Eight-Minute Meditation

Sit in a comfortable position, preferably in the lotus or half-lotus pose. Make sure there’s nothing hard in front of you or behind you. If it’s more comfortable, you can sit on a bed, in front of a bed, or simply place a pillow in front of you — just in case you fall asleep during the meditation. But make sure your back stays straight.

Place your hands like a small “boat” in the space between your legs: palms facing upward, with one hand resting directly on top of the other.

1. First 2 minutes: breathe deeply and as quickly as possible. Count each inhale–exhale cycle in your mind.
2. Next 2 minutes: breathe normally. Here, don’t think about anything at all — do not allow a single thought to appear, not even the thought that you shouldn’t think about anything.
3. Repeat.

Optional challenge: if even a single thought slips through, start over. You can also always do a longer meditation if you wish.