A good posture can make a significant difference in your meditation practice, leaving you feeling more open, relaxed and centered and allowing your energy to flow easily and naturally.

If you're on a cushion on the floor, have you bottom higher than your knees, both knees should touch the floor; in a chair, make sure you can put your feel flat on the floor and do not lean against the back. Sit in an upright position, spine stacked, shoulders relaxed. Feel as if your breastbone (sternum) is lifting and there is a thread attached to the top of your head gently pulling up.

Beginning Your Meditation

You may meditate with either with half-lidded eyes focused softly about 4-6 feet in front of you, or with your eyes closed. Take three deep breaths to get yourself on task, in your body, and focused on the task at hand.

I find that if I make an initial effort to relax my forehead, face, jaw and the back of my head, I have a much more comfortable and productive sit. Take a second to allow your forehead to smooth, your eyes to relax, your jaw to go a little slack.

Meditation is easiest with an anchor and in this case we will use our breath. Notice your breathing. Find one place in your body where you can be aware of your breath: air moving through your nostrils, the rise and fall of your chest or shoulders for example. Let your attention rest there. Resist the temptation to change or manipulate your breath, just notice it.

Holding Mindfulness

As you sit, thoughts will begin to arise. As they come up, take note of them. Acknowledge that you're having these thoughts without feeding them. Just note that you're attention has gone to these thoughts and go back to resting your attention on the breath.

Be sure not to engage in self-recriminations or feelings of failure. Thoughts are always arising and even the most experienced meditator can find herself wandering off. 

My first teacher compared it to paper training a puppy. When the puppy makes a mess, you pick it up and put it on the paper. Over and over, you pick up your attention, as gently as the puppy, and put it back on your breath.

It is a good idea to set an alarm. This will keep you from the distraction of wondering what time it is. Don't start off too ambitiously. Ten minutes is plenty for starters.

This is only one style and one aspect of meditation. It can continue to be your only meditation technique or a great foundation for others, but followed with regularity, it will eventually provide huge insight and cultivate a sense of equanimity that will sustain you through your every day.