Understanding the basics and techniques of meditation. How to start meditating

When starting to get acquainted with the practice of meditation, the question inevitably arises of how to do it correctly if you have no experience and are not surrounded by those who have it and could teach it.

And therefore, beginners who study the principles of meditation on their own are faced with a number of obstacles that do not allow them to start meditating, although theoretically they already have some idea.

There are several reasons:

• Lack of time and place to practice;
• The desire to immediately do everything right;
• Thoughts that something is missing and something needs to change.

Now let's talk about each in detail in order.

Time for Meditation

It happens that some people cannot meditate consistently because they think that they do not have time. In fact, you can make time even if you have a very busy schedule. After all, we don’t have time to worry about the fact that we don’t have time to sleep, wash, brush our teeth and satisfy our other essential needs. We always find an opportunity for this, except in rare cases.

Because meditation is as important as our other needs. Perhaps it is not so pronounced and we do not immediately feel the urgent need for it. But just as we wash ourselves and take care of our bodies, meditation washes and cleanses our Mind of the mental dirt that accumulates in it.

At the very beginning of practice, I don’t think you will need very much time. You can start meditating for 10-20 minutes a day.

The best option is early in the morning. If you wake up 15-20 minutes earlier than usual and devote this time to meditation, then the issue of lack of time will be closed.

Please watch the video and come back to this material. I'll be waiting for you.

There was a time in my life when I had to leave very early for work and return home late in the evening. And I could have given in to current circumstances and gone with the flow, but my passionate desire to develop was stronger than that. Since at that moment I was already seriously devoting myself to meditation, I began to get up very, very early, sometimes around 3 am, so as not to interrupt my daily practice.

In general, if there is a desire, there is always time.

Meditation space at home

Since in this article we are looking at meditation at home, it would be appropriate to say that ideally, if you have a specially designated place for this at home, where you can meditate every day.

This could be some corner of your home; in principle, it doesn’t matter where exactly. Living room, hall, bedroom, personal office - these are all suitable places.

If you can’t practice in the same place, then this is not critical, meditate as best you can.

If you live with a family, with your parents or with someone else, and you are distracted, then again, getting up early in the morning while everyone is still sleeping will again help you solve this situation.

The desire to do everything right right away

This applies not only to meditation, but also to other endeavors. A person wants to start, but the thoughts that I’ll read a little more, look, understand better, and then start, can put off real practice for a long time. A kind of eternal student who only theorizes but does nothing. It’s better to start with little knowledge and deepen your knowledge along the way.

The desire to change something first

Some people think that in order to start meditating you need to radically change something in your life. For example, quit your job, leave your family and go to the mountains, become a hermit, a monk or something else.

Such misconceptions, unfortunately, are not uncommon.

Of course, this is all partly true.

Traditionally, yogis retired and devoted themselves to spiritual practices and meditation.

In the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, an ancient spiritual manuscript, this path is described:

“To practice yoga, you need to find a clean, secluded place, lay a mat of kusha grass on the ground, cover it with deerskin and soft cloth. The seat should not be too high or, conversely, too low. Having sat down properly, you can begin to practice yoga. By controlling the mind and senses, controlling the activities of the body and focusing the mental gaze on one point, the yogi must cleanse the heart of material contamination.”

But only a few out of many many thousands of people are ready for what is described above. But for most, this path will most likely turn out to be an obstacle.

If an unprepared beginner, having read books, leaves in renunciation and sits there and tries to meditate, then there is a high probability that instead of meditation, his Mind will be absorbed in thinking about the sensual pleasures and comfort that he left behind. This will not be able to continue for long, and if such a person sets the bar too high for himself, he will fall down.

How to Meditate at Home

Let's return to our reality. To practice meditation at home, not in the forest.

I actually had different experiences, I lived with monks, lived in ashrams, traveled a lot in India, stayed and was in Holy places, meditated there and did other practices there.

Therefore, I can say: “To start meditating you don’t need anything, everything is already there, you don’t need to radically change anything or go anywhere, just start doing it.”

Your desire to develop is the minimum qualification that will allow you to start practicing. But in order to deepen and improve it, additional conditions may be needed, which we will definitely talk about in the future.

One of the conditions for successful practice is stability. Watch a video about making meditation a natural part of your life.

Meditation at home

Based on my experience, I can say that it is best if you schedule the same time and place for daily meditation. This will help you, which I wrote about earlier.

Before meditation, it is advisable to take a shower and ventilate the room. And also, it is much easier to meditate if you keep the place where you conduct your sessions clean. Those. if there is a mess around, socks, underwear, dirty dishes, etc. are scattered. this will create additional obstacles in practice.

External clutter usually reflects clutter inside. Therefore, if you maintain cleanliness, it will promote development, remove residual sleep and help better concentration.

Pose

Choose a comfortable meditative position and make sure that no one distracts you throughout the session. Learning to sit correctly will help you. Correct and comfortable posture is the key to good, focused meditation.

Music

Some people recommend playing music during meditation to calm the mind, but I would be careful with this. Although I have a page with a selection, as well as recordings of mantras, there is no need to use all of them in my practice.

Incense

If desired, you can light an incense stick. Sandalwood, or any other you like. The smell of incense cleanses the space and helps calm the Mind. Some people are allergic to smoking sticks, so be careful.

