The idea of teaching people to meditate in situations where they find themselves waiting, or sitting for extended periods of time, was the result of feedback from my students.

When I suggested the best way to reap the benfefits of meditation was to do it twice a day for twenty minutes, they told me they didn't have the time.

So I asked myself: 'Who has the time?'

The answer I got was: 'People who are waiting.'

Since I realized most people would rather not close their eyes in public places, I decided a Zen Buddhist meditation technique, done with open eyes, would be the best one to promote.

Hospitals, doctors' and dentists' offices, airports, bus stations, railway terminals, subways, trains, planes, buses, etc. were the places that came to mind. It became part of a personal mission to discourage fighting noise with more noise, but with silence.

Since ambient noise makes it harder to meditate in public places, I suggest carrying a pair of foam earplugs with you, or using your electronic ear buds to dampen ambient noise while you meditate.

For instructions on how to 'meditate while-u-wait', click on your preferred language in the sidebar.

Andrew Epplett