Have you ever meditated before? If you answered no, that is okay, and this can be something that works well for you. You can make meditation work to help you with your mind and body.
Meditation is something that is often used now days in order to help people have less stress, depression, and many health issues. This can happen in yoga studios, at home, in your office or even in places such as military bases and police divisions.
Meditation has become a way to service people and to help people of all skill levels and is something that is great for those that are professionals and those that are beginners. If you are interested in meditation, here is a guide that can help you.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a way that you can sit and allow your mind and your body to relax. It can help you to practice mindfulness and to allow sensations to run through you while you are relaxed and while you are calm.
Meditation does not stop you from thinking, but it allows you to actually feel things and think things through. It shows you how you should react to things in your life and how meditation can help you to do this.
Meditation wants you to be still. Since you are so busy day in and day out, meditation is there to help you to be calm and help you to get rid of noises around you. This can give you a break in your mind and body and allow you to gain information and to remember things that you might forget. This can also help you to have a better attitude in life.
Here are some ways to meditate:
Know Your Area
Find a place that you can create that will be calm and will have no distractions. You need to make sure you have somewhere comfortable to sit and you are comfortable like a home or a cozy area.
Everyone has different meditation spaces and not everyone is going to be the same. This can be done in your home or in your office, or wherever you are. You do not have to have a fancy space, but you can decorate it to give you peace and happiness.
Seating
Figure out where you want to sit and where you can be comfortable. You do not want to be uncomfortable in your meditating or you will hate it. You do not want to have pain or to have to focus on your body, but you want to learn to relax.
Here are some ways you can find your seating:
- Try sitting in the floor on a cushion or a mat. Sit with your legs crossed and if you feel that your knees are higher than your hips, elevate yourself on an extra cushion.
- You want your knees to not be as high as your hips because you want to be comfortable. Sitting with your back rounded will be uncomfortable and you want to make sure that you are sitting tall and that your spine is in line.
- Sitting in a chair is fine. Find one that is comfortable and where your feet can touch the ground.
- You can also sit on something like a box or an ottoman. Whatever you will be comfortable in.
Breathing
Once you decide where and how you are going to sit, put your hands in your lap and close your eyes. Learn to pay attention to your breathing.
Here is the way to breathe when meditating:
- Breathe deeply into your nose as your lungs fill.
- Breathe completely out of your nose and empty your lungs.
- Do this in and out until you are relaxed.
- Relax in your arms, feet, hands, legs, and the rest of your body.
- Let your stomach deep breathe.
- Drop your chin slightly so that your neck will not hurt.
- Relax your muscles and adjust until you are able to relax.
Once you begin to relax, you will see that you can imagine you breathe coming in and leaving you the same way.
Imagine you breathe being a certain color such as red or blue. Sense how the air feels going in and out of your nose and when it goes into your lungs.
How does your body react to your breathing? Is your body smooth or jittery? There are no right or wrong answers but just learn to be aware.
Distractions
One of the hardest parts of meditating is learning to relax without being distracted. Sometimes since you are so busy, once you begin to relax your mind will wonder to things you need to do. Learn to guide your mind back to relaxing and breathe in and out.
Do not get upset with yourself if your mind wonders, remember you have thousands of thoughts each day. You cannot turn these off but if you begin to get distracted, start paying attention to your breathing again.
One way you can distract your mind is by counting. When you begin breathing, count up to 10. Do this and you will see that it helps you relax and gets your attention off of your thoughts. When you begin to get distracted, begin counting again.
Affirmations
Sometimes people get bored with counting and if you need to do something different, practice affirmations. Affirmations are phrases that you can repeat to yourself over and over. They help you to stay concentrating and they help you to practice being mindful.
Here are some examples of affirmations:
- I am good enough.
- I am loved.
- I love others wholly.
- I am whole.
- I can breathe completely in and out.
You can also use Sanskrit affirmations for mantras, and these will help to increase your vibrations s you meditate. Here are some examples:
- Sat Nam-means “True Identity,” this works with the chakras.
- Om-a sound that people make, and it brings vibrations into your body.
- So, Ham-means, “I am,” and helps you to learn to inhale and exhale.
Guided Meditations
If you feel that you need someone to help guide you through meditation, that is okay. You can find someone in person, or you can get online and find videos or podcasts that can lead you through your meditation.
Here are some examples:
- Headspace
- Deepak Chopra’s website
There are many, many different websites, and apps that you can use to help you.
Simple
Meditation is not always easy, but it is always helpful. When you are tired and busy, you might have a hard time fitting in meditation.
This practice will be there to help you no matter what is going on in your life. Try to make this part of your routine and give yourself time for self-reflection.
Conclusion
Learning to meditate is not hard and you can learn to do this just simply by reading about it or by watching meditation videos. If you are beginner, find beginner meditation online and practice.
Meditation can help you to get rid of stress and anxiety and help you to become more aware of what is going on in your life.