Meditation For Beginners Avoiding The Mysticism
There are many established techniques of meditation for beginners most consist of
sitting comfortably on your bed or floor cushion and focusing on a calming thought or lying on the floor mentally visualising your body or parts of which. Long gone are the days when only hippies would meditate even though many people still do associate meditation with old Buddhist monks wearing orange robes, or perhaps somebody secluding themselves in a far off temple for several years. Well, things have come a long way and beginners learning to meditate will not have to retreat to a secluded temple to get hands on experience, you wont have to visit a cave or grow a beard either. Meditation, similar to yoga, are words that everybody seems to know yet are probably unfamiliar with what they really mean.
A beginner should prepare for a session of meditation
A simple exercise for meditation for beginners is to carry out a simple yoga breathing exercise, also known as pranayama. For example, sit cross legged and rest your hands on your knees, get as comfortable as possible in this position and become aware of yourself. Keeping your back straight and without moving your chest too much, breathe in deeply through your nose, feel the breath filling your lungs, it is not necessary to hold your breath, and then exhale quickly with force through your nose. You should be exhaling about four times faster than it took you to fill your lungs. When you breathe, use your stomach and not your chest, feel your belly; it should expand when you inhale and tighten when you quickly exhale. Basically, with this exercise you are hyperventilating. repeat this breathing cycle for 15 complete breaths, then rest for a minute breathing normally then complete another cycle. Do this three times, concentrating on your breathing at all times trying to free your mind. This will help to energize your mind and place it in a ready state for meditation.
Another method that places your body and mind in a ready state for meditation is the yoga pose called Savasana or The Corpse.
In this pose, or asana, the body remains immobile similar to a corpse, although the mind remains awake, yet relaxed. The word Sav in sanscript does actually mean corpse. The savasana pose will effectively remove fatigue from your body and calm the mind. Every part of the body is positioned so as to reach total relaxation. When practicing this particular yoga pose the sensory organs (eyes, ears and tongue) should be totally relaxed and switched off to the world.
Follow the simple steps for entering into the Savasana pose:
1) The fist step of this asana is the seated position with your legs extended forward, keeping your body perfectly upright.
2) Next, bend your knees bringing your heels close to your backside.
3) With your palms on the ground next to your hips, slowly lower your elbows and your lower back to the ground. Keep your knees and feet in the same position.
4) Gently bring your back to the ground a vertebrae at a time until your head comfortably reaches the ground.
5) Turn your hands around so as that your palms are now facing upwards.
6) Close your eyes and slowly straighten your legs one at a time.
7) Now relax your legs and let them roll slightly outwards to their sides.
8) Distance your forearms from your body.
9) Relax and concentrate on your breathing.
Hold the Savasana or corpse pose for approximately 5 minutes.
Now you are relaxed it is time to meditate
The first type of meditation that beginners may like to try is to comfortably relax in a cross legged seated position resting your hands on your knees, similar to that of the breathing exercise mentioned above. Sit with your back straight, beginners often feel better if they close their eyes, breathe deeply through the nose and just become aware of yourself, of your mind, of your inner body, relax. Concentrate on your breathing like this for a few moments. Avoid distractions, keep at peace with yourself. The mind is often a crazy uncontrolled whirlwind of thoughts and you must try to calm this vortex of distractions. Soft music may help you reach a total state of relaxation.
Several techniques of meditation for beginners exist, but try this first
Chanting mantras, fixing a physical image such as a photo or object, focusing on your chakras are just several techniques often used, however I believe that meditation for beginners should be simple, therefore when you believe to be in a relaxed position, as we mentioned above, we will conjure up a calming memory or thought that will use as many of our senses as possible.
For instance, mentally walk along a quiet pathway through a forest on a beautiful Spring day, feel the lush grass caressing your feet as you walk, soft and fresah, listen to the birds singing overhead in the tress and bushes, smell the peaceful pine trees and the damp each near a stream. You should try to "visualise" this scene with as many senses as you can involve. Keep your breathing controlled and continue walking, feel the sun on your back, see the long shadows of the tall majestic trees before you stretching aling the grass. 5 minutes should be sufficient, now slowly open your eyes and become accustomed once again to your surroundings.
If you initiate your meditation with a pranayama breathing cycle or the yoga Savasana pose, or even both, then the whole process should take no more than 10 minutes - a short yet effective session of meditation for beginners . If you are able to do this at least 3 or 4 times a week, preferably each day, you will be surprised at the differences it will have on you. Im sorry, but this is something that you will just have to try in order to get the benefits. However, even after your first session you will feel a lot more relaxed than when you started. This alone should be enough to otivate you to continue your journey.
by: Nico Webb
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