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How to Meditate
Meditation can be calming, rejuvenating and restorative. When practiced regularly, it can aid in reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and increasing personal awareness.
Steps:
1. Choose a tranquil location - one free from distractions.
2. Decide whether you'd like to have meditation music in the background.
3. Select a comfortable chair or place to sit, and assume a sitting position with your spine relatively straight.
4. Close your eyes.
5. Breathe in, allowing your rib cage and belly to expand as you inhale.
6. Exhale slowly.
7. Concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of each breath and the feelings of deeper relaxation.
8. Allow thoughts and feelings to enter your mind. Acknowledge them, allow them to pass, and refocus on your breathing.
9. Open your eyes after you feel more relaxed and centered.
Tips:
There are many forms and variations of meditation, so if one particular form doesn't work for you, try another. Look into some books on meditation to discover which type is best for you.
Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of meditation each day and increase to 20 minutes or more twice each day.
Practice meditation before eating.
Recent studies have shown that meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, possibly because the resulting stress relief may promote the body's self-repair system to thin the fatty buildup on artery walls.
How to Meditate
Meditating a few minutes each day is a proven stress reducer, and it can improve your outlook on life as well. There are as many different meditation methods as there are instructors, but if all you need is a basic, universal method, here's an easy way to get started.
Steps
1.Create a quiet, relaxing environment. Turn off any TV sets or other noisy appliances. Some soft, relaxing music is okay, but it isn't necessary.
2.Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. You don't have to twist your limbs into the lotus position or adopt any unusual postures. Just choose a position that allows free and easy breathing.
3.Observe your breath. Don't try to change the way you are breathing, just let your attention rest on the flow of your breath. The goal is to allow the the "chattering" in your mind to gradually fade away.
Tips
ˇIdeally, you want to achieve a state free from distracting thoughts, but this takes a lot of practice. When a thought pops into your mind, don't try to block it or force it out. Just observe it impartially and let it go away of its own accord. If you don't become attached to your thoughts, they will fade away without creating more thoughts.
ˇYou can meditate anytime you have a few spare moments. Try it at work for a quick stress reducer.
ˇFor most people, closing the eyes is best, but some prefer to observe a candle flame or a similar relaxing sight.
Warnings
ˇDon't try to meditate for hours on end when you first begin, as this can lead to burnout. A few minutes each day is enough to get you started.
ˇDon't expect immediate results. The purpose of meditation is not to turn you into a Zen master overnight. Meditation works best when it is done for its own sake, without becoming attached to results.
Steps:
1. Choose a tranquil location - one free from distractions.
2. Decide whether you'd like to have meditation music in the background.
3. Select a comfortable chair or place to sit, and assume a sitting position with your spine relatively straight.
4. Close your eyes.
5. Breathe in, allowing your rib cage and belly to expand as you inhale.
6. Exhale slowly.
7. Concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of each breath and the feelings of deeper relaxation.
8. Allow thoughts and feelings to enter your mind. Acknowledge them, allow them to pass, and refocus on your breathing.
9. Open your eyes after you feel more relaxed and centered.
Tips:
There are many forms and variations of meditation, so if one particular form doesn't work for you, try another. Look into some books on meditation to discover which type is best for you.
Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of meditation each day and increase to 20 minutes or more twice each day.
Practice meditation before eating.
Recent studies have shown that meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, possibly because the resulting stress relief may promote the body's self-repair system to thin the fatty buildup on artery walls.
How to Meditate
Meditating a few minutes each day is a proven stress reducer, and it can improve your outlook on life as well. There are as many different meditation methods as there are instructors, but if all you need is a basic, universal method, here's an easy way to get started.
Steps
1.Create a quiet, relaxing environment. Turn off any TV sets or other noisy appliances. Some soft, relaxing music is okay, but it isn't necessary.
2.Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. You don't have to twist your limbs into the lotus position or adopt any unusual postures. Just choose a position that allows free and easy breathing.
3.Observe your breath. Don't try to change the way you are breathing, just let your attention rest on the flow of your breath. The goal is to allow the the "chattering" in your mind to gradually fade away.
Tips
ˇIdeally, you want to achieve a state free from distracting thoughts, but this takes a lot of practice. When a thought pops into your mind, don't try to block it or force it out. Just observe it impartially and let it go away of its own accord. If you don't become attached to your thoughts, they will fade away without creating more thoughts.
ˇYou can meditate anytime you have a few spare moments. Try it at work for a quick stress reducer.
ˇFor most people, closing the eyes is best, but some prefer to observe a candle flame or a similar relaxing sight.
Warnings
ˇDon't try to meditate for hours on end when you first begin, as this can lead to burnout. A few minutes each day is enough to get you started.
ˇDon't expect immediate results. The purpose of meditation is not to turn you into a Zen master overnight. Meditation works best when it is done for its own sake, without becoming attached to results.