Introduction to Meditation

Buddhist meditation includes various practices aimed at calming the mind, increasing focus, and cultivating compassion. These techniques, such as observing the mind, using mantras, chanting, or visualizations, help us understand the nature of our thoughts, sensations, and emotions, without trying to suppress them.

Meditation trains the mind, shifting the brain’s focus from anxiety and fear to greater happiness, compassion, and curiosity, creating more peace and understanding in our lives.

The best way to learn meditation is under the guidance on an experienced teacher. Try some of the guided meditations from our member organisations below as a starting point for your meditation practice.

How do you meditate?

First, relax and let go of all your expectations. The Buddha taught many meditation techniques, so there is no single best method. Each tradition has different methods of practice, but all have the common goal of cultivating mindfulness to lead a more peaceful and compassionate life. It is helpful to find a good teacher who can guide you through the early stages and help you develop a strong meditation practice.

If you are starting without a teacher, find a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit with your back upright. Your eyes can be open or shut. Notice your sensations – what you hear, smell, feel, touch, and the thoughts that come in and out of your mind. Don’t hold onto any of these: let them arise, linger and pass away, to be followed by other thoughts or sensations.

Rest the mind in the present moment, allowing thoughts and sensations to pass, noting them without becoming attached to them. If you find yourself getting caught up in a thought or feeling, explore the experience of being caught up, and when it passes, see what else arises. Some people find it helpful to have an ‘anchor point’ – something fairly neutral that they can come back to like the breath, or the sensation of your bottom on the seat, or the feeling of your hands on your knees. Others may focus on a mental image, a sound, or a wish for the wellbeing of others.

Above all, take it gently. A meditation session may be as short as ten breaths or as long as an hour. It is better to have regular short sessions, and watch the benefits from each session flow into the rest of your day.

Gawaine Powell Davies