Benefits of Home Meditation

First of all, meditating at home presupposes a certain sense of security. For example, meditating in a forest or park or anywhere else can create a feeling of insecurity that can be distracting. But when practicing in the same place, especially at home, such a feeling does not arise.

Ways to Meditate at Home

You can meditate at home in the way you like best.

I am a supporter of classical methods, and I don’t really support newfangled trends like: attracting love, money, healing the body, etc. This can all come naturally, which is allocated to each of us, but meditation has a slightly different goal.

Mantras

My main method of meditation is meditation on the sounds of a mantra. They are usually said out loud, in a whisper, or silently. A separate article, in which I described in detail, will help you understand this.

If it is very difficult to concentrate on your own, then you can turn on recordings of mantras (follow the link above, there are several audio recordings in the above article) and repeat in unison or at your own pace.

When doing silent meditations, such as Gayatri mantras and breathing meditation, it is better to be in absolute silence, so that there are no unnecessary distractions.

Breathing Meditation

In this meditation you need to concentrate and monitor your breathing, this will help you

Such meditation most often does not pursue any high spiritual goal, but simply helps calm the mind and awareness.

It is impossible to cover the immensity in one short article. Meditation is like a bottomless ocean, into which the more experience we have, the deeper we can dive. But I hope that this publication will allow you to start meditating at home. to new articles and videos to receive notifications about them directly to your email. I will also be glad to have questions and additions in the comments to this post.

With respect and best wishes, Ruslan Tsvirkun.

In former times, we associated the word “meditation” with the religion of the East. We believed that only those who worship Buddha and Eastern religious beliefs could undergo sessions. That is, only at the moment of unity with the highest heavenly forces, people can completely relax and fall into Nirvana, into a state of complete disconnection from earthly life. Therefore, many people wonder how to learn to meditate on their own?

Yes, in fact, this is how the history of meditation began. But over time, not only fans of yoga, Buddhism and other movements, but also ordinary people began to resort to it to strengthen their spirit and health. Why else is it necessary to perform this pleasant and very useful action for thought and good health?

Why do people meditate?

Our readers have probably noticed that more and more often people, in moments of stress, tension, or for complete relaxation during rest, take an interesting pose. They sit on the floor, cross their legs, palms on their knees up, index and thumb connected.

The position is accompanied by a special breathing method. Some grin, others are surprised. There is no need to be surprised; you should repeat the same thing after this person, of course, at the right moment. A miracle is happening before our eyes - the human body unites into one with the Great Cosmos and enters the state of Nirvana - complete dissolution in the great worlds.

At this moment, with proper meditation, a person is spiritually and mentally somewhere in the heavens, he flies and becomes the owner of the highest degree of pleasure. Try this at home, we will present excellent relaxation poses for beginners.

Meditation helps people in many ways. Thanks to this concentration of thought and spirit, people get rid of everyday stress and routine. At the same time, with its help, a person concentrates his attention on what is important, gets rid of fears, sadness, melancholy, nostalgia, depression, and anger. In moments of meditation, everyone can teach themselves to overcome all the vicissitudes and at the same time cultivate the best qualities in themselves - kindness, love. Mercy, compassion, joy, peace and most importantly, forgiveness.

Important: Some people mistakenly believe that meditation is a replacement for prayer. In fact, both actions are useful to a person and neither of them should be abandoned. They seem to complement each other and form a complex of struggle against all troubles - both moral, spiritual, and physiological.

The role of meditation in our life

To those who are reading this article, we hasten to say that you did the right thing in deciding to take up meditation. By acquiring a state of half-sleep - the alpha level, your body will be able to move mountains, and you will also be able to:

• change the course of life with the power of your own thoughts;
• strengthen your immune system and your health;
• get rid of a number of diseases;
• calm the central nervous system;
• achieve high results and success in various fields;
• get rid of extra pounds, and with them from toxins, stagnant and putrefactive processes;
• attract good luck, success, wealth, happiness in your personal life, longevity, etc. with your free and easy charisma.

When we master the simple and simple rules of meditation, we become different people at the subconscious level. The former heaviness in the soul, monotony and annoying routine will instantly turn into interesting not only things, but challenges, which you will meet easily and without fear.

The main goal of performing this action is to completely or at least partially disconnect from the hustle and bustle. Many Eastern religions resorted to meditation in order to “stop and listen to the beating of one’s own heart and decide on goals for the future.”

What does meditation give to a person?

The most important thing when performing a relaxation session is consistency and regularity. The body must get used to the fact that moments of complete calm come. Yes, lying on the couch and waiting for the weather “by the sea” is much easier. But the consequences of such “doing nothing” will be much more complex. So it only seems to us that we are running away from problems. But if they are not addressed, they will accumulate like a snowball. Those who know how to relax and calm down, disconnect from the whole heavy balance, will easily solve any troubles and will not see them as big troubles. The main thing is to be able to “disassemble” everything in a timely manner and not allow huge “stacks” of cargo to accumulate. Otherwise, they will pile up in one moment, and no strong person will be able to cope with them.

