7 Steps to meditation

1. Choose a sacred word, one or two syllables, with spiritual meaning but not distractingly important to you. -- Mine is "Oneness."

2. Sit comfortably. -- I kneel with a sitting cushion, or sit in a chair, as long as I can plant my feet with my back supported.

3. Time 20 minutes. Use a method where you don't have to check. -- I use a timer. You can record 20 minutes of silence followed by a sound and hit play.

4. Eyes open or closed. -- I keep mine open, unfocused and glancing down slightly. I learned early on that if my eyes are closed I'm more prone to daydream. Open helps keep me more alert. Others prefer eyes closed.

5. Settle briefly, and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within.

6. Resist no thought; retain no thought; react to no thought. When you realize you are engaged with your thoughts, including sensations and feelings, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word. -- This is what it's all about. You may drift into not needing the word, just "resting in God." Or you may stay in this attachment-surrender loop the whole time.

7. At the end of the period, remain in silence for a couple of minutes.