Teaching meditation

mugzy

I offered to teach simple meditation to a friend. Now I realize that although it seems simple enough, I've never actually "taught" anyone so I'm not sure where to begin. I was thinking of doing a basic breathing meditation.

Any advice?

footiam

Someone taught me to do the walking meditation first.

buddhajunkie

I offered to teach simple meditation to a friend. Now I realize that although it seems simple enough, I've never actually "taught" anyone so I'm not sure where to begin. I was thinking of doing a basic breathing meditation.

Any advice?

Here's one that would be good for someone who is only lukewarm to the idea:

Tell them to count their breath as follows: from 1 to 5, then 1 to 6 and so on til they reach 10, at which point they can stop. Simple right? Here's the catch: if they lose track of the count or the breath they have to start over. Tell them they can stop after 10 minutes.

I think this is a good way to get someone interested because it is a challenge and it really exposes how crazy the mind can be.

After your friend does the meditation, talk to them about it and tell them that the true point is to see the things that were distracting them.

If they are sufficiently intrigued you can tell them to drop the counting after demonstrating some concentration.

Someone taught me to do the walking meditation first.

Not a bad suggestion since it deals well with the two most common newb hindrances-- sleepiness and restlessness.

The downside is that the lack of sufficient private space could inhibit the practice.

Dazzle

Hi mugsy,
You could watch this meditation series with your friend and follow the instructions together.

ShiftPlusOne

I'd sit down with them, help them make sure they've got a comfortable and alert posture. Explain why posture is important and why it should be 'alert'. Then start meditating 'out loud'. Say what you're doing, note what's going on. Instead of talking about what you're feeling though, suggest what they might be feeling so as to encourage them to feel what's going on for themselves.

Keep it short, just enough to get the idea across at first.

Jeffrey

I wouldn't introduce yourself as a teacher because they will look to you with questions which you may not be able to answer. I would say study partner. Use a reference like a book or video that you read/watch together and discuss.

Seriously don't teach until someone says you are capable. Unless you want to waste somebodies time

ShiftPlusOne

Good point, but surely there's nothing wrong with teaching what you know so far (with the appropriate disclaimers).

buddhajunkie

Much of this will depend on the relationship with the student. He/she might feel uncomfortable trying to meditate in front of another person. Perhaps the teacher might want to be somewhere else while the student tries it.


For many people, it might be best if the teacher gave a "homework" exercise, then to talk with the student afterwards.

I like the counting method I mentioned above since it's a challenge with objective markers that the student can relate to the teacher easily:

"Did you reach 10?"
"How long did it take to get there?"
"What number would you usually lose track at?"
"What part of the count would you useually lose track and why?"
"What kind of things would distract you?"
"What distractions were managable with the count, and what were not?"
"What reaction did you have to losing track?"
"How did things change as you got towards the higher end of the cycle?"