No, meditation will not “agree” for you with a competitor or your boss, it will not “make peace” for you with your beloved, it will not “solve” issues related to children for you, etc. It will give you strength, self-confidence, and also clear your thoughts of everything bad and unnecessary. And with a clear head, as we know, any problems can be resolved.

Meditation sessions give a person a unique chance to restore inner strength, improve health and connect one’s own “I” with subconscious wisdom, a sense of mercy, kindness, compassion and love.

What is meditation based on?

During relaxation, we concentrate our thoughts and attention on mantras, breathing techniques or the light of a lit candle. It doesn’t matter what you look at, the main thing is to focus on your inner “I”, on the “third Eye” and completely disconnect from all the bad, negative past, stop thinking about the future and think only about the good present. This way we restore not only physical strength, but also put our mind in order.

A large number of people begin to meditate in difficult moments of life, with severe fatigue, and emotional burnout. At such moments, a state of frenzy arises - a person does not know how to continue to live, what to do, how to catch up on lost time and gather strength. In such a situation, delay is like death; you may find yourself at the limit of patience and your nerves cannot stand it. Breakdown occurs, conflict situations arise, as they say “out of the blue.”

One look, a word, or even no action is enough for you to lose your temper and do something stupid. Quite often, it is people who are tired of problems and bustle that are subject to anger and cruelty. A vicious circle arises - there is no outlet for bad emotions, they accumulate, a breakdown occurs, and because of this, anger and aggression rise again.

Let's meditate with Yandex Music:

Why Meditation?

Someone has probably read that in the Land of the Rising Sun all conditions are created so that diligent office workers have a way to relax. For this purpose, dolls were created that resembled the appearance of the head of the company. Tired, with aggression and irritation, the subordinate took out all his anger in the manner of the “boss” - shouted, beat, poured coffee on him, etc. It seems to help you relax.

But excuse me, what's good about this? Is it really possible to take out evil in this way, even on a doll? But she has a specific prototype, which means that all the nasty things and insults are, in fact, addressed to a specific person. Wouldn't it be better to get rid of the weight of negativity in another, more positive and less offensive way?

Of course, this is what meditation is for. After her sessions, a person, on the contrary, becomes kinder, more compliant, respectful and understands both colleagues and loved ones, friends and relatives. Therefore, it is important to know how to learn to meditate so that there is maximum benefit from the sessions.

Meditation is healing. And not only moral, psychological, spiritual, but also physical.

We all know that illness is often psychosomatic in nature. That is, due to depression, stress and moral stress, people's immunity decreases. The body, instead of continuing the regular functioning of the systems, in times of stress directs all its forces to calming the nervous system and producing more hormones responsible for the psychological state.

The remaining organs remain, as it were, “unattended,” and reduced immunity allows the development of inflammatory and infectious conditions. Since childhood, we have known the saying “A healthy mind in a healthy body!” In meditation there is a slightly different scheme - “the spirit is strong and the body is healthy!”

Regular sessions and full concentration on the inner “I” and calming the nerves allow you to:

1. Completely stabilize the functioning of the nervous system and its periphery and endings.
2. The amount of production of the stress hormone cortisol decreases significantly.
3. Blood pressure returns to normal.
4. The level of bad cholesterol in the blood is reduced by 2-3 times.
5. The production of a hormone, a neurotransmitter of happiness, increases, thanks to which a state of supreme pleasure is achieved.
6. The level of muscle tension decreases and complete relaxation occurs.

Some will argue that this is impossible. But this is not difficult to prove. Who has not met in this life those who are fans of eastern practices - yoga, Shogun, etc. Especially those who regularly attend yoga courses or practice on their own at home are, as a rule, calm, sedate, wise, collected people who do not need to control their actions and emotions. They are always at rest. At the same time, a person’s inner world becomes richer.

Such people read more, have time for everything, everywhere, they are not in a hurry and do not fuss. They are always distinguished by their kind attitude towards others, do not quarrel with loved ones, do not have conflicts at work and are able to sympathize with the misfortune of others.

Meditation helps them do good deeds more often and not be indifferent to other people’s troubles; also, these people are not greedy and are ready to give their last penny to the first person they meet. In short, here is a man who fully corresponds to biblical morals.

Where to start sessions

There is nothing easier, at home. The most important thing is to reflect on your life and take a decisive step towards focus and wisdom. Meditation consists of several stages that must be performed with decimal precision. Classes do not tolerate fuss or rush. Everything must be approached with oriental calm and wisdom.

At the very beginning, during meditation, it happens that there is a strong release of energy. Possible tingling on the tips of the fingers and toes, slight dizziness, chills, fever. But don’t worry, this is all normal, after a couple of sessions everything will go away, only lightness will remain.

Another important point for complete relaxation is to be able to remain silent. You need to think and “speak” in your thoughts. There, without anyone's presence or interference, you will be able to ask yourself questions and give answers to them. This is the only way to find the way to yourself and nothing can confuse you. Correct thoughts and ideas come only in complete silence, when the head is not “occupied” with negativity and vanity. In peace and quiet, you can summarize the past days and draw the right conclusions, take control of your existence with wisdom and positivity.

