How do you meditate? This is a question that many people ponder when they decide to try meditating. They also wonder: Am I doing it right? How long should I meditate? What type of meditation should I do? Meditation is not as complicated as you think. We say start with a basic mindfulness meditation and build off of it. Basic meditation is quite simple, it just requires some time and commitment. The core focus of meditation is breathing. It is something we do every day, yet how often do you pay attention to it? By focusing on your breath, you can calm the mind. Before you know it, meditating becomes a part of your daily routine. You will feel happier, calmer, focused and more energized.
How Do You Meditate?
How to Meditate with Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a good way to start practicing the basics of meditation.
- Start with closing your eyes and finding a comfortable sitting position. Either cross-legged or on a chair.
- Begin to breathe through your nose. Become aware of your in breath and out breath. Try and stay focused on your breathing.
- If a thought comes into your mind don’t dwell on it. Become aware of your thoughts as they come and go. Do not place labels or judgments on them. Let them drift off like a leaf floating down the river.
- Stay mindful of your breathing. Try and become present and in the moment. Try observing how your mind works.
- After several minutes try to incorporate the way your body feels. Become aware of your whole body in the physical space you are occupying.
- Remember if a thought enters your mind don’t try and fight it. Just let it drift away and focus on your breath.
- Whenever you get distracted focus on your in breath and out breath. Always go back to the breath.
- Try doing this for about 10-20 minutes.
- When you’re done, open your eyes and take some time to become aware of the space around you. Get up slowly and try and take this feeling with you throughout your day.
Learn How to Meditate In Our 5 Minute Guided Mindful Meditation Below:
Present Moment Awareness
Practicing mindfulness will keep you aware of your thoughts, feelings and actions. By practicing mindful meditation, you will learn to live more in the present moment. Being present is something most of us lack in today’s society. We have become too distracted by technology, television and life. Meditation retrains your mind to become more present and more aware. Your thoughts and emotions do not take you over. You begin to realize all we ever have is this present moment.
Meditating Using a Mantra
You can also meditate using a mantra. A simple mantra during breathing can help keep you focused. A mantra works by mentally saying “So” on the in breath and mentally saying “Hum” on the out breath. It is a simple yet effective way to start out in meditation. Deepak Chopra explains how it is done in these videos.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is another great way to get started in meditation. Guided meditation is done by listening to audio or video with someone guiding you through your meditation. It is an excellent way to learn how to meditate from an experienced teacher. It allows the one guiding your meditations to redirect the mind back to breathing and awareness.
We Be Meditating Guided Meditations
We offer guided meditations in increments of 10, 20 and 45 minutes. Our instructor will gently guide you through a breath meditation, sound awareness meditation, spinal energy meditation and a body scan meditation. All these meditations are accompanied by the sounds of nature.
Our sample 10 minutes guided meditation on You Tube is below:
See all of our guided meditations here.
Posture and Comfort
Having the right posture and being comfortable during meditation is very important. Start by sitting with your legs crossed with the spine and head straight. Place your hands cupped in your lap. If you are uncomfortable sitting crossed legged, you can always just sit in a chair. Just be relaxed, aware and keep your spine straight.
Meditation Cushion
Using a meditation cushion is a great way to maintain the correct sitting posture during your practice. There are many types of pads and pillows you can use to make your next meditation more comfortable. Meditation cushions also help with keeping your legs from falling asleep and easing stress on your hip and knees. Being comfortable during your meditation is important, so you can focus on your breathing.
Tablet or Smartphone App
Try using an app on your tablet or phone to learn how to meditate. It can really help keep you focused and on track. It is a great way to get started in meditation. Check out our article on the best apps to learn how to meditate.
Feature image courtesy of Naypong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Conclusion
As you can see, meditation is not a complicated thing to do, but it does take some practice and commitment. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. You begin to train your mind to become more aware of the present moment. It really becomes a state of living. You become much more present in everyday life. Thoughts and emotions don’t take you over anymore. You become much more calm, tranquil and at ease. Why not start meditating today and make it a part of your daily routine? I am sure it will change your life like it did mine.
