Do you feel stressed, overworked, or struggle to find balance in your life? Meditation has been known to greatly improve ones quality of life for these aspects and more. There is a great deal of information out there on meditation and the health benefits of incorporating it as a daily practice. The following consists of the most common (top 5) questions I’m often asked about meditation.
What is meditation?
Meditation is the art of thinking without any thought. Or in other words, its simply a process of quieting the mind. Taking a few moments in stillness, while observing all your thoughts, mental to-do lists, daily tasks, work, etc, with little focus allowing them to pass, leading you to a blissful place with less mind. It allows you to access your subconscious mind for deeper levels of change, while also providing greater levels of awareness and understanding of yourself.
Is Meditation difficult?
Yes and no. If I told you all you had to do was sit still and focus on your breath, you might think, wow, that sounds easy. But the first time you sit in meditation with the focus on your breath, you might find your mind running wild with all kinds of thoughts. You may feel restless, struggle with your mental to-do lists, or think of other ways why you should be doing something else. The process is not easy at first, and takes time and discipline.
Why Meditation?
There are several benefits that result from a daily practice. Some of the key benefits are health, awareness, freedom from fears, inner talk, higher levels of self-confidence, and changes to your overall mental thought process. You'll be able to reduce your stress and find a deeper level of peace and balance with life. Meditation has also been found to slow down the aging process, and change your entire neurological system.
If your looking to change things about your life, or yourself, or struggle with health issues you may benefit greatly by incorporating this into your life.
Do I need to learn from a teacher?
If your new to meditation, then you might find a teacher to be a great asset, for guidance and questions that arise. Especially if your looking at studying a particular style that is of interest to you. However, it is not necessary to have a teacher for mindful practices, as that's something you can start immediately by just taking a few moments in silence daily and just focusing on your breath. There are several books out there that will help with guidance and any questions that you may have. One of the best starter books for meditation is Mindfulness in Plain English. You can purchase the book by clicking here or view the online copy for free here.
How do I get started?
Again, if you'd like to study a particular style then you may need to seek out a teacher in your area. If your looking to just get started with a mindful practice, then the following may help with some introductory steps.
First find a position that your comfortable with sitting in for a short period of time. You can choose a floor posture such as the full lotus, half lotus, quarter lotus, or the uncrossed position. Or you could sit in a chair, or even lay down which is not recommended if you fall a sleep easily.
Next you would want to pick a time frame for how long you’d like to meditate for. You might find it easier to start out small with 5 minutes a day, where you can then work your way up to 30 minutes or more. Its important that you remain in meditation for the time you chose, for example if your starting limit is 5 minutes then you want to make sure you sit for the entire 5 minutes before stopping. This is where the discipline comes in and is extremely important for your growth.
The other important aspect is your posture. Its important to keep the spine erect, without becoming to tense. Almost as though your suspended by a string from the crown of your head.
From there, just focus on your breath, observe the thoughts as they arise, acknowledge them, and then allow them to pass. If you get side tracked with thoughts, a quick way to bring yourself back is by focusing on your breath. As you progress things will get easier, and you will notice the benefits.
Good luck with your meditation practices and experiences.
Until next time,
James-Simon
