How to use the online timer
Fifteen minutes of paying attention on purpose, without trying to fix or change anything, is a longer and less comfortable proposition than it sounds. Where a short breathing exercise gives the mind something to do, this deliberately does not, which is why the first ten minutes are usually spent noticing how much noise is going on in there.
Choose one anchor — the breath, sounds, the weight of the body on the chair — and return to it whenever attention drifts. It is not a competition to keep hold of it. Set the fifteen minutes so there is no reason to wonder how long is left, and keep this tab open on whatever device you set it on, because the count stops when the page does.
Practised regularly, the noticing tends to appear outside the session too: in a queue, in traffic on the way to work, halfway through an argument. That is generally regarded as the useful part rather than anything that happens on the cushion. Fifteen minutes most days is a reasonable amount to attempt, and considerably more sustainable than an hour at the weekend.
Common questions
How is this different from a breathing exercise?
A breathing exercise gives the mind a task; this deliberately does not. The first ten minutes are usually spent noticing how much noise is going on, which is part of the exercise rather than an obstacle.
What should I use as an anchor?
One thing only — the breath, sounds, or the weight of the body on the chair. Swapping between them mid-session turns the practice into a search for a better anchor rather than attention itself.
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