How to meditate

There is no special technique you need to learn. No prerequisites. The whole practice fits in five steps.

  1. Sit comfortably — a chair, a cushion, the floor. Your back upright but not stiff.
  2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the ground.
  3. Breathe normally. Don't try to control it.
  4. Notice the feeling of each breath. The air coming in. The pause. The air going out.
  5. When your mind wanders — and it will — notice that it wandered, and come back to the breath.

That's it. The wandering is not a mistake — noticing it is the practice.

You don't need to clear your mind. You don't need to feel a certain way. You don't need to be good at it.

Start with five minutes. If that feels like a lot, start with two. The length doesn't matter — the habit does.