Making Time for Breath Meditation

I am going to spend some time breathing later tonight. I have a lot on my mind as I deal with the pain and frustrations of an injury and upcoming surgery. Even if it's a short session of trying to remain calm in my breath, it is important to begin again. 

What I find helpful when preparing for my own meditation time: 

         Keep it simple

*A comfortable seated position

*Soft calming music

*Incense or a scented candle

*Using a short personal mantra to repeat on each inhale and exhale, using "belly breathing" 

*Starting with a goal of 20 minutes per session 

I am going to get back into a routine of setting aside time to be mindful, but I'm looking forward to trying different forms of meditation soon and learning about what makes the most sense to me.