Four-Minute Centering Meditation: 
Preparing to Listen to Your Patient 

by Rebecca Shafir

Step one:

Sit comfortably, feet flat on the floor, hands open on your lap. Feel your body against the chair. Gently close your eyes and breathe deeply. Watch and feel your breath moving in and out .

Step two:

Consider the mystery of what is about to occur – the fact that each of you- you and your patient – is a unique being and that your interaction, to the extent that it’s genuine, will be unprecedented.

Step three:

Become aware that each moment is brimming with possibilities, that by listening mindfully, you may be able to heal; by foregoing judgment, you may be able to see more deeply; by letting yourself be touched, you may convey to the patient that you care.

Step four:

Let your mind become quiet. Again, become aware of your breath. Feel your feet on the floor, your body against the chair. Breathe. Slowly open your eyes.