How to do Meditation

 

What Is Meditation?

It's helpful to understand meditation before learning how to do it. The most popular type of meditation involves paying attention to your breathing, often known as mindfulness meditation. When your mind begins to stray to thoughts, such as the standard strains of relationships and jobs, pay attention to when and how it does so. Then, bring your attention back to your breath. You may teach your consciousness to stay in the present moment by practicing how to focus on your breath constantly and how to let go of your ideas without judgment. Developing this as a habit might help one feel emotionally grounded and think clearly.

According to renowned mindfulness and meditation teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, "meditation allows us to release the tension — within the body, within the mind, and within the emotions — so that healing may take place."

Meditation-based healing can take many different forms. There are methods of meditation that can assist in controlling daily stress and anxiety. Some meditations ease discomfort and encourage relaxation, and others strengthen compassion and empathy. The body scan, walking meditation, and loving-kindness, or metta, are other types of meditation.

How to Meditate?

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO SIMPLE MEDITATION FOR MINDFULNESS Here's a guide to meditation. Locate a serene, uplifting area where you may practice meditation. Try to give the practice five minutes when you first begin. You may either follow the audio or written directions below, or you can listen to the guided audio meditation in our "Guided Audio" area.

1) Find a seat. With your feet level on the floor, cross your legs and sit up straight on a meditation cushion or a straight-backed chair. Avoid leaning on the chair's back.

2) Determine your seated position. Sit up straight with your back straight and your hand's palms down on your thighs in a calm yet dignified manner. Open your eyes and let your sight settle comfortably six feet before you, looking down slightly.

3) Pay attention to and follow your breath. While keeping an eye on your surroundings, focus softly on your exhalation. Be with each breath as the air leaves your lips and nose and dissipates into the surrounding area.

Simply pause after each exhalation until the following inhalation naturally starts. For more concentrated meditation, you can pay attention to both the in-breaths and the out-breaths.

4) Write down any ideas or emotions that come to mind. Just repeat to yourself, "thinking," and then go back to paying attention to the breath whenever you become aware of a thought, sensation, or perception taking your focus away from it. Don't be hard on yourself; just softly observe it and pay attention to your breathing and posture.

5) Come to an end. You can consider your meditation practice session over after the time has passed. Though, there's no need to abandon any feeling of serenity, awareness, or openness. Check to see whether you can intentionally permit these to endure

Why Should I Meditate?

QUIETEN YOUR MIND

Some individuals use meditation to understand reality's fundamental nature, while others use it to manage stress or ease suffering. According to the 17th Karmapa, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher, meditation helps people believe they are wise and kind. Simply calming an overactive mind with meditation can reduce tension and anxiety while relaxing the body. Ajahn Chah, a master of meditation, explains:

"As you meditate, your mind will become increasingly calm, like a still lake in a forest. There will be a lot of unique and uncommon creatures drinking at the pool, but you won't move. This is the Buddha's bliss.

IMPROVE MINDFULNESS & PERSPECTIVE

Additionally, mindfulness, or a broader awareness, is fostered through meditation, which can lead to deep understanding. This procedure can aid in dispelling damaging myths and promote a more honest, forgiving connection with oneself. Because of this, meditation practice is thought to provide long-term advantages for mental health.

CULTURE POSITIVE CHARACTERS

We could also meditate to develop certain virtues in particular. Pema Chödrön, a Buddhist teacher, identifies five fundamental characteristics created via meditation: steadiness, clear vision, bravery, attentiveness, and a relaxed sense of "no big problem," even if that wasn't always the case for you before. Your relationships, compassion, resilience, and attentiveness may all be enhanced by meditation.

To meditate, you don't have to be a Buddhist. The Buddha advocated meditation as a crucial technique for anybody seeking freedom from suffering.

DO WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS

Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the various advantages of meditation, including its capacity to:

• Be more focused

• Moreen your compassion

• Improve mental health by reducing stress and increasing patience.

How Do You Make Meditation a Habit?

