Begin by settling the body.
Cultivate a way of sitting that is aligned and upright, settled and relaxed.
Don’t fidget, don’t tense up, don’t fall asleep. Rest awake.
Permeate the whole body with natural breathing and gentle bright awareness.
Legs: Sitting on the floor: full lotus, half lotus, or tailor position. Don’t cut off blood circulation. Sitting on a chair or stool: preferably not leaning against the back. Feet rooted on floor, thighs sloping slightly downward toward the knees.
Hands: Palms facing up, the back of one hand resting upon the palm of the other, resting just below the navel, with thumbs touching lightly. Or rest hands palms-down on the thighs, not straining the arms.
Torso: Feel the whole spine, from the top of the head to the tailbone. Let the
spine be upright and relaxed, resting in its natural “S” shape. Don’t slump
forward, don’t arch back, don’t lean to either side.
Shoulders: Relaxed, not slumped forward, not arched too far back. Align the arms so they don’t strain the shoulders.
Neck and Head: Relaxed in a natural position atop the spine. Feel ears aligned over shoulders and shoulders aligned over hips. Don’t jut the chin forward or pull it back; let the ears gently float upward into the sky.
Tongue: Lightly touching the roof of the mouth. Relax tongue, jaw, throat, and face.
Eyes: Relaxed, gazing softly into space. Mind busy? Let the eyes gaze slightly downward. Mind dull? Let the eyes gaze slightly upward.
The physical body is the first foundation of mindfulness.