The point of meditation of course is to achieve the feeling of being centered, and to let go of everyday concerns and issues.  While this concept is certainly easy to understand, putting that theory into practice can be quite difficult to achieve.  How to actually achieve that balance and sense of well-being can be quite elusive, and there are many ways to achieve this important goal.

Some of the most common ways to achieve the inner balance that meditation offers include reciting mantras, controlling breathing patterns and even more physically demanding activities like Qi Gong and yoga.

The best practice is to make the most of the time you have available and do what works for you personally.  There is no one right way to meditate, and too many people make the mistake of making meditation into a bigger challenge than it really is.

For many people, simply repeating a word or mantra provides a great deal of mental and physical relaxation.  While there are of course common words and phrases that are used, it is important to find the one that works best for you personally.  Whether it is the traditional “Om” or a phrase that is understood only by you, the key is to personalize your mantra to make it work for you.

Many people who are new to meditation make too much of a deal out of controlling their breathing patterns.  Controlling breathing patterns is not as difficult or as complicated as it sounds – the key is to simply breathe.  Meditation can be as simple as taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out.

One of the best ways to achieve the benefits of meditation and the benefits of exercise at the same time is to engage in a physically active meditation like yoga or trance dancing.  If you think such activities are right for you, be sure to look for a gym or community organization that offers them.

It is important to remember that traditional forms of exercise can be a form of meditation as well.  If swimming in the local pool relaxes you, include it as part of your meditation program.  If you prefer martial arts, include that.  Often simply going for a long walk in the woods can provide a powerful antidote to a stressful day.  The key is to do what works for you, rather than to try to fit your meditation program into a one size fits all mold.

One of the most common obstacles encountered by those who are new to meditation is feeling that there is not enough time to meditate.  We all lead busy lives these days, and it can be difficult to make time for yet another activity, no matter how important it may be.  As you can see, however, meditation can be made into a part of everyday life, and this can make it much easier to enjoy the benefits of this ancient practice without sacrificing your precious spare time.

Meditation has many important benefits, and meditation and pranayama can help us live longer, happier and more productive lives. It is important to understand just what these terms mean, but first a few of the important benefits of pranayama and meditation.

• Meditation and pranayama can help improve breathing and reduce respiratory ailments.
• Meditation and pranayama can help to lower blood pressure
• Meditation and pranayama can help the organs of the body, like the lungs and the heart, work more efficiently
• Meditation and pranayama can help us gain control over the mind, improve memory and concentration.
• Meditation and pranayama can calm our thoughts, relieve tension and reduce feelings of frustration.

What is Pranayama?

It would be wrong to call pranayama a technique, since the word technique tends to lessen the importance of this important practice. Pranayama is derived from two words – prana and ayama. Prana means “breath” and ayama means “dimension”, thus pranayama is a conscious way to breathe in order to achieve the desired results. The breathing cycle of pranayama is divided into three steps:

1. Puraka
2. Kumbhaka (divided into anta-kumbhaka and bahya-kumbhaka)
3. Rechaka

The first part is the puraka step. During this step the inhalation is slow enough for the practitioner to feel the air filling the lungs and nourishing the body. During normal breathing we do not typically experience this, since the breaths we take are shallow. During pranayama, however, we consciously attempt to fill our lungs completely and deeply, and we see our lungs expand to their maximum dimension. The inhalation is peaceful and complete.

Rechaka is the exhalation portion of the breathing exercise. The rechaka is equally slow and deliberate, and the practitioner will feel his or her lungs contracting.

Retention, or kumbhaka has two types – internal retention (antar-kumbhaka) and external retention (bahya-kumbhaka). The first one is very important, since it gives the alveoli plenty of time to exchange the oxygen the inhalation has brought into the lungs, and plenty of time for the lungs to take the carbon dioxide out of the lungs during the exhalation. It is important to retain the breath in the lungs in order to give them plenty of time to make this important exchange.

The normal volume of air exchanged during a normal breathing cycle is between 200ml and 300ml. However, with careful and conscious breathing during pranayama, it is possible to increase this volume of air up to as much as 500ml for a healthy adult practitioner.

During the typical pranayama session, the practitioner should chant the mantra “Om” for 10 to 12 seconds while performing the breathing exercises. The chant can be

The normal volume of air handled per cycle of breathing is measured and is around 200 – 300 ml. But with the watchful and conscious pranayama, it is found to increase up to 500 ml in healthy adults.

During the practice of pranayama, the mantra “Om” should be chanted for 10 to 12 seconds, while you inhale and exhale completely. This time can be extended depending on the comfort level of the practitioner.

In order to get a feel for the effectiveness of this technique, place your palm flat on your diaphragm as you start chanting and move to your mid chest and finally to the top of your lung.

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