There is no doubting that frequent meditation increases its effectiveness. Maintaining a regular practice is one of the most challenging obstacles for meditators of all experience levels. Setting up a specific room in your house might be helpful when you're just starting. You could choose to add a meditation seat or cushion (often called a zafu). However, sitting in a chair to meditate is also acceptable. Just be mindful of your posture and sit as firmly and straight-backed as you find comfortable.

Even though regular meditation practice has numerous advantages, developing a healthy habit can be challenging. You may include your meditation practice into your daily routine by using the following advice and methods:

1) ESTABLISH A ROUTINE

Try to meditate in the same manner every time. After some time, a habit becomes automatic when the same activity is repeated repeatedly, such as in minor rituals. Establish a meditation cue. Some meditators use their phones to set the alarm or a reminder.

Maintain a consistent seating position. Before you meditate, think about lighting a candle and some incense. The correct setting, time, sight, and fragrance may all serve as reminders to meditate, bolstering and enhancing your regular practice. (View "5 Ways to Get Into the Habit of Meditation.")

2) MAKE GRADUATE STEPS

Commit yourself to what you are confident you can maintain. Start slowly and build up your practice over time. Suppose you're just starting with meditation; set aside a very manageable five minutes. You've already started forming a habit after just two mornings of consistent meditation.

3) CONSULT OTHERS IN MEDITATION

It might also be helpful to practice meditation regularly with another person. Consider joining a local Buddhist organization. You can sit with a meditation partner via Zoom if you can't practice with a Buddhist group or someone you live with. Sitting with others is a terrific way to complement your everyday practice at home. Going it alone is OK, but sharing a practice with others may be incredibly gratifying.

4) HAVE SMALL EXPECTATIONS

Lifelong meditation practice has the power to transform. One meditation session may not feel very impressive. A win-some, lose-some situation frequently occurs. We don't expect to understand Italian the first time we go into a language class. Yet, many individuals enter meditation hoping to find inner calm the first time they sit down. So be kind to yourself but persevere, and observe what occurs after you've developed a meditation habit.

5) MAKE IT PLEASANT

Find a technique to make meditation pleasurable so that people will continue to practice it. Your meditation area should be cozy and attractive to the sight. A pillow, stool, or chair, some incense, and some artwork are possible additions. A few meditators built an altar.

Your practice should be physically pleasurable as well. Look about you while you sit for anything you like. Your breathing, the weight of your hands resting on your knees, or a comfortable body part might help you relax your thoughts. If sitting hurts, experiment with different cushions or seats. Additionally, you might contact a tutor for advice on proper posture for meditation.

Alternately, you might develop the practice of walking meditation. Every exercise involves discomfort and agony, but it's not meant to be torturous. To lessen pain, be adaptable in your work.

6) HAVE GRACE WITH YOURSELF

New habits are simple, to begin with, but occasionally zeal might start to fade. Don't be hard on yourself. When you see your thoughts drifting, try not to get upset and constantly chastise yourself.

Burnout will result from that. Your thoughts will stray! So, when you return your attention to your breath, feel satisfied that you were able to do so. Even though intrusive ideas undermined your whole meditation, you nevertheless managed to complete it. "Well done!" tell yourself. You'll eagerly anticipate your next sitting.

7) ENJOY THE Awards!

Some meditators get bored and simply sit without trying to focus on their breathing. But maintaining attention while employing all of our available tools during meditation is a worthwhile task.

Can Meditation Support Mental Health?

Sometimes. Researchers have discovered that meditation may benefit mental health, as have meditators for millennia. But meditation cannot take the place of treatment or medicine. Meditation can be damaging or ineffectual when misused to treat mental illness.

Most Western practitioners believe that the best method for releasing oneself from trauma, poor habits, and unpleasant feelings is a mix of meditation and psychology. Psychotherapy deals with the content of ideas and emotions, but meditation offers an understanding of the nature of both. Speak with a medical expert if you're interested in meditation for your mental health.

Are There Different Types of Meditation?

Beginner meditators frequently begin with techniques that quiet the mind, including focusing on the breath. You cannot take the next step from having a concentrated reason, seeing clearly into the essence of reality or insight if your mind is racing from idea to thought. But there are other ways to anchor the mind as well.

One of these meditations is a Body Scan, where you slowly move your attention from your feet to your head while concentrating on a specific body part or physiological experience.

