Tips for Meditation

People frequently have a lot of questions about the right way to meditate. The right way to meditate is to meditate with comfort. If you are in any way uncomfortable, there is no way you can go inside as the attention will be continuously drawn to the outside. Be sure you follow these simple tips and it will take you places. Meditation is an over used word. But its uses are far more healing than we can even begin to imagine. Once we let go of expectations and wants, things happen. No need to go into the mountains to find the peace and kingdom of heaven. Guess what? The peace and kingdom of heaven is right where you are. You just have to believe it and you will see it. Let go of all resistance and trust in it completely. It is a technique you can use to restore the peace, balance and harmony within you. Try the given 11 simple tips and use it as a tool to further your personal development.

 

1. There is no one position that you must take when you wish to meditate. The most important thing is to be comfortable. If you need to sit on the floor, do it. You need a chair, perhaps? That's fine too. If you need a back rest, take it. But sit straight and avoid slouching.

2. Never meditate after a heavy meal. Meditation relaxes you and will make you very sleepy and you WILL doze off. When you have eaten a heavy meal, your body is in the process of breaking down that food and digesting it.

3. The best time to meditate is early in the morning or evening at sunset or then late at night.

4. Never meditate when you are anyway sleepy. If you have a sleep debt, pay that off first!

5. Do not torture yourself by getting up at 4 in the morning to meditate. A little later will also do. This is a joyful thing not a torturous one.

6. Do not expect some magical thing to happen. Do not wait for something to happen and feel transformed. Let go. And it will happen. The experiences are all individualistic. So a particular thing cannot be said to happen. Each one’s experience into the inner world is unique. You hear someone’s experience and you wonder why you aren’t feeling that way too and it starts frustrating you. Let go of the wanting.

7. Do not judge yourself. Do not worry about: am I doing it right? Is this the correct way? Why am I not getting anywhere? When will I feel something? Etc. Let go of the “I must”.

8. Mediate in conducive environments. Choose a peaceful surrounding. If there is a ton of activity going on in the room, it is not going to be possible to do this. This is a ritual for your benefit. If there are too many distractions, you will be better without it.

9. Decide on the time that you will meditate every day. Make an appointment with yourself for that. And honour your appointment. If you start with meditating for 15 minutes, gradually increase it to 20, then 25 and so on. If you sit down on day 1 to meditate for 30 minutes, and you are unable to do it, you will feel defeated.

10. Relax. Be nice to yourself. This is a joyous process. Use tools like hearing music or a meditation bell. These tools help you get from place A to place B. Once you progress, the tools are no longer necessary. Another tool you can use is an object of focus. Like a flower or a candle. Observe it and maintain focus on your breathing.

11. Do not tell your mind to stop thinking. It will think even more and increase the restlessness you feel. Just observe the thoughts, let them come and go. Watch them. There is a difference in having thoughts and becoming aware of the thoughts. Understand this difference and be more aware. We are essentially monkeys. Our mind will jump everywhere. Let the chatter happen without resistance. Try and bring the mind back to attention to breath every time it happens.