hand, palms upwards, with the tips of the thumbs slightly raised and gently touching. The hands are held 4 - 5 inches below the navel. Alternatively, place your hands on your knees, with the fingers pointing downwards.
    
   
5. Your head and neck should be slightly bent forward with the chin tucked in.
    
   
6. The eyes are neither wide open nor completely closed, but remain half open and gaze down along the line of the nose.
    
   
7. The mouth is held in a normal position, neither too tightly closed nor too loosely open, with the tongue held against the palate behind the teeth.

For more on meditative posture, see Sitting Like a Mountain and Wildmind's Meditation Posture Workshop.

A Simple Relaxation Exercise

Before beginning the meditation, it may be helpful to perform this simple relaxation exercise to help settle the mind and the body: Assume the meditative posture as described above, and take a very deep breath, forcing the breath to fill and settle in your abdomen. Hold the breath as long as you can and then release it slowly. As you release the breath, relax your body and visualize all your physical and mental tensions and attachments being expelled with the exhalation. Do this three times.

Breath-Counting Meditation

The most basic technique in samatha, or calming meditation, is the breath-counting technique. Using this technique, you simply breathe normally and naturally, silently counting each inhalation and exhalation:

Breathe in ... count 1
Breathe out ... count 1
Breathe in ... count 2
Breathe out ... count 2
Breathe in ... count 3
Breathe out ... count 3

Continue in this way until you reach a count of either 7 or 10, and then start over again at 1.

The purpose of the counting is to give your mind a definite object on which to focus. One thing you will almost certainly notice in the beginning is how difficult it is to stay focused on your breath and your counting. Thoughts and mental distractions will inevitably arise and disrupt the exercise. When these distractions arise, simply notice them and let them go, and then return to the count, starting over at 1. You should not become frustrated or disappointed when your mind wanders from the count, as this is a perfectly natural occurrence. Just recognize the thought that has arisen, let go of it, and return to the count. You will notice that the longer and more frequently you practice, the less often that your thoughts intrude on your meditation.

Awareness of Breath Meditation

When you feel like you've mastered the breath-counting technique, you can drop the counting and just pay attention to your breathing. Notice the breath as it enters your nostrils, and travels down your throat into your lungs. Notice how your abdomen rises with each inhalation. Do the same thing as you exhale: Notice how your abdomen falls and feel the breath as it leaves your nostrils. At any time, if you feel like you're becoming too distracted, return to the counting until your mind settles once again.

Mantra Recitation Meditation

The silent repetition of a mantra is another popular technique. The Transcendental Meditation technique involves the repetition of a "personalized" mantra; in Buddhist meditation, there are a number of mantras to choose from. Simply repeat the mantra over and over silently to yourself; when a thought arrives to interrupt the recitation, simply notice the thought, let it pass away, and resume the recitation. Examples of Buddhist mantras include:

OM AH HUM (Basic seed syllables which can be recited individually or together)
OM MANÉ PADME HUNG (Mantra of Chenrezig, Boddhisattva of Compassion)
GATÉ GATÉ PARAGATÉ PARASAMGATÉ BODHI SVAHA (Prajnaparamita Heart of Wisdom Mantra)
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG (Vajra Guru Padmasambhava's Mantra)

For those uncomfortable with the Sanskrit mantras, repeating the simple phrase "CLEAR MIND" can be an effective alternative. Wildmind.org has a nice section relating to mantra meditation.

Wildmind Guided Meditations

For a more detailed description of the techniques described above, along with free RealAudio guided meditations, visit Wildmind.org.

The Meditation Session

Most teachers recommend meditating for 15 - 20 minutes once or twice a day. If you can accommodate two twenty-minute sessions every day, you will be surprised very quickly at the benefits you see. Unfortunately, many of us have difficulty with that type of schedule, so don't feel bad if you can't meet that goal. For beginning meditators especially, twenty minutes can seem like an eternity, so some teachers suggest that you start with a 5 - 10 minute daily meditation, and then work up to longer and more frequent sessions. The important thing is to just give it a try. You cannot master the techniques or experience the benefits of meditation with just one attempt. If you're interested in really experiencing meditation, you should commit yourself to a daily meditation session (even a short one) for at least a week or two, before judging the experience for yourself.