The New York Times “Well” section regularly has interesting and useful posts. Here (https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-meditate) David Gelles provides in-depth. generic, piratical tutorial on starting a mediation practice.
I like it as a starting point because it makes no assumptions about any existing practice or past experience with meditation, yoga, Tai Chi or anything else.
It focuses on the breath, which makes sense. For a meditation tool, you always your breathing with you. You don’t need anything extra. And he provides matter-of-fact advice about gently “coming back” when you mind wanders. When thoughts arise, since they surely will.
Body Scan Technique
He also presents the practice of doing a non-judgmental body scan, down the body from the top of the head. This was the practice I started with some twenty years ago, and it really helped me anchor a regular practice. The body scan, at least at first, does invite in thoughts and thinking. When you hit certain spots, physical or emotional triggers may set your mind wandering far and wide.
Over time, it will get easier to come back to just breathing from those thoughts. And in the meanwhile, bringing your awareness systematically down the body can help relax and release those tensions. I was glad to see him introduce this practice.
Gelles provides some sample guided meditations, suggests resources, including apps. (One he mentions, insight timer, I have used for years, and will address it separately.)
Seeing this article and passing it on seems like a great place to begin again to provide thoughts and resources on this website. Please watch for more in the weeks ahead.
