Preparing for meditation
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Meditation practice is an opportunity to let go of your every day cares, worries and desires for a short while. When you sit down to practice you may wish to symbolically place any subject that is pre-occupying you on the bench beside you. You can pick it up before leaving if you wish!
Spending a minute or two preparing the posture and becoming aware of the physical body at the start of the practice can help quieten the mind. When you sit down on the bench it is best to sit with the back quite upright and unsupported. To do this comfortably you may need to sit either with your knees quite far apart and your feet on the ground or to have your ankles or lower legs crossed. The hands should rest in your lap, right on left with the thumbs just touching. The abdomen should be quite relaxed and the chest full, imagine the upper part of the breast bone lifted up a little.
Having established the posture briefly scan the body from the lowest part to the highest and let each part relax. Become aware for a moment in turn of your feet, lower legs, knees, upper legs, pelvis, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, hands, neck, face and back and top of the head. Finally try to become aware at the same moment of touch of the feet on the ground, the full chest and the top of your head. You are now ready to begin.