Practising by yourself?

Practising entirely by yourself is difficult, hard to sustain and unsettling for most people. It is best to practise with other meditators. When you do this you will have the example and support of others, and questions and obstacles will be fewer and those that arise may be a shared learning experience. When you practise regularly with others then you will be able to fruitfully sustain practice at home or by yourself.

Home Practice Workshop
At its weekly sessions, MBW will every so often provide a workshop of guidance and questions/answers on meditating at home. This workshop will sometimes take the form of a 20-30 minute period before the tea break, for those interested, usually following a Sunday on which there has been a Beginner's Class. It will involve exercises, keeping a diary, questions and answers, etc. If you are attending, bring a notebook and pen.

Practising among non-practitioners at home
If your other householders do not practise, do not pressure them even slightly to join you. Should anyone show ridicule or sarcasm, ignore it.
If your other householders show an interest, then respond to their questions in a helpful way and they may (or may not) eventually choose to join you.
If your other householders are adherents of a religion (such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism) then do not enter into disagreement, but state that your practice cannot contradict any religion and is also open to those who have a religion and those who do not. MBW meditation is not theological, but no more than a practice, and is therefore completely silent on religious beliefs and questions.
If your practice brings changes in you that put you in a questioning frame of mind regarding other householders’ preferences, attitudes and behaviour then always maintain a peaceful and ‘negotiating’ frame of mind.
If you are interrupted when practising, then decide whether you can ignore it. If not, then attend to it, and return to the practice. Treat every interruption as a sign of the impermanence and anxiety that is embedded in human life; and therefore as an ‘obstacle’ that is teaching you how to meditate and gain insight.
If at any point irritation or resentment does overwhelm you (and it happens to everyone) then do not hold that against yourself – note your reactions - start afresh with every new moment and let the past go.

There are three practices to choose from, depending on the circumstances  – a Brief Practice of 20 minutes, a Still Point Practice of 5 minutes, and a Momentary Practice.
Practice twice a day, if you can.

Remember that you are neither trying to fall into a trance nor hypnotise yourself. You are simply awakening to the nature of this 'here and now', to truly 'be' whatever, however, why-ever and wherever you are.
 
1 The Brief Practice (20 minutes)
This practice is a daily practice and is at least 20 minutes long. If your partner, spouse, relative or friend who is living with you also practises, then it is better (but not essential) to practise with them when possible.
It is best to do the Brief Practice at least twice a day.
1) Practise shortly after waking up, before the business of the day. If this is not possible then try to find at least 20 minutes some other time in the morning.
2) Practise some time before going to bed.
Find a quiet place in or around your home. It does not matter whether it is a conservatory or a garden shed!
Use a cushion or a chair.
Use a calming object such as a candle, flower, pebble, crystal, twig, or image to help centre yourself. (Such an object is not essential for everyone.)
Give a big sigh of relief, and bring a slight smile to your face.
Scan your body, making sure there is no tension or postural discomfort.
Read (or say) this to yourself:
 
May I be peaceful, and gently help everyone be peaceful.
May I be free from anger, and gently help everyone be free from anger.
May I be free from greed, and gently help everyone be free from greed.
May I be free from pride, and gently help everyone be free from pride.
 
May I deepen my understanding of life,
May all people deepen their understanding of life.
May I have compassion for myself and all suffering things,
May all people have compassion for themselves and all suffering things.
 
May I not make pleasure-seeking and discomfort-avoidance my goal today.
May I not make praise-seeking and blame-avoidance my goal today.
May I not make personal gain and loss-avoidance my goal today.
May I not make personal recognition and insignificance-avoidance my goal today.
 
Today I shall follow The Path of peace
Today despite everything,
And today because of everything,
I shall be grateful,
I shall be free.
 
Then, listen mindfully to all the background sounds around you, near or far, pleasant or unpleasant, and say to yourself “The World is busy, but I am still”. Do this for 5-10 minutes.
Then, attend gently closely to your own normal breathing, in and out.
Let go of thoughts and feelings as they arise in you, and come back to your breathing in its own place among the background activity and sounds. Do this for 5-10 minutes.
Finish by repeating these words:
 
Today I shall follow The Path of peace
Today despite everything,
And today because of everything,
I shall be grateful,
I shall be free.
 
Stand up, bow [gasshou].
 
2 Still Point Practice
 
If it is not possible, for whatever reason, to do the Brief Practice at any time try to substitute it with the Still Point Practice (5 minutes).
Find a quiet place, etc., the same as in the Brief Practice.
Say to yourself:
 
Today I shall follow The Path of peace
Today despite everything,
And today because of everything,
I shall be grateful,
I shall be free.

Find the ‘still point’ in your existence in this way:
 
Focus on the background sounds, whatever they are.
Then focus on your breathing, gently making it a little slower and deeper.
Then make yourself as aware as you can of your own existence, asking yourself ‘What is this thing I call myself?’ while looking into yourself.
Dwell on this question for a couple of minutes.
 
Stand, bow [gasshou].
 
3 Momentary Practice
 
If it is not possible, for whatever reason, to do even the Still Point Practice then in place of it (and at any time and wherever you are) do the Momentary Practice.
This can be done while walking, eating, washing dishes, walking, sitting on the train, in the office, in the bathroom, etc.
Notice your own breath, sigh deeply, follow your breath, and think to yourself:
 
Today I shall follow The Path of peace
Today  despite everything,
And today because of everything,
I shall be grateful,
I shall be free.
 
Smile, and carry on.
You may well find that you are more peaceful and patient all day long.