Lately, I've realized that I have a lot of chatter that goes on in my mind and that chatter often makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hearing voices or anything...I'm just being driven a little bonkers by my mind thinking of the next thing and the next thing that I need to get done. And I know it's normal to think things through as you go about your day, but I feel like it keeps me from being in the moment. That's one thing that I'd like to do more in my life...I want to live in the moment more and be present in the now.
So recently I've been reading up on meditation, because I always hear that it's an excellent way of bringing your mind to the present moment. I must admit, I've tried it once or twice but I wasn't ready. However, I think that I am now. So I'm going to give it a go. Finding that inner peace and sanctuary is so important these days especially in our increasingly noisy world.
As I did my research, I came across some tips on how to get started and I'd like to share them here. I'm sure that there are many ways to get going, but this seemed like a good practical way for me as a beginner.
Meditation Tips:
1. Find somewhere that is quiet, so you won't be disturbed.
2. Sit comfortably and if you're like me and tend to slouch sometimes, try to develop good posture as you sit, in a cross legged position if this is comfortable. It's very important to find what works best for each of us.
(Note: I am not advising anyone to do something that would cause injury, so it is up to everyone to decide for themselves what works best. I am not an instructor. I'm just telling about what I have found out). I've also read that you can just sit comfortably in a chair, so I'm gonna try it out each way.
3. Cup your hands together with your palms facing upward and let your thumb tips lightly touch each other.
4. Put your focus on your breathing and notice the air going in and out. From what I've read this is key to the whole process. It redirects your mind and you're in the moment because you are concentrating only on your own breath. Even though my mind tends to wander in everyday life, I'm learning that my mind is going to of course wander as I try to still my mind for meditation, but that is okay. When the mind wanders I just need to recognize that I'm having the thought and then get back to concentrating on my breath. And from what I've read, the concentration builds over time. I like that idea. It is growth.
5. You can add a mantra if you like, but I think at this point I'm just going to do the practice with just concentrating on my breath. I know how I am and I think that if I do a mantra, I might end up getting off track. I think for me I just need to learn how to be quiet and let the silence in for a while ;-) Later on maybe I'll incorporate a mantra of some kind.
6. The last consideration is time....how long should we meditate? Well I've read about those who are very advanced and are able to meditate for very long stretches, but they've been practicing for years and I'm a newbie. I've read suggestions of ten to twenty minutes, so this is what I'll aim for. I'm going to build up to that though. For me, five minutes will be a real accomplishment, so I'll start there. As I said before, I like the idea of having to build...that leads to growth and that's what I'm aiming for :-)
Have you ever tried to meditate? What have been your results? Please leave a comment and share your experience.
