Quieting the Mind: Still Lake Meditation
To practice the meditation now, hit play! Or begin with a few minutes of centering movement.
Notes about this meditation
After preparing the body for meditation, you might choose to practice concentation or becoming centered.
Then, you might try the meditation on this page: the Still Lake of the Mind. Here you you practice sustaining the state of stillness and moving deeper.
Make the dhyāna mudrā (“dhyāna” is the Sanskrit word for “meditation”) by placing the right hand on top of the left. The thumbs touch lightly. Rest the hands in your lap.
The Still Lake of the Mind is for calming the mind. It’s what we’d call a “lunar practice.” By that we mean that the mind becomes like the moon: cool, calm and reflective.
The following tools are a part of this practice:
The dhyāna mudrā (see photo)
Samavṛtti prāṇāyāma, or one-to-one (1:1) breathing, where the inhale and exhale are equal length.
If you have any insights during your meditation, journal about your experience.
As you move through your normal routines, notice how you are able — or not able — to maintain or recall a lunar state of mind.
Related: Meditation: Where Do I Begin?
Prepare Your Body for Meditation
These two series of movements help to prepare the body for sitting in meditation.
Looking for guidance?
This article is an overview of a rich and venerated topic. It is written to provide introductory support for the beginner’s practices, and with the wisdom passed down through living yoga traditions. I acknowledge and thank the teachings of Tanya Boigenzahn and Gary Kraftsow.
