We all live in the present moment, but frequently pay too little attention to it, busying ourselves with plans, ideas, and worries. We view things and people in terms of greatly oversimplified mental models. We convince ourselves that interacting with these mental constructions is the same as interacting directly with reality. That difference can become a source of suffering.
This meditation works on two things. One, you'll strengthen the muscle of choosing where to put your attention. Two, you'll get a look at the subjective phenomena that arise in your awareness. These phenomena arise all the time but you're usually too busy with other concerns to look at them carefully and consciously.
Sit comfortably. You can close your eyes if you wish. Keeping your back in a relaxed upright position will help to avoid falling asleep.
Notice the sensations in your body. Feel the points of contact of your body with the chair or the floor. Scan your body part by part, and take a quick look at every sensation you find. Start with the soles of your feet and slowly work up to the top of your head.
Listen to the sounds you can hear. If your eyes are open, notice what's in your field of view. Can you smell anything? Feel anything? Notice all those things.
Notice any thoughts, images, emotions, worries, expectations, judgements or hopes that are present. Don't try to get rid of them, just notice they're there.
Notice your breathing. Do not try to control it, just let it happen automatically as it normally does. Watch the process of breathing in, pausing for a moment, and breathing out. Watch the next breath, and the next, and keep going.
Try to keep your attention on your breath for several minutes. If you find yourself distracted by something else, go back to attending to your breath. If thoughts of self-judgement arise (I should do better and not get distracted so much), notice them, and go back to the breath. If any other thoughts, images, or feelings arise, notice them and go back to the breath.
Don't worry if it seems like you're having a "bad" meditation. If your attention is scattered all over the place, that means you're accomplishing a lot in this session, even if it still feels out of control when you finish.
You may be tempted to try to suppress thinking entirely. That's difficult (maybe impossible) and unnecessary. When you notice your attention has drifted away from breathing, just shift your attention and interest back to breathing. Let those thoughts do their thing while you do yours.
All these things you're noticing: breath, thoughts, emotions, sounds, smells, sights, body sensations, all of these are phenomena arising in awareness. These phenomena all have beginnings and endings. While they are present, they are in a state of flux, they are not constant. Once they end, they aren't present any more.
Don't worry about remembering what you noticed. There won't be a quiz afterwards. When a phenomenon ends, allow yourself to forget about it. Stay in the present moment.
Meditation is a fundamental staple of Eastern philosophy. Sometimes a term comes up in Eastern texts that Westerners find confusing, and we might think we've failed to read some important earlier text that defined that term. But sometimes it's just something that you'd recognize right away if you've meditated a lot. Oh, right, that, I've noticed that too myself.
I've provided a lot of instructions and advice in this post, but you should feel free to tinker with meditation, make it your own, and decide on your own priorities. There are some Youtube meditation videos I like, one by Tim Freke, another by Jack Kornfield, and a whole bunch by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
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