.
.
.
This counting meditation is designed to improve your ability to hold the mind steady.
It's not elegant or spiritual.
But it does strengthen concentration.
Regardless of how steady the mind is during this sitting,
Appreciate that you're developing awareness.
Awareness is key.
Concentration for now is secondary.
Remain aware of the mind's conditioning,
Of its habits,
Of its tendency to jump from one thing to another.
Recognize that you're cultivating patience and resolve.
With training,
Your concentration will improve.
You're practicing self-acceptance.
If the mind is busy,
You're aware that it's busy.
If vigilant,
You're aware it's vigilant.
If frustration arises,
You welcome it and sit with it.
If peace comes,
You welcome it and sit with it.
If whatever arises,
Welcome it and sit with it.
Maintain a right attitude.
We can't force outcomes any more than a beginning pianist can expect to play a Liszt concerto after two days or even two years of daily practice.
So approach the mystery that is the mind with humility and curiosity.
Deep learning takes place when we stop interfering and judging,
Resisting and censuring.
Just allow the mind to be.
This meditation has four progressive stages.
Remain at each stage for about five minutes.
Before we begin,
You may find it beneficial to take a few deep inhalations.
Allowing the abdomen to rise,
The ribs to expand,
The chest to lift.
Exhaling slowly at twice the rate of the in-breath.
We do this to slow metabolic processes like breath and heart rate.
Continue deep diaphragmatic breathing for a few more breaths.
Now let the breathing return to a natural rhythm.
In the first stage of this practice,
We'll use counting to stay focused on the breath.
Count each inhalation and exhalation.
Breathing in,
I think one.
Breathing out,
I think one.
Another breath comes,
I think two.
The breath goes out,
I think two.
The third breath comes in,
I think three.
And I count three again on the exhalation.
And so on up to ten.
Then start again at one.
If you lose count,
You simply note the fact and begin again at one.
Be very matter of fact about this.
In,
I think one.
Out,
I think one.
And so on up to ten.
You will hear a bell to begin counting and a bell to mark the end of stage one.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Reflect on your experience.
Without judging your performance,
Simply note the quality of your attention.
Was the mind alert or dull?
Or something else?
Was the quality of the hold relaxed or effortful?
Or something else?
Over the course of five minutes,
Did the quality of attention change?
For example,
Were you focused at first?
Or did you become more focused over time?
Did concentration fluctuate?
If the mind wandered,
Was the attitude one of acceptance?
Or was there a note of criticism or frustration there?
No need to judge any of this.
We're simply noting.
Observing the mind.
Watching how it reacts.
Noticing patterns.
Now let the mind rest for a few breaths before beginning the second stage.
No need to regulate it or control it in any way.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
In the second stage,
Count before the in-breath.
Each exhalation and inhalation,
There's a slight pause.
Count here.
So before I take a breath,
I think one breath comes in,
Goes out.
There's a pause and I think two.
The breath comes in.
It goes out.
There was a pause.
I think three.
And so on until you get to ten.
Continue counting from one to ten,
Starting again at one.
If the mind wanders,
You're simply aware.
You return the mind to the breath,
Counting again at one.
Again,
We'll practice this for five minutes.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Without judgment,
Reflect on your experience.
Was the mind sharp or dull?
Busy or calm?
Agitated or relaxed?
Accepting or rejecting?
We simply note and rest the mind for about a minute before stage three.
.
.
.
In the third stage,
You drop the counting and just watch the breath as it comes in and goes out.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Reflect and then rest the mind before moving on to stage four.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
