Mindfulness Meditation Lesson 4

Meditating in Silence

We start this lesson with a Mindfulness of Breath Meditation in silence, using only a bell track. The Bell Track lasts for 30 minutes, with a single bell sounding at 5, 15 and 25 minutes, two bells sounding at 10 and 20 minutes, and four bells sounding after 30 minutes to signal the end of the meditation.

If you find it difficult to continue for the full 30 minutes, you can always stop after one of the earlier bells, but anytime you feel like you can't sit any longer or an have the urge to stop, see what happens if try to refocus your mind for just a few more breaths.

If you still feel like you're unable to continue for the full 30 minutes, wait until the next bell to finish your meditation. It's important to not let your distracted mind dictate when your meditation is over, and to train your mind to keep trying to focus, even when it's distracted. This may mean you continue to meditate for another three or four minutes without much focus, but ending a meditation at the sound of the bell rather than at the mercy of your mind is a good habit to instil.