Short Guided Meditation 

Curated guided meditation to aid your practice.

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

What is meditation? Why do we meditate? How do we meditate?

Meditation 101 – Introduction to Meditation

by Chade-Meng Tan & Kelly Boys
10 minutes

What is Meditation? Meditation is mental training. We cultivate certain qualities of mind like joy and kindness through meditation. We practice meditation by bringing continuous attention to the breath.

Other Helpful Videos!

 

Essence of Meditation is Awareness

by Mingyur Rinpoche
5 minutes

Be aware of your breath. You may notice your thoughts come and go. You are not lost in your thoughts. Your breath anchors your awareness. The essence of meditation is awareness.

Breath as Support for Awareness

by Mingyur Rinpoche
3 minutes

Anything can be used as support for meditation. As a start, we use breathing. Practice meditation by being aware of your breath, for short times, many times throughout the day

MEDITATION POSTURE

How do we sit in meditation? What if we cannot sit cross-legged on a cushion on the floor?

Meditation Posture

by Kelly Boys
1 minute

Meditation posture is one that allows you to be alert, yet relaxed. Be strong like a mountain, and flexible like bamboo.

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How to Sit in Meditation

by Venerable Thubten Chodron
10 minutes

Instructions on how to sit in meditation posture on the floor. What’s a suitable cushion? What are the different cross-legged positions? What if we have phsyical limitation? How do we place our back, head, tongue, eyes, hands?

Meditation Postures

by Venerable Bhante
13 minutes

Anything can be used as support for meditation. As a start, we use breathing. Practice meditation by being aware of your breath, for short times, many times throughout the day

BODY SCAN AND GUIDED RELAXATION

It is important to relax our mind and body before we meditate. It allows us to be well-rested mentally and physically, and prepares our mind and body for our meditation session.

Mindfulness of the Body

by Kelly Boys
6 minutes

Bring awareness to mindfulness of the body. Scan the body, and be present to the sensations in the body. Notice, without judging. Relax the body as you scan the body.

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How do I do Body Scan Meditation

by Mingyur Rinpoche
9 minutes

Mingyur Rinpoche leads us through different techniques to bring the mind and body together and explains that this practice can eventually help us to connect with our innate well-being.

Body Scan

by Sister True Dedication
5 minutes

Bring awareness to our breathing, relax our body, and expand awareness to the earth beneath us. Practice this guided meditation to regain calm, spaciousness and solidity.

Note: Audo Only

Deep Relaxation

by Sister Dang Nghiem
25 minutes

Deep relaxation is an opportunity to come back to our body. Become aware of the tension and pain in the body. Release them with the light of awareness.

Note: Audio only

Total Relaxation

by Brother Dao Hanh
50 minutes

Total complete relaxation is best practiced lying down. This guided body scan helps relax all parts of your body, top to toe. Follow your breathing, relax your muscles, and allow your body to truly rest. Relaxation brings peace, happiness and creativity.

Note: Audio only

LOVING-KINDNESS AND COMPASSION

We incline the mind towards loving-kindness and compassion. The mind abides in joy, peace and calm. We wish the same for others, and wish that they too are free from suffering and dwell in happiness.

Metta Loving-Kindness Meditation

by Kelly Boys
7 minutes

Bring to mind someone you love, someone that is neutral to you, someone you have a challenge with, and to yourself. Send well wishes to these people: 

“May I be happy.”
“May I be at peace.”
“May I be free from suffering.”
“May I have the resources I need to navigate life.”
“May I feel a sense of well-being.”

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Metta Loving-Kindness Meditation

by Ajahn Kalyano
13 minutes

“May I be well. May I be free from suffering.

Expand this feeling of loving-kindness to fill and relax your whole body.

“May all be well. May all be free from suffering. May all be peaceful and happy.” 

Expand the loving-kindness to others and all beings.

Tonglen

by Kelly Boys
5 minutes

Guided short meditation on Tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist practice. You breathe in suffering of yourself and others, and breath out healing and compassion for yourself and others.

