Meditation is a huge theme-complex and it’s not limited to meditation itself. You could expand to yoga (which is actually the preparation of the body for meditaion), modern and ancient psychology and even different ancient and modern cultures like the Vedes and Buddhists or Hindus. Due to a lack of time, it will be only a really brief guide to meditation for those who are interested to start meditating regularly. And why should everybody do that? Because the effects on body and soul are indisputable, even though difficult to prove quantically in science. It’s a way to cope with stress and emotional challenging times, if you have built up a regular practise. For example, examination session during studies, that’s how I survived. It’s also possible to increase concentration and productivity by meditating regularly.
But let’s start. There are some basics you have to remember when starting to meditate: First of all, time is a crucial factor, but not as you might think. It’s not necessary to practice meditation for hours and hours each day. Ten to fifteen minutes are enough. Second of all, as just mention, it’s something you have to practise. No yogic master has appeared out of nowhere. Meditation is a skill and like each other skill you improve yourself by exercising regularly. If you practise every day, that would be ideal. If you don’t manage to find ten or fifteen minutes each day (which should be possible even with the fullest time table because it will pay off) it’s not a reason to just let practise go completely. It’s still better to practise at least once a week than doing nothing. But you will have more learning success if you practise more often. But that’s not the point about time and meditation. The most important thing you must remember, when meditating, you exist in here and now. Not thinking about things that were, not about things that will be or things that might be. The third important thing about meditation is: There is actually nothing you can do wrong. There are some basic practises, especially concerning breathing techniques which I will present here. But you can modify them freely. There is no right or false. It must fit you in this very moment. So, it could be different every day, because every day you underwent other experiences which form your mind for each specific practise.
Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to get into a state of mind where you can meditate quietly and just focus on your breathing technique, because you know you have so much stuff to do. Here’s a trick, to overcome all the mundane worries: Talk to your mind (loudly or quietly) and tell it, that you know you have much stuff to do, you will take care of everything that is not done yet when you’re finished and that you allow yourself now for fifteen minutes or so to not think about it and just meditate. This ritual is called “doing a Sankalpa”. And even if your thoughts wander during meditation, don’t worry. It’s normal and your mind processes these thoughts, but as you notice try return as soon as possible to your anker: Your breathing. That was how to set a starting point for your mind. Now a short notice how to ready your body. Optimal would be practising yoga before, for which you find tons of video material for beginners on youtube, but it’s not strictly necessary and maybe a bit too much to begin with. You can also perform a progressive relaxation exercise, where you consciously think about every part of your body (i.e. feet, ankles and calves, thighs, hips, stomach and lower back, breast and shoulders, arms, neck and face) where you observe sensations and tension and to release it. If you’re asking yourself in which posture you should meditate, here’s the rule: You should meditate in a posture, that you can hold for the duration of your meditation without getting any strong aches or pains anywhere in your body. If you have difficulty to practise cross-legged for this period of time, it’s absolutely fine to just lay on your back. Another option would be sitting on your heels with or without support by a yoga block (or books). It is also noteworthy that for the first practices it might be a little umcomfortable, but as with meditation itself, by the mere practice of the posture you’ll make progress.
Now I will present you three different breathing techniques here that you get an idea how to start with meditation.
Technique 1
The first one is quite classic: Exhalation is twice as long as inhalation. This is a technique which is soothing. Whilst meditating, you develop the actual technique step by step. Here you start with normal breathing. Then you start counting 1 2 3 during inhalation. Try to adjust your counting, not your breathing. Whilst exhalation you continue counting 4 5 6. Also here try to breathe still normally and not lengthen or shorten your breathe to fit counting. If you mastered that step, you proceed and breathe in deeply, where you try to fill your lungs completely (imagine like a jar of water, filling from the bottom up). Slow down your exhalation controlled, counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 so that it will be twice as long as the inhalation. Very important notice: You should never feel short of breathe! If you mastered also this step, you could make a brief pause between inhalation and exhalation and vice versa. Also here, just do it, if you mastered the steps before and don’t feel short of breath.
Technique 2
The second technique is called the alternating nostril’s breathing. This technique has a balancing effect. You can also start with technique one and when you fell ready, you can alternately close one of your nostrils with putting your thumb on it, respectively your index finger. Actually you can use the two fingers which suit you best, it does not matter very much. Here you can play with your breathing, you can breathe normally, use technique one or develop something completely new.
Technique 3
The third technique is very useful, when you have difficulties with tracing your breathe. Whilst breathing, you can make a hissing sound, as if you would like to snore, but without the resonating uvula and velum in the throat. It’s quite difficult to describe and in the end I will recommend a channel on youtube, where you also can do guided meditations and everything is explained clearly step by step. Whilst using the hissing sound technique you can also breathe as you like: Normally, like in technique one or otherwise. Remember, your completely free and nothing can be done wrong.
Summary
To summarise: Take your time, seek out a suitable place for meditating, allow yourself to not think about mundane things, progressive relaxation exercise, choose a breathing technique and practise it and just earn the good effects of meditating.
I hope I could convince some of you to start meditating and that you will enjoy your meditation routine!
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