Checklist

[alexcr87]

This morning I realized I didn't have a properly defined (mental) checklist about meditation. A lot of important things in my life have checklists to help me remind myself of important things.

My checklist for meditation would go like :

1) Make sure I have the right posture. This means finding the way of sitting that impairs the less my breathing.
2) Release the tension - especially the muscles around my eyes (which I keep on tightening when I think), but everywhere else also.
3) Be sure to take a couple of deep breaths to "lead the way", and after that keep coming back to the breath when I notice my mind wanders.

If I notice, during a meditation session, that I'm forgetting one of those three points, I repeat that "procedure" in this order. This is linked to the fact that I don't think I can release the tension (#2) without being in the right posture (#1) or that I can't breath properly (#3) if I'm tense (#2), etc.

Do you have a checklist?

(or any other thought on this sort of thing for that matter )

[Peter]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Alex.

I'm all for lists for planning and stuff, but I personally wouldn't use it for mindfulness.

Mindfulness for me is all about going with the flow, surrendering to what is, non-striving, non-attachment, non-judgment, and a lightness. I think checklists for mindfulness go against that. I'm not talking about your list specifically of course.

[JonW]

Hi Alex,
My own feeling is that a checklist such as your own can be useful but it's important not to get too attached to it or overthink it.
In particular, I think there's a slight danger in overthinking posture. Some people seem to get very hung up about it, even obsessive. As a mindfulness teacher, I try to keep posture instructions as simple and straightforward as possible: make yourselves comfortable, place feet flat in floor, keep back straight but not stiff, ensure that the neck is comfortably balanced on shoulders with no straining.
All best,
Jon