What Is Meditation?
Before learning how to meditate, it's fair enough that you might wonder what meditation really is.
This simple question can have a multitude of answers. The truth is there are many forms of meditation that can be used for a variety of purposes.
But in the spirit of keeping things simple: Meditation is the practice of stepping back from your thoughts, allowing the present moment to unfold without strain, and observing the natural stillness of life.
The most basic forms of meditation are relaxed observation exercises. You may sit with eyes closed, allowing your breathing to flow naturally, and watching each breath rise and subside. Or you may sit comfortably, eyes open, observing both your inner workings and the room around you with no particular opinion or objective. The key points are relaxing completely and allowing the moment with no effort to add your thoughts to it.
(Additional Resource Available: Meditation And Silence )
Why Meditate?
The benefits of meditation will ultimately surpass anything we can speak of in verbal or written terms. There is a certain "right being" that emerges with practice and encompasses all aspects of your life. Meditative living and the regular surrender to stillness allow us to find a type of center point that a mainstream lifestyle simply cannot provide. (Additional Resource Available: Spirituality Defined)
However, our ego minds need something more substantiative. We must initially define a few tangible benefits before we are fully compelled to engage the practice.
Most likely you are looking for a few simple reasons as to why you should meditate. Or perhaps you wonder if meditation will help you correct a few health, focus, stress, or emotional issues.
That's perfectly wonderful. And to answer your question "Will meditation help with _____ ?"...
ABSOLUTELY IT WILL! Meditation enhances the life experience in all ways and is the ultimate treatment for a very wide range of issues.
Here are a few benefits of meditation:
- Reduced stress and increased ability to relax.
- Lowered blood pressure and controlled heart rate.
- Enhanced patience and ability to listen.
- Improved focus, both mentally and via physical senses.
- Greater happiness through stimulation of left frontal lobe.
- Increased self-esteem and confidence.
- Greater self-awareness and willingness to be objective.
- Greater general awareness and intuitive function.
- Improved empathic awareness.
- Better memory and retention ability.
Here are just a few sources that concur with and expand upon the above list.
This list could be expanded even further. But I believe it represents a very good set of reasons for learning how to meditate. Also, it is not the purpose of this Knol to prove laboratory findings on meditation, but rather to teach individuals how they might find out for themselves how meditating will enhance their lives.
Who Can Practice Meditation?
Contrary to some beliefs, meditation is not limited to religious participants or individuals who embrace any particular philosophy. You don't need to be a monk or a martial artist to learn how to meditate. Nor do you need to know anything about Eastern culture. You don't even have to consider yourself smart, or be a "good person" to practice and benefit from meditation.
In short anyone, including you, can and should learn how to meditate.
More people each day are seeking information about what meditation is and how it can be applied to their life. The deep, far-reaching benefits of meditation are being embraced and enjoyed by millions.
How To Meditate (Additional Resource Available: Basic Meditation Tutorial )
The first thing you should do is identify a quiet, comfortable area you can use for your meditation. A favorite room or section of your yard/garden is ideal, but any place you can be alone and undisturbed will do. Note that you can meditate anywhere (literally!), but it's great to have a regular place to go for your daily meditation practice.
The second thing you should do is identify a span of time in which you can be absolutely undisturbed by phones, kids, your spouse, work, or anything else in the known universe. Things come up of course, but in the beginning you need to establish ideal circumstances, and this includes a 10 to 20 minute block of time when you can be completely alone* and undisturbed.
* It's worth pointing out here that if you have a mate, you may find the meditation experience is somewhat enhanced when the two of you meditate together. In this event you will of course ignore the reference to being alone.
When the time comes to meditate, I suggest you wear comfortable clothes. You may also need a small pillow for your seated position, so have one handy just in case.
You may wish to use a timer for your meditation session. This is an easy way to mark a specific period of time, such as 10 to 20 minutes.
Basic Meditation For Beginners
Once you are in your chosen, comfortable place and free from distractions,you should allow your body to relax as much as possible. Release the tension in your shoulders and neck, letting this part of your body sink a bit. Then release the tension in your hips, lower back, and thighs. Keep your spine as straight as you can, but do not strain or push; just be aware of your back and let it straighten out.
For this basic meditation you will assume a seated position. You can either sit on the edge of a sturdy wooden or metal chair, or you can sit cross-legged on the ground.
If you choose a chair be sure to use the edge and avoid leaning into the back. Your spine needs to be upright and free from the support of the chair.
If you sit cross-legged on the ground, feel free to place a small pillow at the base of your spine to reduce the strain and allow you to sit up straight without any tension. This position is ideal, because it gives you the sense of being more "rooted" into the ground.