Rules for conducting meditation

Don't assume that meditation is just squatting and thinking positive thoughts. It is important to do everything according to the plan, otherwise nothing will work. So, how to meditate correctly, what is important for sessions:

• conduct them regularly;
• prepare a place for meditation;
• choosing the right course of practice;
• be alert and relaxed at the same time;
• do short sessions.

Now let’s look at each of the subparagraphs and why their presence is so important.

1. Regularity of sessions. For someone who really wants to return health to their body, to live positively, to lift their spirits, meditation should be done every day. Or at least three times a week and devote yourself completely to the sessions, without being distracted by extraneous moments. There is a simple explanation of how you should feel during a session - it’s like plunging your head into warm and pleasant water. You cannot interrupt classes, as the acquired states will be lost and the alpha level will be reduced.
2. Location. You should set aside a corner for yourself, or even better, retire to a separate room. You cannot be distracted by extraneous noises and movements, otherwise you will not be able to concentrate. The room should be ventilated, with a slight coolness; you can turn on light, non-intrusive music, preferably instrumental. Indian melodies created specifically for meditation are also suitable.
3. Which practice to choose? This is a rather important question, because the result depends on it. It is best for beginners to start with breathing exercises. Such meditation will allow you to clear your thoughts and mind of everything unnecessary and negative. Then you need to move to a higher level.
4. Be alert and relaxed. Your body needs to be completely relaxed and it is important to focus only on proper breathing. At the same time, you cannot fall asleep, and unusual images and sensations will arise in your thoughts and subconscious. At the end of the session, think again about what you saw and analyze for yourself what you saw.
5. Short session hours. You cannot meditate for a long time from the very beginning; beginners should start with short sessions. The first few sessions should last no more than 5 minutes, otherwise entering the inner world for a long time will cause rejection from classes and will not bring the desired effect.

What are the types of meditation techniques?

There are a lot of different practices in the world and everyone can choose for themselves in accordance with their experience and physical condition. We have already said that beginners should start with breathing practice.

1. Respiratory. To conduct a session, you need to learn to catch your breath and its rhythms. In this case, you should pay attention to the movements of the abdomen. With each inhalation it bulges, with each exhalation it deepens. You also need to subconsciously feel how your lungs are filled with air and your blood and thoughts are cleansed. With every moment of exhalation, you “throw out” everything bad from yourself - garbage, negativity, and immediately feel lightness and freedom.
2. Another type of meditation is walking. Here you need to concentrate on your step - lifting your leg, then touching the floor - moving forward. At the same time, it is important not to look at your feet, but forward, to the side. Hands at your sides and motionless. What’s good is that sessions can be carried out while walking in the park, walking from office to office, etc.

Best poses

Often we ourselves do not know where “bad” thoughts come from. They appear out of the blue and disturb us, worry us, which causes anxiety about the future. We do things with fear or give up our plans. To clear our thoughts, get away from worldly desires, grow spiritually, and learn the truth, let’s perform the following action.

Calming the mind. We sit in a comfortable position and begin to breathe correctly and at the same time “let go” of thoughts. That is, as soon as they arise in your head, switch to “monitoring” your breathing. So, you know perfectly well what you are thinking about, but you do not attach any importance to their importance. Each time the exercise will get better and better. And you will feel how the secondary, bad and unimportant things cease to control your life.

Let's move away from anxiety. The session allows you to stop worrying and easily eliminates “from your head” thoughts that haunt you and cause fear for your family and friends. This action is very useful for those who suffer from one or another disease, are preparing for admission, submitting a project, etc. Relax completely, your gaze should “stop” on your heart. On the count of one, two, three we inhale, and exhale on one, two, three, four, five, six. That is, exhalation takes twice as long. Each attempt should last up to two minutes, then inhale as usual and double the exhalation. When you get into the rhythm, you usually stop counting - everything goes as if it were running smoothly.

Each session you need to concentrate on the inner world, and exhaling through your nose, as if to release all the bad things, anxieties and fears. At the same time, you release your mind with the negative components that have accumulated in it - envy, stress, aggression, anger, greed, etc.

Popular meditation poses

The most common positions for relaxation:

• lotus or half-lotus position - sit on the floor, cross your legs, with the right foot on the left thigh, the left on the right;
• on your knees - sit on your knees, legs should be together, back level, hands folded on knees;
• on a chair - sit on a chair, feet should be firmly on the floor, back straight, hands on knees.

It is worth noting that meditation sessions have no contraindications. Everyone, without exception, has the opportunity to relax, focus on the positive and cleanse themselves of all the bad. And the sooner you start conducting sessions, the faster your health will improve and the long-desired love, luck, success, joy, kindness, wealth, etc. will come.

Mountain Pose

With the correct stance, firmly resting our feet on the Earth, we feel our strength and at the same time reach with all our nature towards the sky. The feet should be parallel to each other, feet shoulder-width apart, stand straight, stomach and back tucked, shoulders back and relax. The head should be in a straight line with the spine, arms hanging freely. At this moment, you need to focus on the energy that enters the body, starting from the feet, where the connection with the earth occurs. The base of the spine is the center of the body, and there is also a slight warmth there, indicating an increase in energy.

