The Essential Guide to How to Meditate

Essential Guide to How to Meditate

As Norman Fischer writes in this collection, “If you want to meditate, there is virtually no excuse not to.” If you’ve never tried meditation, or if you’ve fallen out of practice with it, there’s no time like the present to get recentered. These teachings and step-by-step practices by Thich Nhat Hanh, Judy Lief, Pema Chödrön, Jules Shuzen Harris, and more will teach you the value of cultivating a meditation practice.

Articles

How to Practice Hugging Meditation

Nothing warms the heart like a loving hug. To make the experience even deeper and more healing, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us this practice of hugging meditation he created.

How Does Meditation Work?

Phakchok Rinpoche and Erric Solomon say meditation works by giving your distracted mind a job. With practice, you can learn to be present with whatever arises.

No Agenda, No Obstacles

If you’re not trying to get somewhere, says Buddhist teacher Judy Lief, nothing can stop you.

How to Practice Shamatha (Breathing) Meditation

How to Practice Shamatha Meditation

Shamatha meditation is the foundation of Buddhist practice. Lama Rod Owens teaches us a breathing meditation from the Vajrayana tradition.

Tomi um illustration of metta

How to Practice Loving-Kindness

Joanna Hardy teaches us the famed Buddhist practice of metta – offering love to ourselves and others.

Tonglen.

How to Practice Tonglen Meditation

Pema Chödrön teaches us Tonglen, “sending and taking,” an ancient Buddhist practice to awaken compassion.

Koans, Lion's Roar, Buddhism, John Tarrant, How to, Zen

How to Practice Zen Koans

John Tarrant demystifies Zen koan practice. Yes, it’s paradoxical, poetic, and totally personal. And so is life.

Leslie Booker, How to Meditate, Walking Meditation, Shambhala Sun, Lion's Roar, Buddhism

How to Practice Walking Meditation

Leslie Booker offers step-by-step instruction.

How to do Zazen Zen Meditation Practice Tomi Um Shambhala Sun Meditation Jules Shuzen Harris Soto Instructions

How to Practice Zazen Meditation

Jules Shuzen Harris teaches Zazen, the meditation practice at the heart of Zen Buddhism.

Meditation cushion

How to Start a Home Meditation Practice

Zen teacher Norman Fischer proposes a two-week trial run to get your meditation practice started and looks at how to deal with some of the obstacles you may encounter.