Meditation for Beginners!

Meditation for Beginners!

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a practise where we use a technique to train our attention/awareness to reduce the number of thoughts in the mind and achieve a calm and peaceful state.

Why is it important to meditate?

Each individual has about 50k to 80k thoughts on an average every single day. Thoughts consume energy. These thoughts are repetitive in nature. They are either about the past or the future and mostly dwelling on negative emotions or experiences. When thoughts are about the future we get anxious and anxiety sets in. If the thoughts are about the past, slowly depression sets in.  Too many thoughts create stress. These thoughts do not allow us to be in the present moment.

How do we meditate?

There are various different techniques to meditate. One of the easiest one is breath awareness meditation, “Observing the breath”. Focussing our attention on the breath and observing the natural in breath and out breath. 

What happens in Meditation?

The purpose of meditation is to empty the mind. Once we start emptying the mind by observing our breath, we reduce the number of thoughts and we conserve energy. And every now and then, we are completely present in the “NOW”, the present moment. When we are fully present in the moment, we get connected to the universal energies and get energised and we can unleash our full potential, and achieve all our dreams and be joyful, happy, contented, blissful all the time.

What are the benefits?

As the number of thoughts reduce, we gain more and more clarity in our minds.

Decision-making happens faster. Work gets completed faster.

We feel full of energy and blissful.

As the mind and body are connected, the body will be completely at ease and over a period of time all diseases will disappear.

A state of well-being and happiness.

Stress disappears.

What is the procedure to start meditating?

Find a quite place with no disturbance.

Sit in a comfortable posture either on the floor on a mat or on a chair, preferably with the back straight. Legs crossed.

Remove the glasses, phone on silent mode, reduce the lights.

Keep your hands in any mudra or fingers into fingers. Close your eyes.

Observe your breath. Breath entering the nostrils and leaving.

The mind will wonder every now and then. Let it wonder. 

As soon as you become aware of it, gently bring it back to the breath.

Continue Breath observation.

Do it for about 20 mins to 40 mins depending on the age. Generally 1 minute for each year of age. Or you can also break into to 2 periods.

Once you are done, express gratitude and slowly place your palms on the eyes for 5 seconds and open the eyes.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the awareness of “Some-thing”, usually only one thing at a time. 

Meditation is the awareness of “No-thing”

Meditation acts as a foundation for mindfulness.

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judging it. 

Mindfulness is being in the present moment consciously by choice, and being aware of the self, others and surroundings and making the most of every moment and every experience life offers.

Open mind, curiosity, compassion, empathy are the natural companions of mindfulness.

Consistency is the key. It is recommended that until you make it an habit, do it regularly every day for 40 days and you will see immense benefits. It can be done at any time of the day, in any place. 

Meditation is a practise! Practise it daily like any other daily practises like eating, brushing, bathing etc.