A Beginners Guide to Meditation
26/08/09 17:00 Filed in: Relaxation
Starting to meditate may seem daunting or indeed boring. It's neither. Taking time out to meditate each day is a wonderful thing to do and has many benefits both for your mental and physical health. Check out the article on Benefits of Meditating on the Global Mystic web site.
To start with try a simple breathing exercise to focus and still the mind. Also read the article on Why You Will Succeed, it will really help you in the early days.
The following meditation is taken from the weekly meditations at the Global Mystic. Try it for at least a week before experimenting with other techniques. Good luck, and remember - it's your time.
Practice
1. Sit comfortably either in a straight back chair with your feet flat on the floor, or in a full or half lotus position. Which ever you choose it is important to maintain a straight back during the meditation.
2. Take three deep breaths, counting as you breath in, holding your breath for the same count, breathing out to the same count, and again holding again to the same count before you start the cycle again. The number you count during each stage will depend on the size of your lungs. You need to take deep breaths but not feel uncomfortable or out of breath during the holds.
3. Let your breath return to normal through your nose and now try to keep a regular cycle going of in, hold, out, hold, in, hold, out...
4. Now start focusing on the breath. Feel it enter your nose. Feel your lungs expand. Notice your stomach extend and then contract as it pushes the air back out. Feel your lungs deflate and focus on the air as it passes back out through your nostrils.
5. As your breathing gets slower and more shallow just focus on the movement of air in your nose - and then at the every tip of your nose until you can distinguish the tiniest of movements.
6. Keep doing this so your practice takes about 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes or so just sit in silence, not focusing on anything, and enjoy the peace. It is important not to jump out of a meditation as this can lead to a headache. After a few minutes gradually open your eyes and stretch.
8. A good way to ground yourself after a meditation is to have a glass of mineral water.
To start with try a simple breathing exercise to focus and still the mind. Also read the article on Why You Will Succeed, it will really help you in the early days.
The following meditation is taken from the weekly meditations at the Global Mystic. Try it for at least a week before experimenting with other techniques. Good luck, and remember - it's your time.
Practice
1. Sit comfortably either in a straight back chair with your feet flat on the floor, or in a full or half lotus position. Which ever you choose it is important to maintain a straight back during the meditation.
2. Take three deep breaths, counting as you breath in, holding your breath for the same count, breathing out to the same count, and again holding again to the same count before you start the cycle again. The number you count during each stage will depend on the size of your lungs. You need to take deep breaths but not feel uncomfortable or out of breath during the holds.
3. Let your breath return to normal through your nose and now try to keep a regular cycle going of in, hold, out, hold, in, hold, out...
4. Now start focusing on the breath. Feel it enter your nose. Feel your lungs expand. Notice your stomach extend and then contract as it pushes the air back out. Feel your lungs deflate and focus on the air as it passes back out through your nostrils.
5. As your breathing gets slower and more shallow just focus on the movement of air in your nose - and then at the every tip of your nose until you can distinguish the tiniest of movements.
6. Keep doing this so your practice takes about 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes or so just sit in silence, not focusing on anything, and enjoy the peace. It is important not to jump out of a meditation as this can lead to a headache. After a few minutes gradually open your eyes and stretch.
8. A good way to ground yourself after a meditation is to have a glass of mineral water.
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