Choose comfort over performance.
Find a stationary place where you can sit comfortably without needing to drive, supervise a hazard or respond immediately. You can keep your eyes open. Let breathing follow its natural rhythm; this exercise does not use breath holding or forced breathing.
Three quiet minutes
- Settle. Notice the support of the chair and the contact of your feet. Adjust your position rather than trying to remain rigid.
- Notice. Choose an ordinary sound or a comfortable body sensation. Let it be a place to return, not something to intensify.
- Return. When attention wanders, notice that it wandered and come back gently. At the end, look around and move at your own pace.
The Practice Room offers a timer and these prompts in three-, five- and ten-minute sessions. Start with the shortest option. Longer does not automatically mean better.
What to write afterwards
Record the session length, your chosen anchor and one concrete observation. For example: “Three minutes; sounds in the room; I kept planning dinner and returned several times.” You do not need to describe distraction as a failure.
Keep the scope modest
This is an introductory attention exercise, not a treatment or a way to guarantee an out-of-body experience. Meditation practices vary, and uncomfortable reactions are possible. Shorten or stop an exercise that feels unpleasant; you do not need to push through distress.
Health information: NCCIH: meditation and mindfulness, effectiveness and safety. This site does not replace personalised healthcare advice.