These days you hear so much about the benefits of meditation that you might be wanting to give it a try, but do not know how to start. Or you may have tried to meditate, but just couldn’t do it. I like to share my experience and thoughts with you with the hope that you find them useful in incorporating meditation into your daily life.
Many years ago when I heard about meditation, I got a book to help me learn to meditate. I read the book and tried one of its suggestions which instructed me to sit still and clear my mind. So, I sat still and tried to clear my mind, but thoughts rushed to my mind. The more I tried to quiet my mind, the more thoughts marched in. I got irritated and stopped for the day. Then I tried it again the next day and got discouraged since thoughts just wouldn’t leave me alone. Although I had given up for that day, somehow I knew there had to be a way.
I continued my research and read that it was OK for the thoughts to come and go. The article suggested to relax, observe the thoughts, and then let them go. I learned to observe and acknowledge my thoughts. I even put a piece of paper and a pen next to me and wrote down whatever came to my mind that I wanted to remember. Then I could let them go without worrying about them. Gradually, with practice, I noticed that I actually could sit and rest my brain.
Another way that I learned to meditate was to focus on my breath. I started feeling my inhales and exhales and tried to leave everything else aside while focusing on my breath. This also took some time, but proved to be a great way.
I also enjoy focusing on nature. Most techniques recommend closing your eyes during meditation, but I have found that when I have a serene view in front of me, it soothes my heart and calms my mind.
I tried to repeat a sentence, a word or a mantra, but it was not for me. I know it works for other people. I know that even some people recommend repeating a meaningless sound.
My husband counts his breath to three and keeps repeating the counting from one to three.
I think that all these techniques are tools to bring our focus to our breathing so that when our mind wanders, we have a reference point to come back to. Try different ones and see which one works for you.
No matter which way works for you, there are a few things that help and facilitate your endeavor to meditate.
Having a special spot is very helpful. A comfortable chair in a corner of a room might just do the job.
It is important to sit comfortably. Although traditionally people sit on the floor to meditate, it is not a requirement. Most Westerners are not used to sitting on the floor. Most likely you prefer sitting on a chair. When you are choosing your chair, see that your back is comfortably straight and has support from the back of the chair and that your feet are flat on the floor. If your feet don’t rest completely on the floor, raise the floor – place a book or a cushion under your feet. If you decided to try sitting on the floor, find some cushions to sit on, and have one against the wall to rest your back. If you have your legs crossed and find your hips are uncomfortable, place a pillow or a book under each knee.
Setting an alarm with a gentle sound for the amount of time you would like to dedicate to your meditation helps too. When I just started to meditate, one minute felt like five minutes. Incidentally, I knew a young toddler who one time after receiving a one minute advance notice, asked his dad if that one minute was a long one or a short one. After I had the alarm set, then I didn’t have to worry about long or short minutes.
The other important thing is to find a specific time that you can dedicate to your meditation on a regular basis. What has worked best for me is to dedicate some time in the mornings when the house is quiet and the rest of the family is still in bed. I have found out that after drinking a glass of water when my mind is still quiet, I love to practice gentle yoga and then sit to meditate. It has been such a wonderful discovery. I cherish that time in the morning and every night I look forward to the morning just so I can practice about 20 minutes of gentle yoga and then meditate between 10 to 20 minutes depending on how much time I have.
I can hear you saying that you don’t have time in the morning since you have to go to work. I had too. But I decided it is up to me to find the time. I started sleeping earlier so that I could wake up earlier than I used to.
Now, I know some of us are naturally or habitually night owls. I imagine the possibility of reversing the time and practicing a gentle yoga and meditation at night when everyone else in the family has gone to bed. This practice should help you with your sleep as well since you will clear your mind before going to bed.
Speaking of yoga, have you noticed how your mind is calm at the end of your yoga practice? Your mind is so ready to meditate just then. So next time you practice yoga try to stay still at the end of your practice and give yourself another few minutes to keep your mind calm and clear.
Just remember that if meditation is a new experience for you, it will take time and practice to get comfortable with it. If the first time, you had enough patience to sit for two minutes, tell yourself that tomorrow you might be able to sit two and a half minutes. The key is to relax and not worry. Trust that with time, your brain learns to relax. When you end your meditation session, strive to keep your serenity for the rest of the day.
Once you get comfortable with the practice, I promise that you start looking forward to that special time in your day or night. Over time, you will find that you behave and react more calmly and wisely than before your new habit. You find yourself mindful and present at the moment. You find yourself responding to challenging moments with peace. Eventually, one can meditate even in noisy places. These to me are very good reasons to persist and learn to meditate and I hope you feel the same.
I hope this helps you to start meditating. I would love to hear from you about your experience practicing meditation. Please send me an email with your thoughts.
Namaste,
Mariam Gilmer
mgilmer@bgilmer.com
www.yogawithmariam.com
