Meditation 101

So I've been meditating (or trying to) more or less regularly for the past 4 or 5 years. I find that it is very helpful to me in keeping my stress levels down and remembering to breathe. I think of meditating as being similar to but different from prayer: your goal is to quiet the mind in meditation, while prayer is time spent listening or speaking to God. So if you've been thinking about starting a meditation practice, here are the basics:

1. Find a good time and place. It should be somewhere quiet where you don't have to worry about interruptions. Heather has been very patient with me lo these many years, and lets me be alone when I'm meditating, for which I am thankful.

2. Have some kind of a ritual for getting started. This might be lighting a candle, chiming a bell, or putting on soft music.

3. Begin by paying attention to your breathing. Notice when you take a breath in or out, and try to take deeper breaths using your stomach instead of your shoulders. I'll usually count to four breaths and then start over.

4. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath as soon as you notice. This is totally normal, so don't get upset with yourself. It might help to have a pen and paper nearby to quickly write down things you don't want to forget. Once they're written down you can go back to meditating.

5. Start small and manageable so you can build a habit. Try just a few minutes of quiet, and slowly build from there. The idea is not to exhaust yourself, but to relax. Give yourself at least three weeks before you decide whether or not this is something you want to continue on an ongoing basis.

I hope that this is a helpful guide. Next time I'll cover Prayer 101. Happy meditating!