How to Practice Basic Meditation
September 07 2011Meditation has many health benefits and is a wonderful way to relieve stress and maintain a healthier lifestyle. There are many different ways to meditate, and this is one of the most basic. With practice, you can use this technique to feel inner peace whenever you need it. Here’s how:
Time Required: 5 to 30 Minutes
- Get into a comfortable position. Many people like to sit in a comfortable chair, or cross-legged on the ground. You want to be able to completely relax while still staying awake.
- Close your eyes.
- Clear your head. (This is the part that takes practice.) The idea is to stay unattached to thoughts of any kind. That means that, if that inner narrative voice in your mind speaks up, gently “shush” it and opt for internal silence.
- That’s it. Keep letting go of any thoughts that may pop into your mind, and the quiet spaces between thoughts will become longer and more frequent. You’re on the road of meditation!
Tips:
- Give it time. Meditation takes a lot of practice. If you’re expecting to do it ‘perfectly’, you may actually create more stress for yourself than you relieve, and you won’t want to stick with it.
- Start with shorter sessions—like five minutes—and work your way up to longer sessions—like 30. With practice, this type of meditation becomes easier and more effective.
- If the experience is frustrating for you and you don’t really want to continue, you may find more success with other types of meditation like mindful meditation or mantra meditation.