My Mindfulness Practice: Sharon Salzberg Shares How She's Been Meditating For 45 Years

Where do you meditate?

I meditate wherever I am ... living room couch, hotel room, etc. I also practice a form of Lovingkindness walking meditation, walking down the streets of NYC, going through airports, etc.

When?

I do sitting meditation first thing in the morning, whenever that's possible. Before getting online, before checking cell messages. I also do walking meditation often when I'm actually walking.

What type of meditation do you practice?

When I'm sitting, I mostly do mindfulness or awareness practice. Sometimes Lovingkindness meditation. And as I said, I frequently do Lovingkindness just going from place to place.

Props used?

No props.

Why do you meditate?

I've been meditating for 45 years. It's the center of my life and the source of much of my happiness

Advice for first-time meditators?

I'd say give it a trial run. It's not an activity that bears fruit from merely thinking about it. You need to do it. So I usually suggest what is a realistic commitment, say five to ten minutes a day, for a month, as an experiment. Then assess and evaluate. But when you are looking for those fruits, look at your life, not that formal period of a few minutes. That might not change much, but you will change.