"La-la-la" pose

Primitive people, as it turned out, communicated with each other precisely with this sound la-la-la. We also know that babies also utter these entertaining “la-la-la” among their first “words,” and no one teaches them this, everything is preserved genetically at the subconscious level. And this is normal, since the word “lives” in each of us from the moment life appeared on earth. This is how, according to legend, people communicated with higher powers. Let us also restore connection with God and the cosmos.

We sit down in a position that is comfortable for us. We close our eyes and look internally at our heart. We repeat out loud every now and then “la-la-la-la...”. Continue for two minutes and lower the tone of your voice, notice how the sensations have changed. The words further need to be pronounced a little slower - 2 minutes, then faster - 2 minutes. The session should last 5-10 minutes.

Freedom pose

Lie down on the floor. Arms and legs to the sides. The back should be completely relaxed. If you feel tension, straighten your body. Hug your knees with your hands and roll up and down along the line of the spine. Then relax, “release” your arms and legs and lie there for 5-10 minutes.

Close your eyes, think about a blooming cherry orchard, in the center of which there is a beautiful mill, under which a clear and cool stream flows. Around you is lush and bright greenery, filled with tulips and daffodils. The sky is bright blue with small patches of snow-white clouds. Listen to meditation music, Indian instruments.

An excellent assistant in meditation is a yoga course from Maya Fiennes. In addition to the excellent and health-strengthening chakras, we can plunge into the fabulous world of love, kindness, hope and happiness. You will not have time to understand at what moment incredible, amazing sensations arose in your body, the positivity of which may bring tears to your eyes.

Do not underestimate Eastern practices, especially meditation and yoga sessions. They were created many millennia ago by wise and special people who lived to a ripe old age in complete harmony with the world. Take care of yourself, your health, stop being discouraged and suffering. It is much easier to be happy and successful, this is so easy to achieve with the help of simple and pleasant meditations.

In the year and a half that I have been working at MIF, I have read several dozen books on business and self-development. And most of them contain advice: set aside time to meditate every day.

And I know very well how difficult it is to take the first step towards this practice. I will share with you my meditative observations and tell you where to start and how not to deviate from the path to awareness.

What is meditation

Meditation is an ancient method of mental training. Thanks to meditation, you can clear your mind of unnecessary worries, distract yourself and adjust the emotional and physical balance of your body.

Personally, meditation helps me deal with stress. Nothing gets rid of scary thoughts faster than a couple of minutes in silence alone with yourself. In addition, this short break helps me analyze my well-being, identify weak points and, if possible, strengthen them. I started eating better, got rid of many bad habits and began to devote time to physical activity.

Also, with the help of the main component of the meditation process - proper breathing - I learned to react correctly to extreme life situations. After all, simply by changing my breathing, I can change my feelings and attitude towards the present moment.

Try it yourself. Look at the picture below and synchronize your inhalation and exhalation:

.

Breathe in this rhythm for several minutes. What do you feel? Have your muscles relaxed? Did you manage to escape from routine worries?

When I first tried to breathe according to this picture, I almost suffocated from such rhythms - they were very unusual. But as soon as I got the hang of it - and this literally took two or three minutes - I began to understand the full power of breathing. If you like the effect, you can search the Internet and books for other breathing techniques that will help you relax better or, conversely, concentrate.

What is it for

Surely you have heard that there is a huge amount of research that proves. This practice helps you relax, live more consciously, calm down quickly, find original solutions to problems and simply take a breath.

For example, just recently, researchers at the University of Oregon asked students to maintain a state of “calm concentration,” that is, to avoid thoughts that could take over a person’s consciousness and distract him. The experiments continued for thirty minutes a day for a month. The entire course lasted eleven hours. At the end of the program, students underwent another MRI brain scan.

Scientists have found that meditation improved the condition of the so-called white matter, which connects the anterior cingulate cortex to other parts of the brain. As a result, students have an increased ability to control their thoughts, behavior and emotions and respond better to stressful situations.

A couple of years ago, I made it a rule to conduct tests on myself, which I advise you to do as well. Moreover, for the first step you need practically nothing...

First steps in meditation

My meditation experience is directly related to my project. A few years ago I made a list of 100 things I've never tried in my life and called it "Lifelist". One of the items on this list is to learn to meditate.

That’s when I came across Andy Paddicom’s video from the TED conference and learned about the existence of the Headspace service. This is a smartphone application that teaches users how to properly relax, breathe and meditate. Then for the first time I thought that meditation is not some kind of Buddhist practice, but a completely working tool that is worth devoting a little time to every day.

I downloaded the app, put on my headphones and tried to relax. Naturally, nothing came of this, although I sort of managed to make friends with breathing. Thoughts constantly flew into my head, and my inner voice reminded me of unfulfilled tasks.

The next day the story repeated itself, as on the third day. But after the fourth time, I finally managed to relax and move away a little from obsessive thoughts. It was a small victory for awareness!

Personal experience

Almost three years have passed since my first steps into meditation. During this time, I managed to listen to more than half of the Headspace lessons, read several dozen books on the topic of mindfulness, and spend hundreds of hours alone with myself. And I like it.

As I already said, the practice of meditation has helped me cope with stress, and also taught me how to breathe correctly and live more consciously.

I can't say that I practice meditation every day - sometimes the breaks last for weeks. However, I still return to this practice and continue to enjoy meditation and its consequences.

