Meditation Made Easy
- Begin with 5 minutes a day. This can be helpful if we are attempting to do 20 minutes a day. As a beginner the mind might sabotage us by saying “I don’t have time”. By doing 5 minutes the mind has more difficulty trying to sabotage us.
- Choose the way you want to meditate: sitting, walking in nature, dancing, prayer time, do nothing time (DNT), or breathing exercises such as Belly Bio Breathing.
- Pick a time that suits you, mine is first thing in the morning because then I get it done.
- Muting the phones and computers helps decrease possible interruptions.
- Choose a mantra: this is a word that we repeat that gives us a break from the thoughts in the mind. Examples of mantras are OM, Be here now, I am happy healthy and whole, or imagine a favourite spot in nature. (Harvard University did a study and all mantras work fine.)
- Sit and repeat the mantra and eventually we may be lost in thoughts. If we become aware of drifting in thoughts just come back to the mantra. If we are not aware of drifting in thoughts that is fine too. We will just continue to drift in thoughts and can still reach a deep state of relaxation.
- It may seem that ‘nothing’ is happening, but a lot is taking place. Meditation is a foundational practice for health. In this state of relaxation natural healing occurs, as well as the gradual development of our deep wisdom. This deeper part of ourselves has been called many names such as soul, intuition, gut feeling and the inner knowing.
- A sign that we are meditating more deeply is that the 5 minutes goes by quickly. This means that the mind is off drifting, a part usually concerned with time. Or we are repeating our mantra and dropping deeper and deeper inside where once again there is no time. If time drags on that is fine too. This usually means we are more in the mind.
- Some people report that they feel anxious during their first meditations. This is understandable as it is somewhat different to close the eyes and be inside. Perhaps a walking meditation would be appropriate and in time one could become more settled. Then a sitting meditation could be appropriate.
- The biggest misconception people have about meditation is that the mind will be silent. Actually it is rarely silent. The mind is like a computer that is always on, going from one topic to another or getting stuck on one concern. However the repetition of the mantra gives us a break from the thinking of the mind. Some people feel anxious because they wonder if they are meditating correctly. They often say, “I couldn’t get my mind to be silent.” We are not going to silence the mind but the mind will quiet down gradually.