Mindfulness Meditation
Training Timer

Supplementary Methods

Mindfulness lessons by Jack Kornfield that preceded the MediTrain program:

Initial Meditation Instructions

For the next six weeks you will be using this app to practice mindfulness awareness of your breathing, which is a training in mindfulness attention. During this training period, you will practice focusing your attention on the natural rhythms of the breath, using the breath as a way to develop attention and calm your concentration. This is not a breath control practice, but a practice of awareness. Now I’ll give you some suggestions for how to start in your journey of learning to mindfully attend to your breath. The first step is to settle into your body. Find a way to sit that is both comfortable, relaxed, yet also alert and present. As you find a stable posture and feel settled, try to let go and relax into the position. Now, pay attention to your body; scan your body and let go of any obvious tensions that you can easily release. Let the eyes and face be soft, loosen the jaw, let the shoulders relax and rest your arms and hand rest comfortably. Now let your belly be soft and your breath natural. Now the next step is to notice your body breathing; feel how the body breathes on its own in a natural rhythm, sometimes fast or slow, sometimes deep or shallow. Now simply bring your attention to wherever you can most easily sense this breathing rhythm. It might be coolness in your nostrils, or the swirling tingling in the back of the throat, or the brush of the air against your upper lip. It might be the rise and fall of chest or belly. It might even be your whole body breathing. If it's difficult to feel the rhythm of your breath, then take one hand and place it on your belly and feel the rise and fall of your belly in the palm of your hand, and rest it there as your place of awareness. Now that you’ve settled in you body and begun to sense your breath, notice it's natural rhythms and variations. Some breaths might be shorter or longer than others. Let your body breathe as it wishes. As you feel each breath with your attention, try to invite a calm and steadiness of body and mind so that each breath, breathing in and breathing out, brings a sense of calm and peace. Let other experiences that arise, such as sounds, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations come and go, rise and fall like waves of the ocean around the breath. Keep your attention resting on the natural rhythm of the breath. Be aware if, at any point, your attention has fully wandered away from the breath. Without any judgement, gently bring it back to the next breath. It is like training a puppy; bring it back gently, sit, and stay. By gradually returning again and again to the breath, you will learn to be aware of the breath and to focus your attention gradually, more deeply. Like with any training--like learning piano or practicing basketball, you are learning the art of steadying your attention. Steadying and focusing your attention is a skill that will serve you in every area of your life.

Meditation Instructions 2 (Given prior to starting the third week of training)

To further help your focus on attention on the breath, for this next period, along with noticing the breath as you have, include awareness if there are spaces between the breath. In these gaps, keep your attention in the same area of your body until the next breath begins. This helps the attention become more continuous and steady.

Meditation Instructions 3 (Given prior to starting the fifth week of training)

To again further help your focus of attention on the breath, for this next period, along with noticing the breath, include awareness of any moments of calm and well-being that arise as your sense the breath. Continue your awareness of the breath, and at the same time, feel how the calm steady wellbeing can increase along with your growing attention.