I currently have a 15-minute task on my calendar every day called “Do Nothing.” Immediately after lunch, I close my laptop and meditate. This is 15 minutes of peace and quiet, during which I can sit on the couch, lie with my eyes closed, or just walk slowly down the street. This time belongs only to me and the present moment.

Your first meditation

Try taking a few minutes immediately after waking up or during your workday. To get started, literally 5-7 minutes will be enough. Sit on a chair, straighten up and close your eyes. Concentrate on the movement of inhaled and exhaled air - listen to the sensations that arise with each inhalation and exhalation.

Perhaps after a while you will notice that you are distracted. When you discover this, don't beat yourself up and try to focus on your breathing again. Eventually, your mind may calm down and become smooth as the mirror surface of a lake, but it may not. Even if you manage to capture a feeling of absolute calm, it may be fleeting. Whatever happens, just accept it as a given.

After a minute, open your eyes and look around. You have just completed your first meditation session.

More theory

When the first step is taken, you want to reinforce your skills with theoretical and practical knowledge. Almost every business book contains a note about the importance of taking time to meditate. Unfortunately, that's where it all ends. However, there are books that completely cover the topic of mindfulness and meditation and go into detail about the techniques.

I liked two books the most. It is noteworthy that one was written by a scientist, and the other by a Buddhist monk, and both of them believe in the benefits of meditation.

Mindfulness (Mark Williams) is an eight-week meditation course. The author offers many meditation techniques, talks about the advantages of each of them and answers many questions that certainly arise in those who begin to meditate.

“Silence” (Thich Nhat Hanh) - the author shows how to maintain equanimity despite the constant noise around. How to be calm even in the most turbulent places. It also contains breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques.

In addition, some books talk about the practice of meditation one way or another without going into detail. For example, The Book of the Lazy Guru suggests meditating in bed:

This is also a great way to take your mind off the hustle and bustle and get into the right frame of mind.

On a note

1. In order to meditate, you don’t need to cut your hair bald, become a monk and sit in the lotus position for days.
2. Set aside some time, 5-7 minutes will be enough to get started. During this time, try to find a quiet place and meditate.
3. The most important thing is to take the correct breathing rhythm. Try synchronizing your inhalation and exhalation with the animated picture.
4. Don't worry if thoughts keep creeping into your head. Keep your attention on your breathing.
5. After meditation, do not rush to return to routine activities. Take 2-3 minutes to listen to your feelings: how do you feel? Did you like the break or not? Are you ready to return to routine affairs with a “clean head”?
6. Schedule a meditation break for the next day.

More and more modern people are striving to study ancient traditions and knowledge, including energy practice, which is especially relevant in recent times. That is why many are looking for answers to questions like these: what is meditation for, how to practice this knowledge, and why do people need it at all?

What is meditation?

The concept of meditation refers to a process by which a person can go into a trance state, but special techniques are used for this. That is, a transition from the outside world occurs, irritants disappear, the mind and unnecessary thoughts are cleared, and complete calm is felt. In addition, we now live in difficult times, so this practice is simply becoming a necessity, since we are practically deprived of proper rest.

What happens during meditation?

When we are in the process of meditation, our mind is cleared, we are not distracted by the little things in life. Being in this state, you can get answers to all the questions that interest you. After all, they are all hidden deep in your subconscious, you simply do not pay attention to all the clues due to the modern pace and influence of others. This state can always be used for rest and recuperation. If you spend just 15 minutes in meditation, the rest will be so effective that it can be compared to several hours of sleep.

During meditation, you feel your body completely different, your breathing changes, time flows differently. These sensations are called meditation; during this process, Kundalini actively works. We can say that during meditation you are in a state that is between sleep and wakefulness. It is on the same level with sound, when a person’s consciousness is immersed in the secret.

What techniques are used for meditation?

Today you can find many true masters who teach meditation to their students, using a certain number of techniques for this practice. Below we will look at the very essence of meditation, and everyone will independently choose the technique that suits them best.

What is meditation? This is an entrance into a trance state, or something close to it. A person goes into a state of complete peace, disconnects from any thoughts that distract him. Of course, it is very difficult to completely disconnect from the worldly, so only a few achieve this. To achieve this state, some students take years of intense training. However, even a slight reduction in the flow of thoughts can bring amazing results to a person.

Meditating is thinking at the level of time, which is between the worlds - ours and the cosmic one, and a lot of energy is spent for this. And the more you think about meditation, the more time it will open up for you, immersing your mind in the experience of life. If a person looks into meditation, then he feels the energy and thinks about it. Meditation is a practice that works with the sound of the body.

In essence, meditation is a dialogue between a person and the subconscious. When you open meditation, you find yourself in a completely different world, which is inside us. Meditation is a certain balance between energies. Regarding meditation techniques, there are not many of them. They are active and passive.

Types of Meditations

• Passive meditation is the process of going into a trance using static positions, i.e. Yoga position, Lotus position, either standing or lying down. In this case, distraction or self-hypnosis techniques are used. Quite often in such cases, you will need any distracting objects; it could be a mirror, a pendulum, a candle or something else. They also use internal dialogue or Pressure Meters for this.
• Active meditation is the process of immersing oneself in a trance through constant repetition of special physical exercises or through physical tension, after which the person’s thought process is blocked. As a result, he goes into a trance. This technique is often practiced by martial artists, and sometimes used in training.

