Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics

The type of meditation we'll be teaching here is called "mindfulness meditation," which is derived from Buddhism.

What mindfulness does is create some space in your head so you can, as the Buddhists say, "respond" rather than simply "react." In the Buddhist view, you can't control what comes up in your head; it all arises out of a mysterious void. We spend a lot of time judging ourselves harshly for feelings that we had no role in summoning. The only thing you can control is how you handle it. (From 10% Happier)

How to meditate:

1. Sit comfortably. It's best to have your back straight and spine reasonably straight, which may help prevent an involuntary nap. ... You can close your eyes or you can leave them open and adjust your gaze to a neutral point on the ground.

2. Bring your full attention to the feeling of your breath coming in and out. Pick a spot where it's most prominent: your chest, your belly, or your nostrils. You're not thinking about your breath, you're just feeling the raw data of the physical sensations. To help maintain focus, you can make a quiet mental note on the in-breath and out-breath, like in and out.

3. The third step is the key. As soon as you try to do this, your mind is almost certainly going to mutiny. You'll start having all sorts of random thoughts. ... No big deal. This is totally normal. The whole game is simply to notice when you are distracted, and begin again.

Also see: Why Buddhism Is True.