Image by mike138 via Flickr
So now you have decided to start regularly practicing meditation. Great, but where should you start?
Let’s go over the basics.
Breathing
There are many different breathing techniques, but slow, deep focused breathing is always appropriate. Try and keep your tongue lightly touching the roof of your mouth. This is from the ancient art of Qigong. Doing this completes your body’s energy channel.
Breath is extremely powerful and many books have been written on the subject. But for our purposes, just remember slow, deep breaths.
Should you sit, lie down or contort into a lotus position? Don’t worry, there is no need to twist your body into awkward positions. The main principle is to be in a comfortable position that is conducive to concentration and focus. This may be while sitting cross-legged or in a chair with both feet on the ground. One thing to remember is to keep your back straight but not tight or tense.
You can also lie down if sitting is uncomfortable, but this position often makes it too easy to fall asleep for most.
There are many hand positions. Today I will cover a few of the most popular. Choose one that feels comfortable for you.
Position 1: Put one hand on each leg with the palms facing up. Lightly touch the thumb and middle finger together. A variation on this position is to not touch the thumb and middle finger. Just let your hands relax with the palms facing up.
Position 2: Put your hands in your lap with the tips of all fingers touching. Right thumb to left thumb, right index finger with left index finger and so on. This is my favorite.
Whatever position you choose, focus on the energy flowing through your hands.
What should you do with your mind? Nothing! Simple, right? Yes it is simple but it isn’t easy.
When you meditate, it is your time to let go. Let go of expectations, let go of thought, just let go.
You will find that when you start meditating that you will have thoughts popping in and out of your head. That’s OK, just briefly acknowledge the thought and then release it.
Here’s an example. As you start your meditation, a thought pops in…”I need to remember to do the laundry” or “What should I have for dinner”. This is normal. Just acknowledge the thought, “Yes, I will remember”, “Dinner will come later” and move on.
I find it helpful to focus on my breath. Remember, slow, deep breaths.
Here is what I believe to be a very powerful technique to focus your meditations. Before you begin your meditation session come up with a short statement or affirmation.
An example would be, “I allow my body to relax fully while my mind stays alert.” Or “My body heals itself” or “Abundance flows freely throughout my life”.
Repeat your affirmation three times slowly and deliberately and then let it go and begin your meditation. You will be amazed at how your subconscious mind will grasp your intention and fulfill it.
You now have the basics of meditation and you can now start to reap the benefits. One last thing that I believe will help you keep to your meditation routine and also make it more power is brainwave altering audios.
You can get started today by checking out our Alpha Programming package at http://www.healingproducts.com/alphaprogramming.htm and next time we will go in depth about how these audios actually help guide you into a deep meditative state!