Meditation
What is it?
How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation, we’re learning
how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and notice
when the mind wanders from this task. This practice of returning to the
breath builds the muscles of attention and mindfulness. When we pay
attention to our breath, we are learning how to return to, and remain
in, the present moment—to anchor ourselves in the here and now on
purpose, without judgement. The idea behind mindfulness seems simple—the
practice takes patience. Indeed, renowned meditation teacher Sharon
Salzberg recounts that her first experience with meditation showed her
how quickly the mind gets caught up in other tasks. “I thought, okay,
what will it be, like, 800 breaths before my mind starts to wander? And
to my absolute amazement, it was one breath, and I’d be gone,” says
Salzberg.