Meditation
is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes
with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased
concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.
Although
a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small
percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a
possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to
make the practice sustainable.
The
purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help
beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long
term:
1) Make it a formal practice. You
will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time
(preferably two times a day) to be still.
2) Start with the breath.
Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and
is an ideal way to begin practice.
3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.
3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.
4) Meditate with Purpose.
Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of
focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be
purposefully engaged!
5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This
is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why
can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on
your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.
6) Experiment.
Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting
cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and
try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed,
etc.
7) Feel your body parts. A
great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a
meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your
attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your
internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the
right path.
8) Pick a specific room in your home to
meditate.
Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place
candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.
9) Read a book (or two) on meditation.
Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep
meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever
You Go, There You Are
is
terrific for beginners.
is
terrific for beginners.
10) Commit for the long haul.
Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining
the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and
then let it go!
11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.
12) Generate moments of awareness during
the day.
Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a
wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.
13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One
of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice
conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring,
your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be
able to attain a state of deep relaxation.
14) Notice small adjustments. For
beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a
meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These
adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean
everything for your practice.
15) Use a candle.
Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a
candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your
attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.
16) Do NOT Stress. This
may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No
matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it.
This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation
is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.
17) Do it together.
Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and
can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set
agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!
18) Meditate early in the morning.
Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.
19) Be Grateful at the end. Once
your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the
opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.
20) Notice when your interest in
meditation begins to wane. Meditation is
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!
Meditation
is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the
beginning. Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the
next level!
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