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A Beginners Guide to Meditation

The Oxford American Dictionary defines meditation as "thinking deeply or focusing one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious of spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation". Meditation was not commonly practiced until the late 1950's and 1960's when Transcendental Meditation was introduced by founder and Indian Guru Maharishi MaheshYogi. Since then, the popularity of meditation has increased and millions of people today include some type of meditation into their healthy life style. Meditation has been proven to help in reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and increase the brain's ability to concentrate. By reducing stress you will feel better, function more efficiently, and look younger without using drugs or botox.

Types -
Sitting
To reach a state of deep relaxation the body must be comfortable. It is not necessary to sit in a lotus (cross legged) position. Many people find sitting on a straight-back chair the best for keeping comfortable and relaxed. If sitting on the floor, it is best to use a cushion that aids in comfort. If using a chair, the best would be the type with a straight back, but remember to be comfortable while sitting so choose whatever type of chair fits that purpose. The place for your meditation practice should be free of distractions and this place and the time you meditate should be as consistent as possible. Relax all muscles. As you sit, close your eyes to minimize distractions aid in relaxation. Begin breathing naturally and concentrate on your breath as it enters and leaves the lungs, noticing its rhythmic movement. If the mind wanders from the breath, gently bring it back to the breath again. Do not get discouraged, as the mind's naturally wants to move from thought to thought and is difficult to harness.

Walking
Begin walking, establishing a natural rhythm to your walk. Take notice of your breathing and synchronize your breath with your steps, still staying in rhythm.

Guided
In this method you can use self-guidance or another person can guide you into meditative state. Get into a comfortable position (either lying or sitting), breathe deeply a few times and relax your muscles. When you feel you are sufficiently relaxed, begin imagining you are floating calmly down the river in a canoe. You see a beautiful sunset, a warm breeze brushes across your face and everything feels calm and serene. You continue with this thought process for 5 - 10 minutes. As mentioned above, someone else can lead you into a serene event and the scenario can be of any choosing as long as it has a calming effect on the mind.

Tools or Aids
Concentrating on the breath is one of the most common ways of relaxing the mind and body during meditation. Another method is using a mantra (recitation) which could be the common word Om (pronounced ohhmmm), chanting or just repeating an affirmation. Object focusing such as a candle, stone or animal will calm the mind. Some find music or incense incorporated into their practice to be a useful aid.

Always end your meditation slowly and stay relaxed for a few moments before returning to your daily routine. The best time to meditate is in the morning after arising and before the daily thoughts begin bombarding your mind. Of course if that is not possible, anytime you can set aside at least 5 -10 minutes daily will be better than none.

To find out more about this subject, the website www.centerpointe.com/meditatio n offers instructional cd's and literature on the subject, plus the books Finding the Quiet Mind by Robert Elwood , and Meditation by E.H. Shattock are excellent resources.

Learn more about this author, Patty Stultz.
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