New Guided Meditation Practice

I just added a guided meditation practice to the Yoga for Pain Relief resources page.

This 15-minute audio meditation is a concentration and mindfulness practice to help stabilize and focus your mind. I created it as a basic introductory meditation for a course I'm teaching at Stanford this quarter, The Science of a Calmed Mind. It's a great track for people who need a little extra encouragement to practice.

After I review the instructions, you will hear silence. Every five minutes, you will hear the sound of a meditation bowl being struck. You can finish your practice at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes.

In the first 5-minute segment, I check in twice to remind you to notice where your mind is, in case it has wandered. At the first 5-minute mark, I invite you to drop the counting practice and focus on the sensations of breathing. At the 10-minute mark, I remind you to stay resting with the sensations of the breath and body.

When you finish, acknowledge the success of sitting, no matter how focused or distracted you were. Your focus will be different on different days, even as you cultivate more and more skill at concentration. The success of this practice is your sitting down and staying put, and honoring the intention of the practice.

For more guided practices, check out the Yoga for Pain Relief resources page.