Ready to Start Meditating?

According to Headspace “There is no such thing as perfect meditation. Sometimes your focus will wonder or you’ll forget to follow your breath. That’s okay. It’s part of the experience. What’s most important is to meditate consistently. Its one of those things where the journey is more important than the destination.” You might want to take some time now to consider which type of meditation works best for you…

GUIDED MEDITATION

is where you are lead through the experience. You can either do this by attending a class, or listening to a meditation on a CD or any verbal instruction 9such as on YouTube.com) Guided meditations can relate to physical and mental well being, or to a topic such as manifesting dreams and wishes. It can be particularly good for beginners who need extra guidance or those with active minds who need help focusing.

LOVING-KINDNESS MEDITATION

uses words, images, and feelings to invoke qualities of love and friendliness to yourself and others. Said to help change your perception of the world in a positive way. Like other forms of meditation, it can help you with your relationships and connections with others, physical healing, and mental well-being.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

encompasses everyday practices including eating, walking, looking at the world,  sitting in stillness. According to the Buddhist monk and teacher Thich Nhat Hahn: “Mindfulness helps you to go home to the present.” Said by many to be life-changing,  its roots are steeped in the Buddhist tradition, and it helps you accept all that arises without judgment and be in the moment.  Good for attention, decreasing stress, gaining a positive mood, and self-awareness. 

MANTRA MEDITATION

is a feature of transcendental and vedic meditation, and other practices.  A mantra can be a sound, -or sounds, words or phrases -which is repeated (often silently) during a session, to keep the mind focused and help the meditator reach a higher state of consciousness. Repetition of the mantra, which is one of the most subtle of the sensory experiences but goes deeper, for a powerful healing outcome. Many mantras are sounds with no meaning (so you are not distracted). A good practice for those who like structure and need clarity around their goals.

BREATHING MEDITATION

can bring your focus back into the present moment and help you take more conscious decisions. It plays on the mind-body connection- as the mind calms, so does the body and vice-versa. Or as psychologist James says, “You cannot separate body from mind, you can’t be physically hurt without being mentally hurt, and vice-versa. Breathing meditation can help you  understand and appreciate how you can influence your own physical and mental well-being. It helps reduce stress immediately, helps to ground you, clears and centers the mind and revitalizes and improves physical well-being. Find breathing meditation workshops through yoga and wellness studios and online. 

TRY THIS SIMPLE EXERCISE…

You can choose to focus on your breath or on a mantra. If you opt for a mantra, go for a word that has no specific meaning for you, such as ‘so hum.’ 

1. Sit comfortably – this can be sitting in a chair or on a bed. You can lie down but if you’re tired you may fall asleep. The idea of meditation is to achieve a state of relaxed alertness.

2. Close your eye. Make no effort to control the breath, breathe naturally.

3. Focus your attention on the breath, observing how it enters the nostrils with cool air and exits the nostrils with warmed air. If you choose to work with a mantra, allow it to enter your mind, and let it repeat gently without forcing it.

4. If your mind wanders, gently return your focus to your breath or to the mantra.

Begin the meditating for between five and ten minutes, practicing for longer periods when you feel more comfortable with it.