Meditation is a great way to calm and relax your mind, body and soul. It reduces stress, gives you mental clarity and brings you closer to God, The Source or The Universe (whichever belief system you follow).
If you have never meditated, this article will walk you through a simple breathing process that will help clear your mind. But before getting into it, let us go through a few topics you should understand first.
Read More »Four Things To Comprehend Before Meditating
There are a host of precautions you should consider before meditating. The following four topics are just a sample of them.
It Takes Time To Calm Your Mind
A lot of people think that once you sit down and close your eyes, you are immediately able to get into the “zone” and become calm. That is not always the case.
You have a lot of thoughts running through your mind that prevents you from staying focused initially. Some of them could be the following:
- Did I turn the oven off?
- What should I wear for work tomorrow?
- I am hungry.
- I need to get my oil changed today.
Sitting down to calm your mind when you have never done so before can be a challenge. But with practice, you will eventually ease into it and start to make some progress.
You Need Peace And Quiet To Focus
The best way to stay focus is to sit in a quiet place. If the TV is on, kids playing around you or construction work is going on outside, you are going to have a problem centering yourself.
One of the goals while meditating is to be in a relaxed state so that you can reach a higher level of spiritual awakening to connect with your spiritual guide and/or angels. That connection will not happen if you are constantly interrupted. So make sure the kids are put to sleep, the TV is turned off and the windows are closed so you can concentrate.
Some people like to have instrumental music playing as they meditate and that is perfectly fine. If hearing chimes, bells and digital keyboard music will help center you, then use it during your meditation sessions.
Stick With A Schedule
There is never a bad time of day to meditate. You can do it in the morning, afternoon or evening. However, if you can set a specific time of the day to meditate and do it consistently, your mind and body will eventually sync up with one another and you will be able to place yourself into a trance-like state faster.
Most people like to meditate first thing in the morning because it helps them set the tone for the rest of the day. A lot of people contribute their success in life by getting up before 5am and taking a few moments to meditate.
Other people feel that meditating right before bed is helpful because their mind and body are ready for sleep. You are more relaxed and have an easier chance of calming yourself.
Sit With Your Back Straight
Sitting upright, either in a chair or on the floor with your legs crossed, is the most common position for meditating. You are in a comfortable position and can easily relax. More experienced people can stand or kneel, but as a beginner you are better off sitting.
Lying down on your back is another position some people use. The problem is that you may end up falling asleep, causing some frustration because you will have to start all over.
Keeping your back straight is mostly about confidence and allowing a good flow of energy into your body. The way you position yourself affects the way you feel while meditating. If you are slouching, you are telling your mind that you are not feeling happy or positive.
Now that you have a good idea of what to expect before meditating, let us go through the steps of doing it.
How To Meditate
As mentioned earlier, you will learn how to do some proper breathing to help you focus. The best way to have a successful session is to clear your mind and keep it quiet. Here we go:
- Go into a room where you can sit in peace.
- If you want some meditative music to play, put some on before getting comfortable.
- After sitting, close your eyes and take a deep breath and then breathe out.
- Breathe in again but count to four as you are doing it.
- Hold our breath for three seconds and then breathe out counting to four.
- Repeat steps four and five for a total of 10 times. Do your best to focus on your breathing and nothing else that could distract you.
- After doing these steps, visualize something in your life that makes you happy. It could be a joke you heard, an accomplishment you completed or a passion you enjoy doing. The goal is to increase your vibration (energy). This will bring you closer to alignment with your higher self.
- Spend as much time thinking of pleasant thoughts.
- When you feel elated and in good spirits, say an affirmation (either out loud or to yourself) and thank God/The Source/The Universe.
The breathing section above is what will help you stay centered and get your mind to focus. You may have had a rough day and need to take a few moments to quiet your mind.
If you are thinking too much, you will not be able to benefit from the meditation. Focusing on your breathing will remove all distractions and bring you closer to alignment with the spiritual realm and yourself.
Visualizing something that makes you happy will increase your energy. The more positive you are, the more positive influences you will bring into your life. If you are thinking negatively, you will bring forth more negative energy. So it is in your best interest to think good thoughts more often than bad.
Conclusion
Taking time out to meditate will help bring you closer to happiness and increase your spirituality. It will take some time before you can easily calm your mind but the more you do it, the closer you will be to your angels, spiritual guide and God/The Source/The Universe.
