Contrary to popular belief, meditation does not require complicated postures and great skill. On the contrary, meditation can be practised by anyone, anywhere and with just a little guidance, yield results that would bring a sense of balance, peace and harmony to your life. Here is an easy to follow introduction to meditation, that would enable you to destress and increase feelings of well – being.
Attire and Time for Meditation
Since the purpose of meditation is to relax and calm the mind, the body, too, must be comfortable. So, wear comfortable clothes that would allow easy movement and breathing. Tight, restrictive clothes, besides being uncomfortable, would hinder deep breathing which is an integral part of meditation.
Choose a quiet time when you would not be disturbed at all, at least for five to ten minutes. The idea behind keeping the time a little less, in the beginning, is to let you get comfortable with the principles of meditation- silence and concentration. The mind is so used to wandering and flitting about, that getting it to remain still needs some practice.
Place and Posture for Meditation
While it is possible to meditate while standing or walking, to begin with, sit in a comfortable posture, keeping your eyes partially closed, so as to avoid getting distracted by your surroundings. If you are more comfortable keeping your eyes open, then try and focus on a single point in front of you, because if you keep looking around, you wouldn’t be able to calm the mind. Don’t be rigid and conscious.
Choose a place where you wouldn’t be disturbed and where you would feel relaxed. If you can, choose to meditate outdoors. Nature is great for meditating. However, indoors, is good as long as the place is free of clutter. You could make your meditation a ritual. Light a candle, burn some incense, play some soft, soothing music and then start to meditate.
How to Meditate
Breathe in deeply, filling your lungs with fresh, pure air and observe the passage of air through your body. Then exhale softly and again, focus on the passage of air leaving your lungs. You could use a sound, such as, “Om” or “Hum” to focus on or simply, concentrate on the passage of your breath. If playing music, you could just focus on that.
Continue this for five or ten minutes and at the end of the session, rub your palms together and place them lightly on your eyes. Open your eyes and smile gently as you get ready to face the world around you. Try and meditate at least once a day to begin with and gradually, you could meditate even twice and experience greater benefits.
As you would soon learn, the art of meditation is easy to master and its benefits are immense; an increased feeling of well-being, better concentration and lower stress levels are but a few benefits that you would enjoy. Learning to meditate is easy and effective provided one dedicates some time to peace and quiet each day.