Beginner’s Meditation

1. Choose a Quiet Place and Settle into Your Posture

Find a peaceful place, such as a suitable area at a temple or a quiet room at home. Choose a place with good ventilation and few distractions. Use a stable cushion or folded blanket that is not too high.

Sit cross-legged, with your right foot resting over your left. Place your hands in your lap, palms facing upward, with your right hand resting on your left. Keep your back comfortably upright, relax your shoulders and neck, and gently close your eyes.

If this position is uncomfortable, adjust your posture or sit on a chair with both feet resting flat on the floor.

Before beginning, notice your body as it sits. Recognize: "I am sitting." Feel your posture directly; you don't need to create a mental picture.

2. Note "Rising" and "Falling"

Let your body relax, and your breathing settle naturally. You don't need to make your breath unusually slow, deep, or long.

Bring your attention to your abdomen as it moves. As it expands with the in-breath, silently note "rising." As it settles with the out-breath, silently note "falling."

Continue gently:

Rising… falling…

Rising… falling…

Let the words follow the actual movement. Do not hurry the labels or change your breathing to match them. The words are reminders; the movement itself is what you are learning to notice.

If the movement is not yet clear, rest your attention on the sitting posture for a moment, then gently observe the abdomen again.