Meditation Aid

Training Wheels

Labeling and guiding techniques are like training wheels in children’s bicycles and can be useful while learning to meditate.

Labeling

Labeling is a meditation technique for beginners: mentally say your experience or acknowledge with a word or phrases. For examples:

  • “I know I am breathing in. I know I am breathing out”
  • “I know breathing in long. I know breathing out long.”
  • “Experiencing the whole body while breathing.”
  • “Calming the whole body while breathing.”

Guiding

Guiding is a meditation technique for beginners. Meditation practice can be guided by others or on their own. For examples:

  • “breathing in. breathing out”
  • “breathing in long. breathing out long.”
  • “Experiencing the whole body while breathing.”
  • “Calming the whole body while breathing.”
  • “Experiencing pleasure while breathing.”
  • “Experiencing the mind (mental activities or contents) while breathing.”
  • “Calming the mind while breathing.”
  • “Making the mind happy while breathing.”
  • “Concentrating the mind while breathing.”

Breathing with Hands Motions

Move your hands away from each other as you inhale and bring your hands closer to each other as you exhale.

If this practice is difficult, try Count your breath.

Counting Breath

Count your breath with your fingers.

See also: Five Finger Movements for Counting Breath

Five Finger Movements for Counting Breath

  • Touch the tips of index finger and the thumb together.
  • Touch the tip of the middle finger and thumb together.
  • Touch the tip of the ring finger and the thumb.
  • Touch the tips of the little finger and thumb together.
  • Straight five fingers.
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