Once seated, rest your hands on the tops of your thighs; your right hand will sit on your right thigh and vice versa. If you naturally want to allow your palms to face upwards, do so. If it feels right to turn your palms down flat against your legs, do this. After your hands are placed, be sure once again that your back is straight up and down, and that your spine feels centered between your left and right hips.
To recap, when you are ready to meditate you should...
- Find a comfortable room.
- Wear comfortable clothers.
- Set aside time in which you will not be disturbed.
- Relax your shoulders, hips, neck, back, and legs.
- Sit with your spine straight.
- Rest your hands naturally on your legs; right hand on right thigh and vice versa.
- Double check your spine, assuring it is straight up and down and centered over your pelvis.
When you are comfortably in position, take note of any tension in the muscles of your back, neck, arms, shoulders, legs, and elsewhere. Feel the tension for just a moment, then relax your entire body.
~ Close your eyes.~ See the darkness of your eyelids.~ Count silently backwards from 10 to 1.~ When you run out of numbers, allow your mind to rest in the emptiness.~ Sink your awareness deep into your abdomen and find your breathing.
Become Aware Of The Rythm Of Your Breath And Watch It In The Darkness.
Do not interfere with your breathing.Do not alter the rythm of your breath.Make no effort to breathe more deeply or to take longer breaths.
Just Be Aware Of Your Breathing And Continue To Watch It.
When you catch yourself trying to control your breath simply let go. Return your awareness to the emptiness and peace that comes naturally and begin watching your breathing once more.
When thoughts enter your mind acknowledge them, and then let them go. Return your awareness back to your breathing and let yourself relax.
When you begin to feel tension in your neck, shoulders, back, hips, or anywhere else in your body, acknowledge it and then let go. Return your awareness to your breathing and relax once more.
Allow The Breath To Move Into And Out From Your Lungs Naturally.
Focus your full and relaxed attention on your breathing. Be completely present in the moment as the air moves slowly into your lungs, filling them to a comfortable point, and is then pushed back out by the muscles in your diaphragm.
An ideal meditation period is 15 to 20 minutes long. In the beginning you may wish to start with 10 minutes, and even as little as 3 minutes can produce notable benefits.
To recap, the basic meditation being taught here is as follows...
- Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet room.
- Your body is relaxed, and your eyes are closed.
- Your sole activity is remaining aware of your breathing.
- You are not to force or control your breath in any way.
- Your mind should be allowed to rest in a thoughtless state.
- As thoughts enter your mind, you acknowledge them and let them go.
- Once a thought is released you return your awareness to your breathing.
- When you feel tension rise in your muscles, simply release it.
- Once tension is released, you return your awareness to your breathing.
- It may help to realize you are an observer in this meditation exercise.
With practice, your awareness will increase and you will be able to have the experience of literally stepping back from yourself and watching both your breathing and your state of silent awareness. This may feel like you are observing yourself in the same way you would watch another person.
If you have set a timer, the bell will alert you when the meditation period has ended. If you are not using a timer, simply watch your breath for as long as you comfortably can.
Your body will tell you when it is finished if you practice without a timer. At some point it will become impossible to remain relaxed and you will naturally exit the meditative state.
It's possible you will feel a deep sense of peace and/or exhilaration after meditating. Even if you do not notice immediate results, you are certain to experience the full spectrum of positive benefits over time if you continue to meditate.
Many people who have been practicing meditation long-term will tell you the best choice they ever made in life was learning how to meditate. Because meditation is a highly experiential practice, nobody can tell you exactly how you will feel during and after your sessions.
The practice outlined above is very safe. And if you meditate regularly I honestly don't believe it's possible to avoid receiving numerous benefits.
However if you have any existing health issues you may wish to ask your doctor before beginning. And if you experience any discomfort, confusion, or pain during meditation you should contact your doctor right away.
I hope this information is useful for you. Also here are some additional resources you might enjoy:
Other Recommended Reading
Basic Meditation - This complete tutorial includes photos and visual aids to help you learn to meditate.
Living In The Present Moment - Article on the power of mindfulness.
Body Awareness Meditation - Simple exercise for improving bodily awareness.
Chakra Points - Basic guide to the human chakra system and energetic structure.
Chakra System - Brief overview of the history and practice of the chakra system.
Understanding The Chakras - Article overview on the chakra basics.
Spirituality And Life Purpose - My blog, and my opinions on the meaning of life and human nature.
Good Vibrations - Another blog about the power of thought and positive thinking.
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