Meditation · Calm
Permission to Do Nothing
Priya Raman · 6 min
6:00
remaining
What to do, minute by minute
1. Settle in
0:00–1:12Sit or lie down somewhere you won't be disturbed. Let your shoulders drop, close your eyes or soften your gaze, and take three slow breaths.
2. Follow the breath
1:12–2:24Breathe in for a count of four, out for a count of six. Let the out-breath be longer than the in-breath — that's what calms the nervous system.
3. Scan and release
2:24–3:36Move your attention slowly from your jaw to your shoulders, hands, belly and legs. Wherever you find tension, breathe into it and let it go.
4. Rest in stillness
3:36–4:48Stop steering. Let thoughts come and go like passing traffic — when you notice you've wandered off, that noticing is the practice. Return to the breath.
5. Come back gently
4:48–6:00Deepen your breath, wiggle your fingers and toes, and open your eyes slowly. Carry a little of this quiet into whatever comes next.
A short practice with absolutely no task inside it.
For the next few minutes there is nothing to improve. Not the breath, not the posture, not the mood. If you find yourself trying, notice the trying and let it go slack. Doing nothing well takes practice, so this counts as practice.