RESPECTING THE SESSION

Introducing an element of ritual

Creating a ritual around an activity or event helps to mark it as important. By surrounding it with an atmosphere of reverence, you ensure that you pay attention to it—which is exactly what mindfulness is about.

We often think of rituals as something religious, but secular culture has many rituals, too, such as birthdays or graduation ceremonies. Introducing a form of ritual to your meditation practice, however simple, sends a message to yourself that it is something important. This helps you focus your mind and heart in the practice more deeply.

Zen practitioners, for example, bow to their meditation cushion before starting a session. This is to remind themselves: “I’m about to do something important, something worthy of respect. Be present! Sitting here is different from sitting on my couch in front of the television!”

GOING DEEPER

Rituals are not essential to meditation, but they can help you have a deeper meditation experience, so they are something that you can consider adopting once your meditation habit is already well established. By surrounding your practice with something that is meaningful to you, you also bring more calm and pause to the rest of your day.

Your meditation rituals can be as simple or as elaborate, as secular or as spiritual as you like (see below). They can be deeply personal, and you may want to keep them private.

“Rituals are tools to channel your thoughts and emotions into creating a specific result in yourself or the world.”