How to practice Breathing Meditation
Our lives these days, everywhere in the world, are filled with worries and stress. Nothing can deal with stress and depression as effectively as meditation. India has given the world many different types of meditation, such as transcendental meditation, vipassana meditation, walking meditation etc. In this article, we will take a look at one of the easiest and most effective meditation techniques—observing one’s breathing!
Things You'll Need
- Loose fitting comfortable clothing
- A quiet place to sit
- Soft music (optional)
- Timer or alarm clock
Steps
Sit either cross-legged on a cushion on the floor or in a straight-backed chair. Remember that you should be comfortably dressed in loose-fitting clothes, and that your back should be straight.
Set the timer to about 20 minutes, since that is the ideal time span to begin with. As you become more proficient at the art of meditation, you can slowly go up to 45 minutes to one hour of meditative practice.
Play your music if you wish. However, some may find this distracting, and would wish to avoid it.
Take a deep breath. As you breathe in, watch the breath going in, as you exhale, watch the breath going out of your nostrils.
Do not try to control your breath. Breathe as you would normally. However, as you breathe in or out, take your mind to the area just above your upper lip, and below the nostrils. Soon you will be able to actually feel the warmth of the breath on your skin as you inhale and exhale.
You will find that your mind will often be crowded with thoughts and your attention will wander from watching your breath to thinking other thoughts. This is normal, and happens to everyone. So do not be alarmed, but continue with the practice.
You will start experiencing the wonderful results of meditation in about 4-6 weeks. Slowly, as you go deeper into this practice, you will be able to meditate up to one hour. Your mind will become calm; you will have more energy and develop a more positive attitude towards life. Happy meditating!!
Tips
- If you are suffering from back problems and have difficulty sitting up straight for long periods of time, you can begin by meditating while lying down on a flat surface.
- Try to set aside a regular time each day for meditation. Actually, early morning meditation may be the most beneficial of all! If possible, try to meditate for 20 minutes or so, twice a day; once in the morning, and then just before bedtime.
- If observing your breath does not appeal to you, you can silently chant a word or phrase of your choice, such as “Om” instead.
Caution
- Try not to practice meditation on a full stomach
- Do not be discouraged if you are not able to continue meditating even for five or ten minutes. Meditation involves training the mind, so be patient and you will surely succeed.
Comments
Post new comment