Echo is a timer, not a teacher. It has no guided meditations, courses or instructions. If you'd like to be taught step by step, start with a guided course, a class or a local group, and come back to Echo once you know what you're doing in the silence.
Two good ways to start
With guidance. A course, an app with guided sessions, or a group with a teacher. You get instructions at the moment you need them and someone to ask. For most people, this is the easier start.
On your own. Clear written instructions, a timer, and a few minutes a day. This suits people who like to work things out for themselves, or who learned the basics somewhere and want to keep going without a voice. The rest of this page is for this second way.
The whole technique, in one paragraph
Sit comfortably upright. Rest your attention on the feeling of breathing, wherever you notice it most clearly. When you realize your attention has gone somewhere else (and it will, often), notice where it went and bring it back to the breath. That's it. Coming back is the exercise, not a sign you're doing it wrong.
Your first week
- Days 1 to 3: five minutes. Same time, same place. Count breaths from one to ten, then start again at one. If you lose count, start again at one.
- Days 4 to 7: five to ten minutes. Drop the counting if you can follow the breath without it; keep it if it helps.
- Every day: set a timer so you don't have to watch the clock, and stay seated for a few breaths after the bell.
Keep the length small enough that you'll still do it on a bad day. Habits form through repetition in a consistent setting, and in one well-known study, missing a single day didn't materially affect how the habit formed [2]. A daily meditation habit, without the scoreboard goes into this further.
What to expect
- A busy mind. Thinking doesn't stop. You'll notice it more, which is the point.
- Restlessness or sleepiness. Both are normal. For sleepiness, sit more upright, open your eyes, or try another time of day. For restlessness, shorten the session.
- Doubt. "Am I doing this right?" If you're coming back to the breath when you notice you've drifted, you are.
A note on safety
Meditation is generally considered to have few risks, but it isn't risk-free. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that few studies have looked closely at harmful effects, and cites a 2020 review in which about 8% of participants had a negative effect, most often anxiety or depression [1]. If you live with a mental health condition or have experienced trauma, talk to a health professional before you start, and look for a teacher with relevant experience. Meditation doesn't replace medical care.
When a plain timer makes sense
Once you know your technique and would rather not hear a voice, a timer is all you need, and that is what Echo is for: you choose the length, a bell sounds at the start and the end, and the minutes in between are yours. Until then, use whatever teaches you best.