Sitting Meditation

Extended Practice • 15-60+ minutes • Deep Stillness & Awareness

Overview

Sitting Meditation is the foundational practice of mindfulness training. In stillness and silence, you develop the capacity to observe your mind, emotions, and sensations with clear awareness. This practice builds concentration, emotional regulation, and profound inner peace through sustained attention to present-moment experience.

When to Use

• For developing deep concentration - Build sustained attention and mental clarity
• To understand your mind patterns - Observe thoughts, emotions, and reactions clearly
• For spiritual development - Connect with deeper aspects of consciousness
• When seeking inner peace - Access states of profound calm and stillness
• For emotional regulation - Develop equanimity with difficult emotions
• To build meditation foundation - Establish formal practice that supports all other techniques

Basic Setup

Posture:

• Sitting: Chair, meditation cushion, or bench
• Spine: Straight but not rigid, naturally upright
• Shoulders: Relaxed, not hunched or pulled back
• Head: Balanced, chin slightly tucked
• Eyes: Closed or gently open with soft downward gaze
• Hands: Resting comfortably on knees or in lap

Environment:

• Quiet space with minimal distractions
• Comfortable temperature - not too warm or cold
• Timer set for chosen duration
• Same spot daily if possible to build habit
• Phone/devices turned off or in airplane mode

How to Practice

Beginning (2-3 minutes):

• Settle into your posture with three deep breaths
• Set intention for your practice period
• Notice your body making contact with chair/cushion
• Allow your breathing to return to natural rhythm

Choosing Your Anchor: Select one primary focus for attention:

Breath Awareness:

• Focus on sensations of breathing at nostrils
• Or feel the rise and fall of chest/belly
• Count breaths 1-10 if helpful, then start over

Body Sensations:

• Notice physical sensations throughout the body
• Include comfort, discomfort, temperature, pressure
• Scan systematically or notice what's most prominent

Sounds:

• Listen to sounds around you without identifying them
• Notice near sounds, far sounds, silence between sounds
• Use the "soundscape" as your meditation object

Basic Instructions:

1. Rest attention on your chosen anchor
2. When mind wanders (it will!), gently notice
3. Return attention to your anchor without judgment
4. Repeat this process throughout the session
5. End with gratitude for your practice

Working with Thoughts

Understanding Mind-Wandering:

• Mind wandering is NOT failure - it's completely normal
• The moment you notice wandering is a moment of awareness
• Gently returning attention is the actual practice
• Don't fight thoughts - acknowledge and redirect

The RAIN Technique for Difficult Emotions:

• Recognize: "I notice anger/sadness/fear arising"
• Allow: "It's okay to feel this right now"
• Investigate: "How does this feel in my body?"
• Natural Awareness: Rest in spacious awareness that holds all experience

Common Mental States:

• Restlessness: Acknowledge, breathe, settle back into posture
• Drowsiness: Sit up straighter, open eyes slightly, check room temperature
• Doubt: Normal part of practice - return to your anchor
• Boredom: Explore the quality of boredom itself with curiosity

Tips for Success

Start Small:

• Begin with 10-15 minutes and gradually extend
• Better to sit for short periods consistently than long periods sporadically
• Build the habit first, then extend duration

Consistency Over Perfection:

• Same time each day helps establish routine
• Even 5 minutes counts - don't skip because you "don't have time"
• Morning practice often works best before daily distractions begin

Gentle Discipline:

• Sit with discomfort but don't force yourself through pain
• Adjust posture mindfully if needed
• Balance effort with ease - alert but relaxed

Common Challenges

"My mind is too busy": This is why we practice! Busy mind is not a problem to solve but something to observe

"I can't sit still": Start with shorter periods. Slight movement is okay - just move mindfully

"Nothing happens": Sitting quietly IS something happening. Benefits are often subtle and cumulative

"I feel more anxious": Sometimes suppressed emotions surface. This is part of the process - be gentle with yourself

