A lot of people make up their minds about starting meditation but are unable to fulfil their wishes because they do not have a solid plan to rely on. Meditation is not all about find yourself a nice little corner in your living room, facing the rising sun and deeply concentrating on trying to find inner peace. You need to follow certain steps and make use of specific techniques in order to get the best out of your meditation session. If you are not able to capitalize on the techniques that are revealed by the experts, you will fail to retain your interest in meditation and eventually slip back into a life of chaos and stress.
It is okay to be confused during the early days of your meditation phase. It is perfectly normal to be troubled by questions like, “what should I do?”, “is this all meditation can offer me?” and “what am I supposed to feel during and after meditation”. Having questions such as these in your mind proves that you are serious about using meditation to change your life. Finding the answers to these questions is easy, but it will take a certain amount of time. Remember, mediation is a slow and gradual process that will steadily take effect in your life. Do not expect instant results, for such results have the least impact in the long run.
Guidance and assistance is of the utmost importance when it comes to dealing with the early roadblocks in meditation. The best guidance is the one that comes in the form of specific techniques. By following the five techniques mentioned below, you will find it much easier to embrace the blissful world of meditation:
1) Select a Specific Time of the Day
A lot of people believe that meditation is all about being cumbersome and carefree. The ultimate goal of meditation is to liberate your soul from the shackles that hold your spirits back. This should not imply that meditation keeps you from being responsible and disciplined. In fact, having discipline is pivotal to excelling in meditation. People who are able to make the best use of meditation are the ones who are very consistent with their routines. You will notice that these avid fans of meditation are always meticulous about choosing a specific time of the day for their session of relaxation.
There is no telling when you will be mentally tired or exhausted during any given day. However, it helps to assign a particular hour for meditation. That way, you will always look forward to the hour of relaxation and be adequately prepared for it. Choosing a specific time also helps you to not give into the temptation of skipping meditation sessions.
2) Eliminate All Distractions
It is so important to create a boundary between you and the outside world when you are engaging in mediation. Nowadays, you will see a lot of people letting their friends and family on Facebook know that they are meditating. This is not how meditation is done. Staying connected to your loved ones is great and strongly recommended. However, meditation is all about enjoying some much needed “me time”. Turn off the television set, switch off the Wi-Fi connection and seclude yourself within the confines of a room. If you are in love with the outdoors, then you could climb all the way up a small hill and find a sweet little spot on the meadow to meditate.
3) Get in the Ideal Position for Meditation
Harbouring deep thoughts in your mind and engaging in meditation aren’t exactly the same. You can be lost in a world of untouched thoughts and fantasies when you are lying down on your bed with the blanket draped over your body. However, that is not an ideal position for meditation. To get in position, you are advised to sit on the floor with an upright back. Make sure that the spine is perfectly straight. If you are struggling to maintain the position, you can place pillows behind your back for additional support. Do whatever it takes to be in the right position for meditation, but do not compromise your comfort in the process of doing so.
4) Meditate for 15 Minutes
The amount of time that you spend in meditation depends entirely upon you and your schedule. However, you are advised to make time for 15 minutes of meditation on a daily basis. Any duration shorter than 15 minutes will not give you ample time to explore your mind. If you go on for more than 15 minutes, you might grow bored since you are only a beginner.
5) Focus on Breathing In and Out
The gurus of meditation emphasize heavily on the important of breathing in and out in the most relaxed manner possible. Breathing is the most natural thing that the human body does. When you focus all your energy on breathing, you will find peace that you have never experienced before. Every time you breathe out, ask your body to let go of all the stress, apprehensions and tension that have built up inside.