Step 5.

The fifth of the basic meditation steps is to site with your back erect and bend forward so that your buttocks come outward. Then slowly bring your back up once again. If needed, you may ensure you are not leaning more to one side than another by swaying back and forth, at first quite far to the side and then less and less until you are upright. This will help find your natural alignment.

Step 6.

Keep your eyes open during your meditation to prevent dull and drowsy states from arising. You may want to close your eyes as you begin the meditation session and slowly open. Keep the eyes down at about a 45 degree angle without focusing on any particular thing. If you are feeling tired or drowsy, you may bring your gaze up slightly and then return them when this mind state has subsided.

Step 7.

Close your mouth and place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, with the tip of your tongue resting against your upper teeth. If you notice that you are swallowing a lot or you are producing excess saliva, this may indicate that you are learning too far forward.

Step 8.

The eighth of the basic meditation steps is to monitor your back briefly for sluggishness or for excessive tension throughout the back and neck muscles. It is very important that you are neither overly relaxed, as the erectness of the back will tend to slacken. Likewise, overly tense muscles can cause muscle fatigue and pain to arise.

Step 9.

Take several deep breaths to rid your lungs of stale are and refresh yourself. Your exhalations in particular should be slow and deep.

Step 10.

Set your timer or stopwatch. You may either look down periodically at the end or your session or set the timer to make a sound signaling its end provided it is not a distraction to someone else. The amount of time spent in meditation is largely up to the individual, but as you start out, you may only feel you need five to ten minutes in the morning or evening.

Gradually, you may feel that you require more time to get more out of your practice. Some practitioners will spend over two hours in the morning and evenings in meditation, although not without taking breaks for walking meditation, a few stretches, or prostrations.

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t sit for longer than 30-40 minutes as experience has suggested that this is the most that the mind can maintain its concentration for any one period.