How To Start A Meditation Practice – This series provides step-by-step instructions for developing mindfulness and other healthy mental states based on Buddhist traditions and modern psychology.
So you’ve decided to start a meditation practice. You may have bought a book or downloaded a popular mental program. But before you set up, there are a few things you should do to give your practice the best chance of being truly profitable, healthy, and sustainable.
How To Start A Meditation Practice
First, decide when you will exercise. It can be tempting to say, “I’ll find time in my day to do this,” but if you set a time limit in the beginning, you’re more likely to get it done.
How To Meditate At Home
In our experience, early morning is one of the best times to meditate. Photo by Levi Bare on Unsplash
When I learned to meditate in a monastery in Taiwan, our daily routine was to wake up early and sit and meditate together before breakfast. Since then, I’ve tried many different versions, and to this day, I find this to be the most consistent habit. And I’ll admit that I’m not really a morning person. Still, you have all your duties and responsibilities, and it’s much easier to sit down and clear your head when the day hasn’t even started yet.
Of course, it is not necessary to meditate in the morning. You can schedule an evening workout or even set aside 15 minutes during your lunch break. The secret is to respect the appointed time. The Buddha taught that humans are ordinary beings (and modern psychology agrees). After a few weeks, as your mind gets used to the new habit, you will notice that it takes less and less effort to meditate.
Another important parameter for practice, especially for beginners, is the place. Advanced meditators can practice anytime and anywhere, but it’s best to start in a place where there are no distractions.
How To Start A Meditation Practice
Dedicating space in your home to practice means making room for growth in your life. Photo by Jose Luis Sanchez Pereira on Unsplash
But it’s not just about not being disturbed, it’s about how the physical space you live in is deeply connected to what’s going on in your mind. Have you ever felt a sense of mental clarity after tidying up your room? Even if it’s just a meditation cushion, having a nice, clean place to practice will help you feel better.
To exercise your mind. If you are a Buddhist and have the space, you can also set up an altar dedicated to the Buddha or Bodhisattva. As long as it fits your training, it’s all good.
The Dalai Lama often says that humans are “social animals.” He is right. There’s nothing wrong with practicing alone (the Buddha did when he attained enlightenment), but having a partner can be a powerful motivator. I can’t tell you how many times my wife has hugged me to gently nudge me past my resistance if I’ve woken up and wasn’t “in the mood”. I have done the same with my wife several times.
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When I was at the monastery, we began our meditation sessions with gentle movements inspired by Chinese and Indian traditions. The ancestors of the asanas we practice in yoga today are ancient exercises designed to prepare the body for long periods of seated meditation (or as meditation postures). Since ancient times, Chinese spiritual practitioners have combined movement with mental practices, connecting mind, breath, and body in a continuous flow.
If possible, especially if you prefer to meditate in a traditional sitting position, we recommend that you begin your practice with some stretching to relax and improve your body’s flexibility.
When meditating, wear loose clothing that does not restrict blood flow. Traditional advice is to cover your legs with a thin blanket, especially if you practice sitting on the floor with your legs crossed. This will prevent your body from getting cold even if you sit for a long time. It also stimulates blood circulation, allowing you to sit longer without your legs feeling numb.
Good breathing is closely related to our sense of well-being, and maintaining good posture is equally related to good breathing. Sitting properly not only conveys a sense of peace and dignity, but also allows you to fill your lungs completely with air. Traditional Buddhist meditation often considers breathing as a way for the body and mind to develop consciousness, so it is especially important that the breath moves naturally and without obstruction.
Why And How To Meditate
In Chinese and Japanese traditions, meditation is often done in a position described as “sitting like a bell.” This means crossing your legs, resting your hips on a high pillow, and placing your hands on your knees, forming a “meditation hand sign.” , or
A situation familiar to Buddhist statues. But meditation can also be done sitting in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor and, most importantly, sitting upright without your back leaning against the chair (in fact, there is also a traditional meditation statue of the Buddha). this).
When you sit down to meditate, remember why you are meditating. Maybe you just want to reduce stress and seek peace of mind. Maybe you want to make the world a better place by working on yourself. Either way, it’s good to make sure you understand the reason for your training and that you can progress toward your goals.
From a Buddhist perspective, the ultimate goal of our meditation practice should be awakening. That is, to grow beyond all elements of the mind that cause hatred, greed, misunderstanding of self and others, and unhappiness. The highest form of this purpose is grounded in the recognition that we are all interconnected, that our growth depends on the well-being of others. This aspirational practice is traditionally called bodhitta, or “awakened mind,” and is the best fuel for our practice.
How To Start (and Stick To) A Meditation Practice — Omar Itani
We recommend starting a meditation session by taking a few deep breaths through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. This will help calm your mind while you focus on your workout. Take a deep breath through your stomach, try to fill all your lungs with air and exhale with a deep breath. Then you can return to your natural breathing and continue with the rest of the meditation.
We are a Buddhist couple learning to love together. We write about mindful living, relationship improvement, psychology, Buddhism, and related topics. Finding the type of meditation that works for you may take some time, but the benefits are worth it.
Regular meditation has many benefits for physical and mental health, but with so many programs and apps available, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Before choosing a specific type of meditation, the first step is to decide whether you want guided or unguided meditation.
Tips To Start A Meditation Practice
“By observing your breathing, you’ll notice not only that your breathing slows down, but that the time between inhaling and exhaling becomes longer and longer,” says spiritual and meditation teacher Kimberly Snyder, author of So. More. teeth. “
“In these spaces, you can begin to connect with the deepest parts of yourself. There is peace in the spaces.”
Studies have shown that slow breathing can have positive effects on the heart, respiratory system, and the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate and digestion.
Breathing is helpful when you’re stressed and need a quick way to relax your mind and body. The advantage of this type of meditation is that it can be done anytime and anywhere.
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“Box breathing is especially good for people who have strong physical reactions to anxiety or stress,” says anxiety and mindfulness coach Amanda Huggins. “The goal of this exercise is to stimulate the vagus nerve, which slows the heart rate and frees the body from the fight-or-flight response.”
If necessary, repeat 12-15 times or more and do not save waiting. A gentle pause point between inhalation and exhalation helps to relax the nervous system.
An anxiety-relieving meditation that uses the power of visualization and deep breathing can calm the central nervous system through deep breathing.
“Visualization meditation serves a dual purpose for people with anxiety. Not only is it a great way to relax, but it also provides a safe way to talk to your anxious mind, says Huggins.
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Transcendental Meditation (TM) is taught by certified TM teachers. I usually exercise twice a day for 15-20 minutes.
“People with hyperactive minds benefit most from TM because TM is not about avoiding thoughts, it’s about bypassing them,” says Jessie Asha Kanzer, the book’s forthcoming author.
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