"I keep falling asleep": Check if you're sleep-deprived. Try sitting up straighter, eyes slightly open, cooler room

"I don't have time": Consider waking up 15 minutes earlier or replacing some phone/TV time with sitting

Different Approaches

Concentration Practice (Samatha):

• Focus intensely on one object (breath, mantra, visualization)
• Develop sustained, one-pointed concentration
• Calm and peaceful states

Mindfulness Practice (Vipassana):

• Open awareness to whatever arises
• Observe the changing nature of all experience
• Insight into impermanence and interdependence

Just Sitting (Shikantaza):

• No special focus object
• Rest in pure awareness itself
• "Just sitting" without agenda or goal

Building Your Practice

Week 1: 10 minutes daily, focus on establishing habit Week 2: Extend to 15 minutes, notice patterns in your mind Week 3: Try 20 minutes, experiment with different anchors Month 2: 25-30 minutes, develop consistency Month 3+: Explore longer sits (45-60 minutes) occasionally

Advanced Elements

Working with Physical Discomfort:

• Notice the difference between discomfort and pain
• Observe how discomfort changes when you stop resisting it
• Use discomfort as meditation object itself
• Know when to adjust posture vs. sitting with sensation

Emotional Regulation:

• Practice equanimity with pleasant and unpleasant emotions
• Neither push away nor grasp onto any emotional state
• Notice how emotions arise, peak, and pass away naturally

Deeper States:

• Jhanas: States of absorbed concentration and bliss
• Expanded Awareness: Sense of boundaries dissolving
• Deep Peace: Profound stillness and contentment
• Don't chase these states - let them arise naturally

Creating Sacred Space

Physical Environment:

• Dedicate specific spot for practice if possible
• Keep area clean, uncluttered, peaceful
• Perhaps include inspiring objects: candle, flowers, spiritual books
• Face away from clocks, computers, distractions

Mental Environment:

• Begin with intention setting or brief prayer/dedication
• Release expectations about how session "should" go
• Cultivate attitude of curiosity and self-compassion

Group vs. Solo Practice

Solo Benefits:

• Go at your own pace
• No external pressure or comparison
• Develop self-reliance in practice

Group Benefits:

• Community support and encouragement
• Collective energy can deepen practice
• Learning from others' experiences and questions

Integration with Daily Life

Micro-Meditations:

• Take three conscious breaths before meetings
• Brief moments of awareness throughout day
• Pause and check in with yourself regularly

Informal Practice:

• Bring meditative awareness to daily activities
• Walking, eating, washing dishes with present-moment attention
• Notice when you're on "autopilot" and return to awareness

Troubleshooting Physical Issues

Back Pain: Use chair or back support, check posture alignment

Leg Numbness: Stretch before sitting, use cushion or chair, change positions mindfully

Neck Tension: Check that chin is slightly tucked, shoulders relaxed

Restless Legs: Try walking meditation first, then sitting

Signs of Developing Practice

Early Signs (first few weeks):

• Increased ability to notice mind-wandering
• Brief moments of calm and stillness
• Better sleep or emotional regulation

Developing Practice (months):

• Greater equanimity with difficult emotions
• Increased concentration and focus in daily life
• Deeper appreciation for simple moments

Mature Practice (years):

• Natural ease and joy in sitting
• Sustained periods of clear, spacious awareness
• Integration of mindfulness throughout daily life

When to Seek Guidance

• If you experience persistent anxiety, depression, or disturbing thoughts
• When you want to deepen your practice significantly
• If you're interested in retreat practice or intensive training
• For support with specific meditation challenges

Next Steps

After establishing regular sitting practice:

• Meditation Retreats: Day-long or multi-day intensive practice
• Study: Read classical meditation texts and teachings
• Teacher Training: Consider deepening through teaching others
• Mindful Journaling to explore insights from sitting

Sitting meditation is like tuning the instrument of your mind - the more you practice, the more beautiful the music of your life becomes.