Meditation is used for different purposes. For example, with its help they look for answers to many questions of interest, take care of their health, and fight old ailments. Meditation helps people become more confident, beautiful, stylish in life. Below are several meditation techniques that will help you decide on the most suitable option.

Meditation process

Set a timer or alarm in advance, 15-20 minutes is enough, less time is undesirable. Next, decide on an action that will not be a burden to you; it should be easy, without much effort. Do this exercise several times, focusing on what you are doing now.

During this time, be sure to monitor your breathing, it should remain even. You need to know that proper breathing helps speed up the effect of meditation. And when you feel sudden fatigue, never be distracted by it, continue your actions, think about them and do not pay attention to the fact that you are starting to feel tired.

After some time, your fatigue will pass, and the new sensations will be more pleasant, all your movements will become easy and smooth. And if you didn’t expect such an effect, and the alarm clock has already rung, then stop and just relax, a good option is to sleep. During this time, your brain will be focused on the action that was programmed earlier, so it will think about one thing while resting.

Passive meditation

There are a lot of similar techniques, the simplest and easiest of them are presented below. Before performing this technique, you need to choose the most comfortable position for yourself, for example, you can stand, lie down or sit, and then close your eyes. It is in this position that you need to clear your mind of obsessive thoughts as much as possible and completely calm down. Next, imagine that you are in our world, but in a completely different place, this is not your room, but some unfamiliar one.

Next, imagine that there is a staircase in the middle of the room, it leads down. Look around, mentally go through several levels in your mind. After each level you complete, you will become more relaxed, peaceful and calm. Walk along the steps until you reach the very bottom, which is where you will feel yourself in a state of deep trance. It is at this moment that the alarm clock should ring, do not pay attention to it, slowly come out of the trance state and take away with it all the positive emotions and feelings that you had there.

Other Ways to Meditate

The process of meditation begins with slow special music, the best option is meditative music. They choose it according to their taste; discs with such music are sold in specialized stores. The best option is the sounds of nature, for example, birdsong, sea surf, the sound of a stream and others.

Regarding the process of preparing for meditation, it consists of relaxing as much as possible. The most difficult thing will be with the eyes, they are the ones that are less amenable to relaxation. Therefore, many masters advise lighting a thick candle during meditation; its flame and warmth will help relax your eyes and concentrate on a small fire.
For these actions, you need to choose a secluded, quiet place where strangers and sounds will not disturb you. It is very important to ensure that you are not disturbed by household members or animals during meditation. The place to perform this technique should be quiet and calm, and the clothing should be loose and comfortable so that it does not restrict movement or distract attention. The ideal option for this is a loose tracksuit. The lighting in the room should be dim, so it is better to close the curtains, you can leave the table lamp on. The next important attribute is incense sticks, which create a relaxed, comfortable environment in the room. In most cases, incense sticks with the scent of rose, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, and jasmine are used for this. And if you do everything correctly, you can enter a state of meditation simply and quickly.

Your actions

During meditation, mentally imagine something pleasant and beautiful, for example, a warm sea, a garden with bright wonderful flowers, a pleasant memory from childhood. At first it will be difficult for you to disconnect from obsessive thoughts, but calm music and calm breathing will help with this. Mentally imagine how a warm spring wind envelops you, warm drops of golden rain fall on your skin. You breathe clean air after the rain, in which there is the aroma of spring flowers. With each new breath you receive a large flow of energy, it evenly and slowly fills your body, filling every cell with oxygen, all this brings you joy and joy. Everything bad that you had goes away, fatigue, pain, it all disappears, you dissolve in the rain, the aroma of color and peace. And if you managed to enter such a state, then you have successfully completed the first stage of meditation.

You can practice further, try to smile from the inside. Of course, this is quite difficult to do, since the inner smile is like a ray of light that suddenly appears from behind the clouds. But, if you are in a state of peace and complete relaxation, then you can really get this. If you experience such a state of inner smile at least once, you will remember it for a long time. You will want to experience it again, and then again and again.

In the third stage of meditation, the process of flight occurs. Here you will feel maximum lightness of the body and enlightenment of the mind, so you experience the feeling of soaring or flying above the earth, and then flying into space. Those who managed to reach this experienced a wonderful state of freedom, found inner peace and their own self.

Seven positive qualities of meditation

• Meditation will help you find. Once you have received the higher self, you open your heart to the world, you are whole with it.
• Meditation helps people to escape from the modern and meaningless bustle, from work, conflicts and worldly problems. You will open your inner world, your soul, and feel a subtle connection with divine power.

• Meditation benefits human health, keeps the mind and body in good shape, relieves stress, has a beneficial effect on the heart, and helps lower blood pressure.
• With the help of meditation, you will see real life values, get rid of addiction to things and make your life easier, because many of our problems are artificial
• You will be freed from the captivity of past mistakes, you will begin to appreciate life, every moment and your loved ones, their care.
• Meditation will teach you to see people for who they really are, including their flaws. You will feel a kinship with all people, love them with all your heart.
• With the help of meditation, you can find a lot of answers to life's most important questions. Insight will come to you, and life will be filled with joy.

