Abandon guided meditations and audio-based meditations, and focus to a simple programme of breath-focus. You just:
1. sit quietly and comfortably
2. breathe through your nose
3. find the feeling of air moving in and out of your nose
4. observe that feeling of air
5. if your mind starts observing other thoughts instead of the breath feeling -- 'I have an itch', 'this sitting position is uncomfortable', 'what about my meeting tomorrow' -- you notice your observation has left the air-in-your-nose feeling, and you gently redirect it back to focusing on that instead of the thoughts.
6. Repeat. You'll slowly increase from 2-3 seconds of focus to minutes at a time.
> 3. Most importantly, unsurprisingly, I suck at it. I keep trying every now and then; maybe I'll give it another go :)
You're better off with 3-5 minutes daily, regularly, than with longer sessions sporadically. It's a matter of practice and getting the knack of concentration down. Slowly increase to 10-15 minutes a day over a month or two, and really focus on getting the technique mastered more than anything.
The book Mindfulness in Plain English is both available freely online, and my favourite guide to getting it right.
This is basically the idea. Exact techniques vary, but the point is to keep gently re-focusing on something minor and physical. It doesn't really matter what it is, scan direction vs breath flow vs something else, none of it matters, just pick one and work on focusing.
When you sit you may feel discomfort of a kind that makes you want to move. Sit for a bit longer. The discomfort will move rapidly from place to place, since it is an artifact of the revolutions of the mind stuff.
It's kind of like spam subject lines... a call to action.
My nose is bleeding? I need to...
Wait, my ankle is killing me, let me just...
Oh, no, now my back, quick stretch will ...
Hmm, I'd be so much more meditative if I just pop on to Amazon and order a proper cushion...
Just sit. You'll be fine.
Remember that the word user also governs the skeletal muscles. Not the most ideal situation, but you have to expect some strange things if you grow such a complex thing as a brain from some goo. When these things, or other things happen, just watch them, let them pass, and then bring your attention back to the breath in your nose.
It's like balancing. How do you get better at balancing? Stand precariously every day and eventually your muscles will strengthen and you will be balanced.
Similarly, bringing your attention back to the breath in your nose is how you get better at this thing.
1. sit quietly and comfortably
2. breathe through your nose
3. find the feeling of air moving in and out of your nose
4. observe that feeling of air
5. if your mind starts observing other thoughts instead of the breath feeling -- 'I have an itch', 'this sitting position is uncomfortable', 'what about my meeting tomorrow' -- you notice your observation has left the air-in-your-nose feeling, and you gently redirect it back to focusing on that instead of the thoughts.
6. Repeat. You'll slowly increase from 2-3 seconds of focus to minutes at a time.
> 3. Most importantly, unsurprisingly, I suck at it. I keep trying every now and then; maybe I'll give it another go :)
You're better off with 3-5 minutes daily, regularly, than with longer sessions sporadically. It's a matter of practice and getting the knack of concentration down. Slowly increase to 10-15 minutes a day over a month or two, and really focus on getting the technique mastered more than anything.
The book Mindfulness in Plain English is both available freely online, and my favourite guide to getting it right.