Tonglen

by Pema Chodron
5 minutes

Bring to mind anyone, or a group of people or animals who might be suffering.

With the in breath, you breathe in with the wish to relieve their suffering. 

With the out breath, you breathe out with the wish to send happiness to them. 

Meditation on Love

by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
18 minutes

“May I be peaceful, happy and light in body and in mind.”
“May I be free from anger, and unwholesome states of mind, fear and worry.”
“May I learn to nourish myself with joy everyday.”
“May I live fresh, solid and free.”

And we wish the same for others. 

Note: Audio only

 

AWARENESS

Practicing meditation helps cultivate awareness. With awareness, there is knowing of whatever is arising and ceasing in the present moment – bodily sensations, emotions/mood of the mind, or thoughts in the space of the mind. Be aware non-judgmentally; the silent knowing.

Just Noting

by Kelly Boys
5 minutes

Bring awareness to the breath, sensory experience, and thoughts.

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Meditation on Body, Sensations, Space, & Awareness

by Mingyur Rinpoche
15 minutes

Bring awareness to the body, sensory experience, space, and to awareness itself. Practice to fully embrace the present moment with mindfulness and awareness. 

Calm – Meditation of Ease

by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
20 minutes

“Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
In, out. Deep, slow. Calm, ease. Smile, release.
Present moment, wonderful moment.”

Nothing is more precious than being in the present moment fully alive and aware.

Note: Audio Only

Meditation on Receptive Awareness

by Ajahn Viradhammo
26 minutes

Bring awareness to the body, to the breath. Awareness with an in-breath. Awareness with an out-breath. Silent awareness. Witnessing changes in the bodily experience, and mental experience. There is nothing to attain. Receptive awareness. silent knowing. 

Note: Audio only. Guided meditation ends at around the 9-minute mark. The rest of the time is for practicing in silence.

MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING

Meditation using the breath is one of the classic methods taught by the Buddha and practiced widely today.

Mindfulness of Breathing

by Kelly Boys
5 minutes

Short guided meditation on mindfulness of breathing

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Knowing the Breath

by Ajahn Kalyano
10 minutes

Know the full breath. The beginning, middle, and end of the breath. Know whether it’s a long or short breath. Cultivate mindfulness of each in-breath and out-breath. We tame the mind, and cultivate the qualities of mindfulness and clear comprehension.

 

Mindful of Breathing

by Ajahn Kalyano
15 minutes

Instruction on how to do mindfulness of breathing.

Mindfulness of Breathing

by Ajahn Anan
18 minutes

Instructions on how to do mindfulness of breathing, including instructions on counting the breath. Descriptions of the higher stages of the path is also expounded upon. 

Note: Audio only

 

MINDFULNESS OF SENSATIONS

Mindfulness of sensations refers to awareness of whether a sensation experienced is pleasant, unpleasant, or neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant, and awareness of whether that sensation is worldly or unworldly. 

Body Scan on Sensations in the Body

by Mingyur Rinpoche
5 minutes

Scan the body from head to toe. Become aware of sensations. Relax your body. Practice looking deeply at sensations. When you watch the sensation, you are not the sensation. There is space.

MINDFULNESS OF THE MIND

Mindfulness of mind refers to awareness of the general state and level of consciousness, which is determined by its mental factors such as lust, hate, and delusion.  For that reason, the instruction for mindfulness of mind is about paying attention to mental factors.

Mindfulness of the Mind Meditation

by Brother Phap Luu
12 minutes

“If we shine the lamp of awareness steadily on our state of mind, that state of mind will transform into something better.”

Note: Audio only.

MINDFULNESS OF DHARMAS

Mindfulness of Dharmas refers to the contemplation of experiences in relation to the universal laws surrounding the nature of suffering and liberation from suffering. Mindfulness of Dharmas include mindfulness of the 5 hindrances, aggregates, 6 sense bases, 7 factors of enlightenment, 4 noble truths.

Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Four Satipatthana)

by Bhikkhu Analayo
40 minutes

Guided meditation on the four foundations of mindfulness: mindfulness of body, mindfulness of sensations, mindfulness of mind and mindfulness of Dharmas. 

Note: Audio only.

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Four Foundations of Mindfulness

(Four Satipatthana)

by Ajahn Kalyano
45 minutes

Guided meditation on the four foundations of mindfulness: mindfulness of body, mindfulness of sensations, mindfulness of mind and mindfulness of Dharmas. 

 

WALKING MEDITATION

Apart from sitting meditation, walking meditation is traditionally taught in meditation retreats to complement long sitting meditation sessions. The practice of walking meditation allows one to maintain and strengthen awareness in a different posture. It also helps us integrate meditation into our daily lives.

Guided Walking Meditation

by Sister Dang Nghiem
2 minutes

Instructions for walking meditation. You pay attention to your breath, and to your step. And you synchronize your step and your breath together. 

Note: Audio only

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How to do Walking Meditation

by Mingyur Rinpoche
5 minutes

Awareness can be strengthened with walking meditation, which helps integrate awareness into daily life.

Walking Meditation

by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
5 minutes

Coordinate your breathing with your steps. Focus attention on the contact between the sole of your feet and the ground. Walk with love, mindfulness and care, like you kiss the earth with your feet. This is very healing.

Note: Audio only


Walking & Standing Meditation

by Ajahn Kalyano
15 minutes

Thorough instructions on walking meditation, traditionally practiced in forest monasteries. The fundamental instruction is to be aware of the foot lifting and touching the ground. The foot becomes the anchor for mindfulness and awareness. You may choose to synchronize the breath with the walking of the feet. You may also choose to do a recitation like “Buddho” with the walking.

When the mind is more concentrated, you may choose to do standing meditation.

MOVEMENT & STRETCHING

In between sessions of sitting meditation, it is recommended to engage in mindful movement & light stretching. Movement & stretching is a good transition between sitting meditation where the body is outwardly still, to moving in daily life. The practice of mindful movement helps cultivate awareness while the body is moving.

You could practice mindful movement before sitting meditation, after sitting meditation, or as a standalone practice.             

Ten Mindful Movements

by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
15 minutes

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh developed these gentle physical movements designed as mindful stretching breaks between long periods of sitting meditation.

Other Helpful Videos!

 

Movement Meditation – Standing

by Dharma Drum Mountain
30 minutes

Dharma Drum Mountain Eight-Form Moving Meditation is a set of easy-to-learn exercises that can be practiced almost anytime anywhere. Mindful movement helps keep the body and mind relaxed and healthy. 

This series is done standing up.

 

Movement Meditation – Sitting

by Dharma Drum Mountain
40 minutes

Dharma Drum Mountain Eight-Form Moving Meditation is a set of easy-to-learn exercises that can be practiced almost anytime anywhere. Mindful movement helps keep the body and mind relaxed and healthy. 

This series is done seated.

Ten Mindful Movements

by Brother Thich Man Tue
30 minutes

Practice this gentle guided mindful movement sequence. Relax your body and heal your mind. 

 

COMPLETE MEDITATION SESSION 

Engaging in meditation practice goes beyond engaging in our chosen meditation method (e.g., mindfulness of breath, open awareness, or metta loving-kindness). A full meditation session includes what we do before coming to the cushion, and what we do when we exit the meditation. This curated complete meditation session offers guidance good for both beginners and seasoned meditators.

Chan (Zen) Hall in Your Home

by Dharma Drum Mountain 
1 hour 30 minutes

A complete meditation session includes:

  • setting the right intention for practice
  • doing movement meditation
  • relaxing body and mind
  • checking our posture
  • using the meditation method
  • doing self-massage when we exit meditation. 

At the end, a Venerable expounds on steps of meditation. This session includes 30 minute of unguided, silent meditation. You may use your meditation method of choice.

Note: The introduction and ending talk is offered in Chinese (with English subtitles).