Meditation practitioners all over the world will tell you that you are capable of achieving peace and serenity. The ability to master meditation will help you find solace in even the most difficult of times.
When you are practicing mindful meditation, you are enabling thoughts to pass through you without aversion or judgment, just acknowledgement and awareness.
There are skills and techniques that you can practice to help you achieve the best mindful mediation session possible. Here are some things you can do to get started.
Step 1 – Choosing The Right Place
Choosing the right place is often the most important task for meditation, and also the hardest. You need find a location where you can focus. Whether it’s outside under a tree, or in your bedroom, your meditation spot must be quiet, serene, and peaceful. You need to be able to focus your positive energy and let go of the issues that are bogging you down.
You should also consider the environment and atmosphere of the area and decide if it’s too dark or too light. I like to meditate outside my house down by the creek, but that’s not always the smartest idea, especially during the winter. Any place where you feel comfortable mediating should also have no feeling of danger.
Step 2 – Sitting, standing, or walking meditation?
There are so many different ways to meditate, and they all have their value. You can stand, sit, walk, and do variations of these. You must find one position to use and maintain for the duration of your meditation session. Tomorrow you can try something else, and after a week or two of consistent practice you will figure out what method works best for you.
Seated
For some of the individuals who are practicing mindfulness meditation, seated has been the most efficient way of calming the mind and relaxing the body. Sitting in a sturdy upright chair with a strong back allows you to focus on the flow of your energy. Also, this is one of the most natural positions for people in the West.
Half Lotus
This is a seated position that you will see a lot of people use as it is much easier to execute than the full lotus. Sit with your buttocks on a cushion or the floor, place one foot on the opposite thigh, and the other foot on the floor beneath the opposite thigh. Be sure that both knees touch the floor and your spine doesn’t tilt to one side.
Full Lotus
This is one of the most famous meditation postures and is practiced around the world. With your buttocks on a cushion or the floor, cross your left foot over your right thigh and your right foot over your left thigh. This has been considered to be also as the most stable of all the poses, but it can take some practice to work up to it.
Standing
This upright position focuses on the energy flowing to your whole body. It is important to maintain a solid base and keep your feet planted firmly on the floor, and reach through the ground with your heels.
Standing is one of the most difficult postures as you have to focus on maintaining a strong foundation and keeping balance while mediating.
Walking
Walking meditation has the great advantage over the others, and can be done at the end of your seated or standing meditation to get your blood flowing. Walking meditation focuses on your intention to move in a slower pace, allowing you to concentrate on your body, and your mind.
When it comes to your eyes, you need to decide whether you shut them close or just open them as they used to be. When you close your eyes it can give you the sensation of daydreaming or falling asleep. If you manage to control those feelings, you will be able to see your thoughts and focus on them alone.
When your eyes are widely open you can be easily distracted by external movements, noises, and lights. This can make you lose concentration.
Some meditation practitioners are capable of widening their eyes and softening their focus. This allows them to stare off into space and not be distracted by the feeling of falling asleep.
As for your hands, you can place them anywhere, just as long as you feel comfortable and your hands would not take any tension that may lead to disrupting you.
Many practitioners place their hands in their lap or on their thighs. It doesn’t matter where you place your hands as long as you can keep them still during your meditation.
Step 3 – Getting Relaxed
When you have decided what posture to use, you can start to meditate by taking a few deep breaths, and letting your body relax with each exhale. After 3-5 deep inhalations and exhalations return to your normal breathing pattern.
Getting relaxed is the secret to this meditation, and once you have accomplished it, you have another challenge: maintaining it. Try focusing on your breath while allowing your thoughts to come, and your thoughts to go. Do not focus on them, only acknowledge they exist.
The goal of mindfulness meditation should be to observe yourself and understand on how the body and mind interact. Maintaining a regular meditation practice will help you release the stress, fear, greed, ignorance, and anxiety that are keeping you from reaching your true potential.