By practicing meditation, your body and soul will be completely relaxed. You will be able to experience the spiritual world, which is located in the subconscious. The ability to meditate will only benefit you and will not hinder you, so you will be able to monitor your health and find answers to the questions that tormented you from the inside, deep in your soul. Don’t be lazy, find just 30 minutes a day for proper rest, improve yourself, this will only bring you personal benefit.

Let us examine in detail the age-old questions about what meditation is and how to learn to meditate on your own.

Meditation is observation. But an observation that does not imply any action. And observation is effortless, without tension, which happens on its own. You observe your thoughts in your head, emotions, states, and your body. You don't get involved in it, you don't take part in it, you let everything be.

There is no loss or tension here. You simply are.

There is no effort or any actions on your part, this happens for your pleasure.

Pose for meditation at home

The sitting pose is the easiest and most comfortable way to practice meditation.

Breathing Focus Technique

1. When meditating with concentration on breathing you concentrate completely on yourself and your body.
2. Eyes close. It's like you're looking inside yourself with your eyes closed.
3. Inhale and exhale air as deeply and slowly as possible. Don't rush anywhere. Catch this feeling of pleasure from the process.
4. Focus on yourself and your body with deep and slow inhalation and exhalation- this is your meditation practice.
5. You won't fall asleep even if this feeling arises. Because your focus is on breathing, you will not be able to sleep.

Continue to monitor your breathing and go deep within yourself.

Mistakes and illusions

• There is no need to recite any mantras during meditation. There is silence and harmony inside you. There is no need to repeat or say anything.
• There is no need to think about some magical prayers and other things. Don’t even think about the fact that you don’t need to think about something.
• Don't hold any thoughts in your head or cling to them, they all create tension.
• It is not true that you can only meditate in very quiet and peaceful places. This can be done in any conditions. You can be at peace in a noisy or quiet place.

After practice, remain silent

The duration of meditation does not matter. How often you meditate plays a big role.

The main thing is that it should not be forced or stressful for you. There is no need to force yourself.

After the meditation technique for beginners with concentration on breathing, it is advisable not to delve into your head.

And then you will not think about anything else and will be at peace.

Over time, this silence and harmony will be with you constantly. You yourself will become harmony.

I learned how to do meditation for beginners at home from Roman Soshnikov.

Don't fight your thoughts during the process

You are meditating and some thoughts appear, don’t resist them. It is useless to resist thoughts. It's like swimming against the current in the ocean.

Thoughts will always come and tell you strange things. But is all this true?

Thoughts always come: strange, terrible, funny, bad, good.

Therefore, during meditation don't fight thoughts. They are being watched.

Notice everything that happens inside, but don't get involved in it.

Let it all be

Meditation is complete relaxation. You don't resist anything. You don't identify yourself with anything.

You let everything go and watch everything that happens, without getting involved in it.

There is no identification with either what you see or what appears in your head. You are completely relaxed.

It is not necessary to concentrate on breathing during meditation - this is just a technique for beginners that gives you states.

Video: How Resistance to Thoughts Increases Anxiety

Watch the video and see how simply resisting thoughts only increases anxiety.

It is people themselves who most often exaggerate and hyperbolize their problem and struggle with thoughts. And thoughts spread like flies in this video. In the following video, you will understand how to meditate at home and why you should not resist thoughts during the process.

You can meditate anywhere and under any conditions

You can meditate anywhere and at any event, wherever you are.

At first, it is difficult for beginners to be at peace when in crowded places. But you can truly meditate absolutely anywhere. No restrictions.

You can even meditate during a football match at the stadium. Even when you eat or go somewhere.

Whatever you do or see, if you feel like it, you meditate.

You can meditate with soothing music in the background and just sit. You can meditate on a minibus.

Why do they do it, and how does it affect a person?

Why do people need meditation?:

It is these realizations and understandings that can come to you after practice. This is what meditation does.

It often happened to me that during meditation a green light shone into my eyes. There was also a clear feeling that all these muscles, legs, arms and the whole body were not mine. It's like I'm in some kind of foreign body. It was a real and genuine feeling. You have to feel it, no words can describe it. Food for thought for you.

Do it whenever you want, without any need

Under no circumstances should you force yourself to meditate. It ruins all the fun and being at peace.

You meditate when you want. Without any need. You don't force yourself or force yourself.

You are interested in observing the reactions of the body, you want to observe the person, her thoughts. You do this without identifying with the person, his reactions, thoughts and everything that comes and goes.

Meditate without loss, without effort and without tension.

Love the process itself, don't do it temporarily

People sometimes force themselves to sit for hours and then are surprised at how other people can stand it. And all because they don’t know how to meditate correctly.

All the pleasure from the process is spoiled by the time limit. Therefore, do not limit yourself to time when meditating.

Meditate as much as you think necessary. The duration is not important.

Love the process itself.

You can do both long evening meditations before bed, and shorter ones on the bus.

How-To Video

The next video is about how to learn to meditate at home or in nature. Owen Cook devotes 20 minutes to this every day, morning and evening. Watch all the basics of meditation for beginners in a video lesson from Tyler from RSD.