Exercises for the First Week
You will get the most benefit from this course if you engage yourself with the practice every day. During the first week please try the following three practices:
- Sit at least 20 minutes each day.
- Focus on staying aware of your breath.
- Begin and end each sitting with a minute of conscious reflection: At the start, clearly remind yourself that you are about to devote yourself to being mindful and present. Consciously let go of any concerns, remembering that you will have plenty of time to take them up again later.
- At the end, reflect on what happened during your meditation session. There is no need to judge what happened; you just want to strengthen your mindfulness through a brief exercise in recollection.
- Choose one physical activity you do every day, and commit to doing it mindfully without distractions.
- This means doing just this one activity while you are doing the exercise – not listening to the radio at the same time, for example.
- Do the activity at a leisurely pace.
- Remain in the present as well as you can. When the mind wanders, simply come back to the activity. Activities you might choose include brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, or some routine act of driving or walking.
- For one half-hour period during the week, as you go about a normal activity, maintain your attention on your posture. Without straining, assume a posture that is alert and upright. Notice what happens to your mood, thoughts, feelings, presence, and degree of mindfulness as you do this exercise.
