Meditation is a spiritual practice that can and will change your life dramatically if you have the patience, understanding, and commitment. In this blog, I plan to share with you some powerful tips on how to deepen your meditation practice and common traits that stop you from going deeper in your practice.
I have now been meditating for over 4 years now and have seen, felt, and shared the inspiration, peace, and freedom that it creates within you. Meditation is your instant access to infinite wisdom, possibility, creativity, peace, among many other universal truths.
I have been teaching meditation as a daily practice for over 2 years now and have found most people who are new to meditating find it extremely difficult to stop their thinking and sit still. In fact, they have shared that the exact opposite happens, that when they close their eyes and start breathing, their mind starts thinking faster than normal about random thoughts.
Don’t think you are an exception and not good if this happens to you because this the most common struggle for people who are beginning to meditate. When I first began meditating I would get so frustrated because all I wanted was to have my mind rest with no thoughts, though I couldn’t stop thinking about the things I forgot to do or the things that I still have on my “to do” list.
It’s similar to riding a bicycle. I have never met anyone who said they learned how to ride a bike the first time without falling or crashing. The art of both learning to ride a bike and meditating is consistency AND understanding. When you first began learning to ride a bike you probably had a parent with you showing you how to use the brakes, how to use the pedals, and how to balance yourself as you started rolling forward.
Same with meditation, you can certainly teach yourself through trial and learning, though it helps tremendously to have someone who has been practicing and can teach you simple methods to quiet your mind and body and connect to your inner presence. Besides, we didn’t come here to this Earth to learn and do things alone, we came here to support each other in growing and understanding ourselves and our Truth more and more.
So now I would enjoy sharing with you some basic meditation tips that will help you in your journey of self exploration and creating a more balanced and fulfilled life.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. There is no “right place” or “wrong place” to meditate. You really can’t do it wrong so do it however and wherever you enjoy!
First, do a few stretches to get your muscles a little more flexible and your chi energy moving. Have you ever noticed after a workout or a long walk that you have a big sigh in your breathing and find it easy to relax for a while? That’s because your energy is active and your mind and body can be more relaxed when your energy isn’t stagnant. It’s almost a calming down process.
Next, find a comfortable, relaxing place to sit. You may want to dim the lighting if you choose. You also may want to put on some peaceful relaxing music on for the beginning to get your body and mind calmed down. If you need relaxing music you can visit www.pandora.com and create a station on meditation (free and easy). I recommend that you don’t use the music for the entire meditation but in the beginning it can be really helpful to just get relaxed.
While you are listening to soft music or sitting in silence, begin to breath in and out of your nose. As you breath, consciously allow your inhale to go all the way down into your belly, expanding your belly out, and then on your exhale consciously let the air move back up through your chest, throat, and out of your nose. Take 3-5 deep inhale breaths back to back and make sure that you exhale out just as much as you inhaled in.
As your reading this now, start breathing in and out slowly.
Here is the most important tip I have found in my own practice that has opened so many doors of peace, clarity, and joy.
FOLLOW YOUR BREATH!!! Let go of your mind, don’t try to stop your thoughts because what you resist will persist. Allow your thoughts to come and go as they please, just keep bringing your inner attention to your breathing. In and out of your nose, follow your breath. The moment you realize your mind is thinking anything and not following your breath, take a deep breath and slowly bring your inner attention back to your breath.
As silly as it may seem to just keep following your breath, it will clear your mind of any thoughts after a while of doing this and allow you to totally lose any day-to-day thinking. You might even find after a while that you lose the feeling of being in your body and connect so deeply to your soul and feel so connected and free to your spirit.
I would recommend if you are just beginning that you start out with 10-15 minutes and then move from there when you feel ready. Listen to your spirit and it will tell you when its time to begin lengthening your practice.
Another suggestion, find a group of like-minded people to meditate with. The reason for this is you will learn from others different tips, and when your by yourself you are tempted to get up and quit before you get to the place of true relaxation.
Imagine while you are sitting quietly breathing that your body is being massaged and you are getting more and more relaxed. Consciously let go of any tension in your shoulders, neck, and anywhere else that might be tense.
Some common traits that happen to stop you from getting to the next level.
- Sleepiness
- Anxious
- Angry
- Boredom
- Sexual Arousal
- Sadness
Don’t be surprised if all of these and more come up, but don’t let this stop you. Just allow these feelings to come through and keep your attention focused on your breath. In and out, in and out. To help you with this, throughout your work day pay attention to your inhale and exhale breath. Even if your waiting on a train, taking care of your children, in the shower, cooking dinner….what ever you are doing pay attention to your inhale and exhale breath. This will really help accelerate your meditation practice and spiritual growth.
Some people ask me if they should hold an intention while they meditate if there is something they want in their life. My answer to that is this.
When you meditate and only focus on your breath, you will get so connected to the peace that is who you really are that all you desire and need will attract to you. I have never seen anyone get up from a peaceful meditation and then get angry at something. It puts you into a space of allowing and trusting that defines the rest of your day.
Like attracts unto itself. When you are peaceful, joyful, clear, inspired through the practice of meditating, you will attract all that you desire because peace attracts peace, love attracts love, joy attracts joy. So instead of holding a thought (which you can do) just focus on keeping your attention on your breath and let yourself slip into a blissful ecstasy and then attract others that give out the same energy. What a joyful, amazing planet this would be if everyone were to consistently practice!
Peace and Possibility to you, and remember…FOLLOW YOUR BREATH over and over and over….
