A short guide on how to meditate
Meditation is a method of training the mind, equivalent to how exercise is a method of training the body.
There are several meditation methods to choose from, but how do you learn to meditate?
For a beginner, sitting for hours and thinking about nothing or having an “empty mind” is incredibly challenging. In general, concentrating on the breath is the simplest way to begin meditating (Gaiam).
The most crucial first step is establishing a consistent routine with a lasting habit. It should not be challenging to set aside 10 minutes per day, but it is easy to get wrapped up in all that’s going on.
Make it a habit to do it daily.
Make a room where you can sit at the same time every day (Puddicombe, 2011). It should be out of reach of third parties, such as visitors and salespeople. You should feel safe, at ease, relaxed, and well protected in it. Typically, your bedroom is the place you will spend much of your time at home, so it is most suitable for being alone. Once you have found the area to put a mark, clear the area. Clear away any bits of clutter that could be in the space (Celes).
According to a study by the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, having several visual objects within one’s field of vision results in stimuli vying for neuronal representation. In layman’s words, the more garbage you can see, the easier it is to get overwhelmed. Your brain is faced with several sandwiches to bite into, and it is unsure which to try first (Vrcek, 2017).
Position
Recommended seating positions include sitting on a lotus or blanket, sitting on chairs, sitting on chairs, and sitting on chairs. If you are not required to sit in a particular posture, you can meditate in whatever way you would like. Try to find an ergonomic posture that allows you to focus. In other words, sitting on your chair would allow you to read comfortably. Primarily those who sit for long periods (for example, those who have numbness in their feet from their circulation problems) will benefit from this (Celes).
Meditation pose is necessary because it helps to relax the mind. When we sit cross-legged and straighten our spine, we encourage our essential energies to flow freely. Sustaining a perfect meditation pose allows one to remain alert, focus on our meditation, and meditate for more extended periods.
Do you like to see for yourself how body posture affects the mind? When you catch yourself daydreaming, fix your eyes on some spot in front of you. Keep looking at the object without moving your eyes. Your impulses will stop, and everything will come to a halt. Do that right now, and you will see a difference right away. Simply having your eyes locked has an immediate effect on your subconscious. Consider what a rock-solid stance can achieve (Vyas, 2021).
It can take anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds to do nothing at all. You might catch yourself thinking and acting as though you are on top of the world or feeling grounded. Nothing will happen to change the fact that whatever can occur is perfectly perfect. Take advantage of the opportunity to release the brain from the constant mental discipline (Puddicombe, 2011).
Rumination is the act of replaying the same emotions in your mind over and over again.
According to research, rumination can be dangerous in various ways, and being able to clear the mind and break away from the destructive practice is a vital skill to learn. One of the most significant issues with rumination is that while you dwell on upsetting experiences from the past or future, you cause fear about yourself at the moment. This fear activates the stress reflex, robbing you of pleasure at the moment. Consequently, persistent stress can develop, which is an unhealthy disorder that can contribute to various physical, behavioral, and emotional issues (Scott, 2020).
Pay some attention to your breath.
Make no attempt to adjust it; however, experience the rising and dropping feeling it produces in your body. Take note of where these feelings arise – whether in your belly, chest, shoulders, or elsewhere. Reflect on the consistency of each breath for a few seconds, noting whether it is deep or shallow, long or quick, swift or sluggish. Begin counting your breaths silently: 1 as you inhale, two as you exhale, three on the next inhalation, and so on, up to 10. Then begin again at 1. It is perfectly natural for thoughts to arise when doing this. You do not need to “do” anything; return your focus to the breath when you notice your mind has drifted. If you recall the amount you counted up to, you can restart from there or begin again at 1 (Puddicombe, 2011).
The objective is to be as close to the breath as possible for as long as possible.
So, in our meditation practice, if we find our mind “thinking,” we clearly recognize the substance as “just another thought” (thereby letting said thought go) and return our focus to the breath kindly, softly, and patiently. Furthermore, we choose not to determine where the mind wanders off to or get irritated with how many occasions it does. If we find ourselves daydreaming, wondering, replaying experiences, creating to-do lists, or something, we softly let our thought(s) go and return our mind to the normal rhythm and movement of the breath. Over and over. Furthermore, if half your mediation session goes by without you being conscious of your thought mind, that is well — it is just part of the method. Return to the breathing (EOC Institute).
Then sit back and watch the inner conversation that is taking place in your head.
Allow them to float by. What are your thoughts? What are your emotions? Observe; do not participate. Many people believe that to meditate, they would allow themselves not to focus and blot out cognitive thinking. The truth is just the reverse. You allow your mind to wander, but you do not participate. You play the part of a bystander, watching them from the back of your mind. These feelings are present during meditation when they are being cleared. These feelings have always been present in your mind; you are only not conscious of them because there are too many competing for your attention within your brain!
Moreover, now, one by one, they are clearing out by meditation. After a while of meditating, you will notice that your mind begins to rise above the physical world. When this occurs, you become disconnected from yourself and an observer of the physical environment. The more you meditate, the deeper your condition will be and the better your awareness will be (Celes).
When you are through with your meditation, gently return to your physical condition.
Begin by becoming aware of the physical world surrounding you. Next, pay attention to your body. Then, gradually open your eyes. Learn to be aware of the environment. If you suddenly open your eyes and begin to continue your athletic activity, it can be disjointed and jarring. Instead of instantly returning to your physical activity, you may want to stay in the meditative spot and focus on any of the thoughts, emotions, or images that occurred during your meditation. You would even want to spend a few minutes showing appreciation for the aspects in your life that you appreciate (Celes).
Power Forward
