Tricycle | Awake in the World

Bodhidharma tore off his eyelids. Jack Kornfield’s teacher told him to meditate at the edge of a well. The Buddhist tradition is full of stories of practitioners who have found unique techniques for stimulating and maintaining their practice. In fact, anyone who has sat on a zafu more than once probably came up with a trick or two for staying there. To tap into this resource, we’ve asked seasoned Buddhist teachers and longtime practitioners to share their favorite meditating tools. Check out what they have to offer.

1 Just get in the posture

“Try making a commitment to getting into the meditation posture at least once a day. You don’t have to sit for any particular length of time, just get on the cushion. A lot of times, the hardest part is getting there. Once you’re sitting down, you think, 'I might as well sit for a few minutes,’ and more often than not, you’re getting full sessions in.” —Insight Meditation Society co-founder Joseph Goldstein

2 Reflect on the big picture

“The breath is not only a useful object of concentration but also a sign of life. A little reflection can bring a sense of gratitude and delight to each breath, which is further enhanced by sensing what the Indian mystic and poet Kabir called 'the breath within the breath,’ the mystery that is riding along on each inhale and exhale.” —Author and meditation teacher Wes Nisker

3 Use a timer

“When you sit in meditation, use a timer instead of a clock. If you have to keep opening your eyes to check on the time, restlessness can be exacerbated. By using a timer, one frees oneself from the concept of time and discovers a deepening of relaxation and a sense of the timeless.” —Cambridge Insight Meditation teacher Narayan Liebenson Grady

4 Get your priorities straight

“If meditation is a priority, then it’s helpful to take that word literally and put meditation first. An example would be my rule of not turning on the computer before I’ve meditated. Simple, but effective. Probably the most trenchant advice I ever heard was in eight words from Suzuki Roshi: 'Organize your life so you can sit well.’” —Senior Shambhala teacher David Schneider

5 Be patient

When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.” —Tibetan Buddhist nun and author Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron

6 Play with postures

“Even though we generally refer to meditation as 'sitting,’ when you find that hard to do, you can also 'sit’ lying down. When I wake up at night with insomnia, I pay attention to the breath or do lovingkindness practice. One year, I could only get myself to 'sit’ by lying on the ground in the backyard, sensing the layers of the earth, and listening to the sounds of a garden in the city.” —Barbara Gates, co-editor of the journal Inquiring Mind

7 Make a vow

“Don’t give yourself a choice. Don’t ask yourself: 'Do I want to get up and do this?’ because you will think of a million other things to do. Just set your alarm and get up and meditate—no questions. It also helps to make a vow. Try promising the Buddhas that you’ll meditate every day for a month and see what happens.” —Tibetan Buddhist nun and author Ani Tenzin Palmo

8 Use incense

“Time a stick of incense. Once you know how long it takes to burn, you can use it to determine the lengths of your sessions.” —Tricycle founder Helen Tworkov

9 Widen your practice field

“Don’t put arbitrary limits on the field of practice. Trying to live graciously, reading and reflecting wisely, appreciating virtue in others, not making those around you miserable, being a mensch—practicing in this way, which is pretty traditional, there is never a lack of opportunity. As for sitting meditation itself—that’s something we do for others, so that maybe we can have a more generous spirit and be less of a pain in the neck.” —Tricycle editor-at-large Andy Cooper

10 Still the mind in unusual positions

“I like to interpret what the Buddha said when he talked about the four postures suitable for meditation—seated, standing, walking, and lying down—as an invitation to watch the mind in any position, any place, any time. I begin my practice periods with a breathing practice from my teacher Mingyur Rinpoche; then I get into a yoga posture and stay in it for some time. Working in this way, I can watch my mind play around with discomfort, effort, desire, and aversion. Plus I receive the benefits of the pose by staying in it longer.” —Vajra Yoga founder Jill Satterfield