Mahatma Gandhi — I like your Christ…

Meditation is the art of clearing the mind; generally focusing on your breathing, a sound, an object.  Many people who meditate utilize visualization techniques.  The purpose of meditation is to increase one’s awareness in the present moment.  It is used to promote relaxation, reduce stress and enhance personal and spiritual growth.  Meditation is unique to each individual.  What may work for one person, may not work for another.

Briefly, here are some steps you can follow to get started on your path to meditation:

Devote a time and space for meditation.  Eventually, it is something that can be scheduled regularly into your daily routines, like making your bed or taking a shower.  Meditation can be done anywhere, but it is important to find somewhere that you will not likely be disturbed for 5-10 minutes. Sitting is typically the best posture for meditation.  You should sit with your back straight and your hands resting on your knees or in your lap.  Keep your neck and the rest of your body as relaxed as possible. Breathe deeply.  Try to defocus your eyes, gazing into the middle distance in front of you.  Take five deep, audible breaths.  Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. On the last exhalation, allow your eyes to close. Observe your posture.  Take notice of the sensations where your body touches the chair and your feet meet the ground. Feel the weight of your arms and hands resting on your legs.  Use your senses to study the environment around you.  What do you smell? Hear?  What is the temperature in the room? Clear your mind.  Begin scanning your body from head to toe, observing any tension or discomfort you may feel.  Where are you most relaxed?  This is for awareness only, don’t try to change what you find.  Scan again, although this time notice which parts of the body feel relaxed. Take about 20 seconds for each scan.  Now turn your awareness to your thoughts. Notice any thoughts that arise without attempting to alter them. Gently note your underlying mood, just becoming aware of what’s there without judgment. Pause for around 30 seconds and consider why you’re meditating. Recognise any expectations or desires you’ve brought along, and let it all go. Understand that there is nothing to achieve during this session.  There is nothing for you to do here other than sit through the full session.  All you have to do is step back and let it all unfold in its own time and own way. Turn your attention to your breathing. Don’t try to change it.  Justobserve the rising and falling sensation that it creates in your body.  Map out where these sensations occur.  Are they coming from your belly, your chest, your shoulders?  For a few moments, simply focus on the quality of each breath, noting whether it’s deep or shallow, long or short, fast or slow. Begin silently counting the breaths: 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale, 3 on the next inhalation, and so on, up to 10. Then start again at 1.  During this part of the exercise, it’s normal for random thoughts to pass through your mind.  Do not focus on them, instead guide your attention back to your breathing.  Simply restart your count back to 1 or where you may have left off. Spend the next 20-30 seconds just sitting.  You may already feel calm or relaxed.  Or, you ideas and thoughts may still be running through your mind.  Either is perfectly fine.  You just want to “be” in the moment. Now, bring your focus back to those sensations around you.  The feeling of the chair beneath you, yourhands and arms on your legs.  Any other sounds or smells around you.  When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes. Before you get up, focus on what you are about to do next.  Even if it is something as mundane as brushing your teeth or having breakfast.  Try to carry the awareness from your meditation throughout your day.  If possible, maybe you can find small moments during your day to remind yourself what it felt like to have that clarity and focused attention.  Simply take a couple of deep breaths, notice how you feel, and observe any areas of tension.

That is a basic guide to meditation.  I recommend trying it sometime and develop the practice over time.  There are tons of books on meditation to read and explore, even classes for guided meditation.  Adding meditation to your daily routine can help reduce stress and anxiety, and improve focus and clarity for all your objectives in life.