INTRODUCTION

<p><strong>On waking</strong><br />Some meditation first thing in the morning will to set up a lovely and powerful feeling for the whole day. At this time you can access deep calm and clarity of mind. The practice will feel like dressing yourself in light before the day starts. That light will protect you from many otherwise energy-draining events. There are very few distractions early in the morning; this time is just for you.<br /><br />After your work<br />Once you’ve completed the day’s activities, at work or home, ‘pack up’ your day and bring a calm perspective into your evening, so that work stays at work, not impinging on your home and family life.<br /><br />Before Bed<br />Meditation before sleep helps set up a deep restful sleep, and the last meditation of the day is a closure of all events. With gratitude in your heart, gently put the day aside and do not carry memories to the next day.<br /><br />How long to meditate?<br /><br />When you first start daily meditation, begin with 5 minutes at a time. That’s plenty. You may need to wake up 5 minutes earlier, but the benefits will soon emerge. As your meditation experience deepens you can lengthen the time, to 10–15 minutes. There’s no need to pressure yourself to sit for lengthy meditations. It’s more about the quality of your experience, not the length of time. Gradually increase your sitting time to 20 minutes or half an hour. Once your meditation practice becomes regular you may find that those 30 minutes are always enjoyable and energising, and the best part of your day.<br /><br />The more you practise meditation, the more you understand it, and the easier it becomes. It’s good to meditate regularly, at least once a day. Set yourself realistic goals.<br /><br />Setting an intention<br /><br />Because BK Meditation asks you to direct your thoughts, you need to set an intention before starting each meditation. If you are going to meditate using one of the guided commentaries, selecting a commentary is like setting the intention. If you do not wish to use an audio commentary, select a theme, goal, or purpose for the meditation. Otherwise your thoughts will likely meander and habitual thought patterns will dominate your mind, making it difficult to link with the energy of meditation. If you walk into a kitchen and have no plan of what you will cook, it is likely that there will be no meal. If you leave your home and don’t know where you are going, you will come to a standstill or just wander aimlessly. It’s the same with meditation — if you commence your meditation without an intention, an aim or a purpose, then your mind will quickly go wherever it’s used to wandering. <br /><br />Here are a few examples of setting an intention for your meditation. Your meditation could explore, one theme at a time: serenity; soul consciousness; letting go old attitudes and raising self-esteem; connecting with your highest self; sending peace to the world; exploring a quality of the soul such as generosity, patience or courage. <br /><br />No matter how many times your mind wander, don’t worry, just refocus and you will soon feel the benefit. Sometimes finding peace of mind may be challenging, other times you’ll get it briefly and then lose it again. Accept, and enjoy the process. Even if you experience only a few seconds of peace in each meditation, peace will accumulate over time. Drops make an ocean.</p>