Meditation Preliminaries

Preliminaries are as important to your meditation is stretching is to your workout.  The preliminaries announce to the mind that you're preparing to move from the mundane to the sacred.  Below is a detailed list of formal preliminaries.  You may move as slowly or quickly through them as you like.  You may alter the order to prevent boredom from seeping in.  It is best though, not to skip past them before focusing on the object.

The Preliminaries to Meditation (in practice order)
from the Lam Rim Chen Mo by Je Tsonkapa

Clean the meditation room and altar.  This becomes the cause to help create a paradise later. Also helps to wake up and get the day going and to slow down the mind. 

2.      Set up the altar and make offerings. Find offerings that you obtain without using any dishonest means. Put them forth in an attractive arrangement. If using water bowl offerings - Fill and empty bowls from the left. Empty bowls at night to signify ready to die now. Wipe bowls before filling.

3.      Physical prostrations (three)

4.      Sit on your cushion in the proper 8 point posture

5.      Focus on and count your breath (begin with exhalation; each exhalation and inhalation count as the same number); try to get to 10 without major distraction)

6.      Visualize merit field. Start simply, by visualizing the silhouette of the root lama or holy being with whom you strongly identify, and then begin to add features, color, and details later.   Then visualize the garden for gathering the power  of good: the lineage lamas together with an inconceivable mass of Buddhas, and bodhisattvas, listeners, self-made Buddhas, and protectors of the Dharma.

7.      Go for refuge

8.      Generate bodhicitta

9.      Invite and visualize a holy being to meditate with you

10.      Mental prostrations (think of and admire a good quality of the holy being)

11.      Mental offerings (of things you own, things that are owned by no one, or of your practice)

12.     Confession and purification (with the four forces:  refuge, regret, restraint, and restitution)

13.     Rejoicing (in your own good deeds and the good deeds of others)

14.     Turn the Wheel of Dharma by requesting teachings (formal and informal)

15.      Request teachers (the holy being and all those in whose company you spiritually benefit) to stay with you

16.      Don’t forget to always end your preliminaries with the dedication of the merits accumulated (dedicate to your own enlightenment or to the benefit of others).  Dedication works to multiply, fantastically, even the minor good deeds you have done in the acts of gathering, and cleaning, and multiplying. It also takes good deeds that are short-term, those that are going to give a good result and then disappear, and changes them so that they will never be exhausted.

At this point you can move, scratch, etc. Then return to your breath to regain concentration and when you are ready begin the main meditation. 

Close with requesting blessings (ask the holy being to increase your capabilities to do good with body, speech, and mind). Make an offering of a mandala. Then make a request that the Lamas bless your mind. After requesting, absorb the being through your crown into your heart.