Variations

1. Walking meditation

Good if feeling too sleepy, or too jumpy, to concentrate while sitting.

Bare or stockinged feet is best.

Walk very slowly.
Concentrate on the changing experience of your feet on the ground, instead of on your breathing.

Walking a labyrinth like this is good, if you have one.

2. Inbreath, outbreath

Good if feeling tense, anxious or negative.

Breathe deeply and slowly.
Imagine exhaling the unwanted feeling on the outbreath.
Imagine inhaling the opposite positive feeling on the inbreath.

3. Feelings meditation

Good for improving your mood.

Once settled, locate how you are currently feeling.
Anxious? Depressed? Tense? Grumpy?
Give the feeling a name.

Now concentrate on that feeling and watch it.
Don't think about why you feel like that.
Just watch the feeling itself, without analysing it or following it.
If you wander, bring your mind back to the feeling.

Gradually the negative feeling will dissolve and weaken.

4. Lovingkindness meditation

Good for counteracting low self-esteem, and for
cultivating a loving attitude towards others.

Once settled, picture a good friend.
Locate your warm feelings for them.
Wish them health and happiness.

Now investigate how you feel about yourself.
Imagine you are your own best friend.
Direct the same warm feelings you generated for your
friend towards yourself.
Warmly wish yourself health and happiness.
Continue until you feel loved and valued.

* * *

This may be all you need today.
It will automatically make you more loving to others.
But to enhance that positivity, continue as follows:

Picture an acquaintance for whom you have no real feelings.
Generate warm feelings for them, and wish them health and
happiness.

Then repeat this for someone you actively dislike.

Then direct these warm feelings out into the whole world,
and to every being in it.