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The first rule of meditation is “there are no rules”. We will be offering you some guide lines. Please uses as many as you find helpful.
Meditation is the process of clearing the mind, helping your mind and body to relax. To relax is to defeat stress. That is what BuddhasPlace.com is about, defeating stress.
Why
Not only is meditation effective in reducing stress, but according to studies done by Dr. Charles Raison (Emory University) meditation has
been shown to fight depression.
Where
If possible you should always meditate in the same place. Find a comfortable place in you home or office. Quiet if possible.
Sit
There are other types of meditating, but sitting is the type of meditation we are talking about in this article. Find a chair that you are comfortable with sitting in for an half hour (no you will not be meditating for a half hour).
Some people prefer sitting on the floor with their legs crossed. Others prefer using a Zafu (meditation cushion), meditation bench, or meditation chair. All three have you sitting close to the floor usually with your legs crossed.
The main point is to be comfortable sitting.
Relax your Body
Your legs are crossed (optional), shoulders relaxed. The arms should rest comfortably on your thighs.
The chin is tucked slightly in, the gaze is softly focusing downward about four to six feet in front, and the mouth should be open a little.
If you feel you need to move, move until you are comfortable.
Close your eyes softly. If this is a problem leave them open.
Focus
Focus on one thing. If you mind wanders to something else direct it back to the one thing.
A list of some popular one things:
- Listening to your breath (do not regulate the breath, just listen)
- Constantly repeating a mantra (Om (pronounce ohm) is the most popular)
- A tree in the wind.
- The ocean tide.
- A pleasant picture in your home or office (yes your eyes must be open for this one.
- Anything simple thing in the universe you want
You are now meditating. Just keep in your mind the one thing. If the mind wanders, direct it back to the one thing.
Time
Try meditation for five minutes a day. Keep increasing the amount of time meditating at a rate you are comfortable with until you reach twenty minutes a day.
How do you know when to stop? Constantly opening your eyes to look at a clock is not a good thing. This is very un-relaxing.
Use a timer, preferably one that does not tick out loud.
How Often
Continuity in meditation is considered essential: better five minutes a day, every day, than an hour once a week.
If done in the morning you will discover that it quickly becomes more essential then the first cup of coffee. If done in the evening, it can be a good way to stop the worries of the day and go to sleep in a comfortable state of mind.
How do you know if you have done it correctly?
If you feel better or a little more relaxed then when you started, you did it correctly. If you do not feel better, it does Not mean you did it wrong.
Meditation is a process. Meditation should be done every day. Overtime it builds up inside you until you see the effects. So do not expect to feel like a new person after meditating one time. If you do, great, if not it’s great that you started meditating.
If you feel irritated during meditation
Feeling irritated during meditation is not unusual. It not a good thing but fairly common. It is your Fight-or-Flight response in action. Meditation is the process on letting down your guard, which triggers in some of us an uneasiness. One way to reduce the likely hood of irritation is to do intense physical activity just before meditating.
Any physical activity will do as long as you get your heart rate up. Clean the house, work out with weight, do yoga, or any other physical activity will help you, if done just before meditation.
Still Not Getting the Results
Check your yellow pages for classes on meditation. Meditation is a simple process that should not take a lot of effort.
Good Luck and relax.
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