Meditation: A Simple Guide To Getting Started
The first evidence of meditation was written in the Vedas (the oldest religious scriptures of Hinduism) in 1500 BCE. During this time, the practice of meditation was used as a spiritual practice within the religion of Hinduism to gain and access knowledge and oneness with the Absolute.
Meditation as we know today has many benefits including the ability to reduce stress, help with anxiety, prevent memory loss, helps lower blood pressure and improve sleep just to name a few. Mediation is such a useful tool for your overall well-being and I’m here to help you get started with your own meditation practice. There are different kinds of meditation, and when I was a beginner I found it helpful to focus on these two types:
Focused (or concentrative) meditation
Open Monitoring (or mindfulness) meditation
Focused meditation is exactly what it sounds like. In this practice you bring your attention to an object, thought, place, specific body party, breath, mantra…anything! Most people find this to be the best and most effective way to start a meditation practice as our mind’s tend to wander and get distracted easily.
Open Monitoring, or mindfulness meditation is the opposite of focused in which case, your mind remains open. There is no specific focus for this practice, and an easy way to begin it to bring awareness to your senses. The goal is to allow your mind to gentle move from one thought to another and let the thoughts come organically. When practicing this form, remember to be fully present and aware of the thoughts as they come and go.
One important thing to remember is that you do not need to sit for hours on end in order to meditate. Give yourself an extra 2-5 minutes in the morning afternoon or evening, find a quiet space, and sit with your breath. Or when you arrive at work in the morning, sit in your car for an extra minute or two. Meditate while you’re cooking. There are plenty of opportunities in your day to take a moment and to connect with your body and mind. Remember to not get frustrated if you find it challenging to keep your mind focused. When you feel like your mind is wandering, without judgement notice that, and gently bring yourself back to your body.
With just a few consecutive days of meditating, you’ll begin to notice how mindfulness plays a role in your daily activities. So light your favorite candle, sit in your favorite chair, set aside all distractions, close your eyes and take a deep breath.