This won’t be a comprehensive tutorial. Countless books have been written on meditation techniques and practices. I just want to offer you a quick idea of what I think are the most important things we can do while meditating.

Mindfulness

1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something

2. a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations

Meditation

1. the action or practice of meditating

1. Sit up. Good posture is better, but be comfortable. Seated in a chair is ok. You can do this walking, lying down, in any position… and, for beginners and intermediates, it’s best to find a quiet spot and sit up straight.
2. Set your timer (see below)
3. Find your spot of attention. The breath moves in lots of ways. You can notice the sensation of the breath entering your nose, filling your lungs, you can notice the expansion of your chest, ribs, or belly. Simply pick the spot that feels right for you and rest your attention there.

There are LOTS of meditation apps out there. The one I’m going to suggest for this Challenge is Insight Timer. Insight timer is unique in that it will allow us to meditate as a group.

If you download the app and join the Back to Breath group, you’ll be able to see when other Challenge members sit with you and even send them a little message in the app. How cool is that?

If apps aren’t your thing, you could always use a watch, or even just count breaths if you don’t have a timer. I sometimes sit for “10 breaths”.