How to start a meditation practice…
In today’s busy world, we rush from one thing to the next. Most people feel uncomfortable in stillness and in silence. The second we have a free moment, we tend to pick up our phone and scroll through social media sites distracting ourselves from what is present right in front of us. Overtime, our habits (good or bad) begin to define our behaviors and it becomes challenging to make a shift even when we are willing to change. If you have spent your whole life on the move, learning to slow down can be a challenge because you have trained your body and brain that movement and business are your homeostasis.
We spend the vast majority of our time focusing on the future or worrying about the past. Meditation calls us to come to the present moment and teaches us how to simply be with what is. It is a practice much like yoga asana that takes time to refine. When you first begin a meditation practice, you may notice that it is hard to sit still and calm your mind.
The goal of meditation is not to get rid of thoughts but to bring more awareness to how our mind works and simply act as an observer and remove our attachments to what arises when we meditate. A daily meditation practice doesn’t make you ”good at meditation”, it makes you to be good at life. Through the practice of mediation, you may find yourself more present moment to moment, less attached to outcomes you have no control over, more focused and productive in daily tasks and overall feel more grounded in your daily life. The smartest and most successful people tend to be daily meditators. Are you ready to take your life to the next level?
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation has been found to increase focus & insight when practiced in association with learning.
Daily meditation has been shown to change the makeup of our brain, specifically an increase in size in the hippocampus which controls our ability to learn & retain information AND reduction in size of the amygdala which regulates stress & Anxiety.
Meditation & mindfulness practices aid in stimulating the brain which causes more neural connections to form. Studies show that as little as 10 minutes a day can have positive benefits.
Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice
Setting
- Choose a setting that will allow you to be uninterrupted.
- Face the East when meditating if possible. If you can’t face East, face North
- Create a meditation altar w/ items of importance to you. EX: Crystals, Flowers, Tarot, Etc
Background Music/Ambiance
- Consider what will allow you to focus. Do you prefer total silence or would you want some gentle background music or sounds
Choosing Guided or Unguided Meditations
- For people new to meditation, a guided practice can feel really supportive.
- A mantra based meditation can help you to focus on one thing while you meditate. Your mantra can be used to call your attention back to your breath whenever you wander
Find Your Seat
- Make yourself comfortable. You are more likely to continue if you are comfortable.
- Meditation can be seated or lying down. If you are laying down, avoid falling asleep. For a seated meditation, it is helpful to elevate your hips above your knees so that you can avoid your limbs falling asleep over time.
- If you get extremely uncomfortable during meditation, change positions!
Japa Meditation
Japa Meditation is a simple technique that involves the repetition of a mantra out loud or internally. Take a deep breath and align yourself with the intentions. Pick a Mantra and chant it aloud or silently. Hold your mala in your right hand and drape it between your index and middle fingers. Use your thumb to start with the guru bead and count each smaller bead, pulling it towards you as you recite your Mantra. When you are back to the guru bead, go back the opposite direction. Do not cross the guru bead.
Examples of Mantras that can be used for Japa Practice
So Hum = I am that
Om Om Gam Ganapataye namaha = Salutations to the remover of obstacles.
Sat Chit Ananda = Truth consciousness bliss
Interested in starting your meditation practice? Reach out for more information on my meditation mentorship program!