Some individuals engage in walking meditation. Try observing each time you tread on the ground when out on a stroll; track your footsteps like you would follow your breath.

Tonglen, which means "giving and taking," is another well-liked kind of meditation. To visualize "taking in the anguish of others with every in-breath and giving out whatever would help them on the out-breath" is how Pema Chödrön describes this technique in "How to Practice Tonglen."

Similar to this, Metta, or "loving-kindness," is a meditation technique in which you imagine a variety of individuals — including yourself — and allow "loving-kindness" (also referred to as friendliness) to emerge in your heart and mind.

How to Practice Walking Meditation

Consider walking meditation a form of mobile meditation where your whole focus is on moving your body. To balance and convey the force of sitting meditation, the practice is a crucial component of meditation retreats. Think of it as a means to incorporate your training into your daily life. How to do a walking meditation is as follows:

Start your walk in a serene area. Bring your attention to your feet as you switch the direction of your weight.

Note how your body's weight shifts when you lift your right leg. Pay attention to what your left side must do to maintain balance. As you advance, plant your heel firmly on the ground and pivot onto the ball of your foot. Note how the heel of your left foot begins to raise as your weight shifts. Repeat the motion with your left foot as you advance.

Using verbal cues might help you establish harmony and rhythm when practicing walking meditation. Use a simple signal, such as "lifting, moving, putting," to remind yourself to bring your attention back to your body as soon as your thoughts begin to wander. Thich Nhat Hanh, a master of Zen, uses the strategy of using straightforward lyrics to help the practice. One that may use for walking meditation is this:

I've arrived; I'm at home, as I breathe in and out.

"In the here" (inhaled);

(Exhaling) "In the here and now."

(Taking a breath in) "I am solid";

(Exhaling) "I am liberated."

"In the ultimate" (breathing in); "I dwell" (breathing out).

You may notice that your actions are purposeful and mechanical when you first begin this meditation. Try to become more fluid as you connect your breathing to how your body moves. Before returning to the verbal cues, think about putting the words on hold for a moment and concentrating on your body.

How to Practice Metta or Loving-kindness Meditation

People struggle to show themselves loving-kindness in our society. We can feel undeserving, selfish, or that we shouldn't be pleased when others are in pain. It is customary to begin practicing loving-kindness with oneself, but I believe it is more beneficial, to begin with, the people we naturally care about and love. Starting where it works and where it's simplest is one of the lovely tenets of compassion and loving-kindness practices. We naturally open our hearts, then gradually aim our loving-kindness toward the more challenging regions.

1) First, choose a comfortable seat and close your eyes. Feel yourself nestled in this human life mystery while you sit here. As the Buddha did, find a seat midway between heaven and Earth, then draw compassionate attention to yourself. Sit comfortably and notice how you are breathing normally.

Think about a person you cherish and care for deeply. Then, let your thoughts and emotions naturally produce sentences of congratulations for them. "May you be secure and protected," "May you be well and strong," and "May you be pleased" are a few of the classic ones.

2) Next, visualize another person you care about and send their same positive thoughts and intentions.

3) Next, see these two persons extending their loving compassion to you. Imagine their kind and caring gaze as they say, "May you too be secure and protected. May you live long and prosper. May you experience true joy.

4) Acknowledge their best wishes. Now face them in your direction. Sometimes individuals repeat the words "May I be safe and protected" while placing their palm on their body or heart. May I live long and prosper. May I experience true joy?

5) With the same care, open your eyes, scan the space, and extend your loving-kindness to everyone in the vicinity. Consider how wonderful it is to develop the practice of loving-kindness.

6) Imagine yourself as a lighthouse, illuminating your community, your nation, the globe, and even other planets with the light of loving-kindness. "May all beings, near and distant, young and old, in all directions, be held in tremendous loving-kindness," consider. I pray for their security and defense. May they be robust and healthy. May they have true joy.

According to the Buddha, we all have a natural right to an enlightened heart of loving-kindness and freedom. He asserted, "I would not educate them if these things were not feasible. However, I provide these teachings of the dharma of awakening because they are accessible to you.