Getting started meditation

Getting Started with Mindfulness - Mindful

You have questions about mindfulness and meditation.

Mindful has the answers.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.

Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. And there’s growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain.

The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.

What is meditation?

Meditation is exploring. It’s not a fixed destination. Your head doesn’t become vacuumed free of thought, utterly undistracted. It’s a special place where each and every moment is momentous. When we meditate we venture into the workings of our minds: our sensations (air blowing on our skin or a harsh smell wafting into the room), our emotions (love this, hate that, crave this, loathe that) and thoughts (wouldn’t it be weird to see an elephant playing a trumpet).

Mindfulness meditation asks us to suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind, approaching our experience with warmth and kindness, to ourselves and others.

How do I practice mindfulness and meditation?

Mindfulness is available to us in every moment, whether through meditations and body scans, or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe when the phone rings instead of rushing to answer it.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, creator of the research-backed stress-reduction program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), explains how mindfulness lights up parts of our brains that aren’t normally activated when we’re mindlessly running on autopilot.

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally,” says Kabat-Zinn. “And then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”

The Basics of Mindfulness Practice

Mindfulness helps us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, breaking down our conditioned responses. Here’s how to tune into mindfulness throughout the day:

Set aside some time. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space.
Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind, or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment. Easier said than done, we know.
Let your judgments roll by. When we notice judgments arise during our practice, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass.
Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds often get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment.
Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practice recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.

That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.

How to Meditate

This meditation focuses on the breath, not because there is anything special about it, but because the physical sensation of breathing is always there and you can use it as an anchor to the present moment. Throughout the practice you may find yourself caught up in thoughts, emotions, sounds—wherever your mind goes, simply come back again to the next breath. Even if you only come back once, that’s okay.

A Simple Meditation Practice

Sit comfortably. Find a spot that gives you a stable, solid, comfortable seat.
Notice what your legs are doing. If on a cushion, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. If on a chair, rest the bottoms of your feet on the floor.
Straighten your upper body—but don’t stiffen. Your spine has natural curvature. Let it be there.
Notice what your arms are doing. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Rest the palms of your hands on your legs wherever it feels most natural.
Soften your gaze. Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. It’s not necessary to close your eyes. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
Feel your breath. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of breathing: the air moving through your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your belly, or your chest.
Notice when your mind wanders from your breath. Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. Don’t worry. There’s no need to block or eliminate thinking. When you notice your mind wandering gently return your attention to the breath.
Be kind about your wandering mind. You may find your mind wandering constantly—that’s normal, too. Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, practice observing them without reacting. Just sit and pay attention. As hard as it is to maintain, that’s all there is. Come back to your breath over and over again, without judgment or expectation.
When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.

Mindful Practices for Every Day

As you spend time practicing mindfulness, you’ll probably find yourself feeling kinder, calmer, and more patient. These shifts in your experience are likely to generate changes in other parts of your life as well.

Mindfulness can help you become more playful, maximize your enjoyment of a long conversation with a friend over a cup of tea, then wind down for a relaxing night’s sleep. Try these 4 practices this week:

Meditation 101: Simple Guided Meditations

1. A Simple Breathing Meditation for Beginners

5-Minute Breathing Meditation

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This practice can help reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, cool yourself down when your temper flares, and sharpen your concentration skills.

2. A Body Scan to Cultivate Mindfulness

3-Minute Body Scan Meditation

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A brief mindfulness meditation practice to relax your body and focus your mind.

3. A Simple Awareness of Breath Practice

An 11-Minute Awareness of Breath Meditation

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One of the oldest meditation practices is also one of the simplest: Sit, and know you’re sitting.

4. A Compassion Meditation

Breathing Compassion In and Out

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A loving-kindness meditation to reduce negative emotions like anxiety and depression and increase positive emotions like happiness and joy.

5. A Guided Meditation for Easing into Sleep

A Guided Meditation for Sleep

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A 20-minute bedtime practice to help you stay settled and less caught up in your thoughts, as you fall asleep.

6. A Meditation Practice for Anxiety

A 20-Minute Meditation for Working with Anxiety

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This meditation combines breath awareness, the body scan, and mindfulness of thoughts to explore sources of stress and anxiety.

7.

A Loving-Kindness Meditation for Deep Connection

Loving-Kindness Heartscape Meditation

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Jon Kabat-Zinn leads this heartscape meditation for deep healing of ourselves and others.

Try this free sample of our How to Meditate Course: Making Mindfulness a Habit—with Dr. Elisha Goldstein.

FREE SAMPLE OF HOW TO MEDITATE COURSE

1. Is there a wrong way to meditate? A right way to meditate?

People think they’re messing up when they’re meditating because of how busy the mind is. But getting lost in thought, noticing it, and returning to your chosen meditation object— breath, sound, body sensation, or something else—is how it’s done. That’s about it. If you’re doing that, you’re doing it right!

2. Are there more formal ways to take up mindfulness practice?

Mindfulness can be practiced solo, anytime, or with like-minded friends. But there are others ways, and many resources, to tap into. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and other mindfulness-based trainings are available across North America. We’ve organized a list of centers here.

Daily guided meditations are also available by smartphone app, or you can practice in person at a meditation center. Read more about the types of programs currently available.

3. Do I have to practice every day?

No, but being that it’s a beneficial practice, you may well find that the more you do it, the more you’ll find it beneficial to your life. Read Jack Kornfield’s guidelines for developing a daily practice here.

4. How do I find a meditation instructor?

If you want to make mindfulness a part of your life, you’ll probably want to consider working with a meditation teacher or instructor. You can even do that online using a video chat format of some kind, but even then the same principles apply. Here are 4 questions to consider when looking for a meditation teacher: 1) Do you have good chemistry with them? 2) Are they open and accessible? 3) Do they have a deep understanding of the practice? 4) Could they regard you like a friend?

5. How do yoga and mindfulness work together?

There are a number of yoga poses that will help you with your mindfulness meditation practice. Here are 10 simple yoga exercises to reduce stress, improve well-being, and get you primed for a sitting meditation session—or anytime.

What are the benefits of meditation?

Of course, when we meditate it doesn’t help to fixate on the benefits, but rather just to do the practice. That being said, there are plenty of benefits. Here are five reasons to practice mindfulness.

Understand your pain. Pain is a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to rule you. Mindfulness can help you reshape your relationship with mental and physical pain.

Connect better. Ever find yourself staring blankly at a friend, lover, child, and you’ve no idea what they’re saying? Mindfulness helps you give them your full attention.

Lower stress. There’s lots of evidence these days that excess stress causes lots of illnesses and makes other illnesses worse. Mindfulness decreases stress.

Focus your mind. It can be frustrating to have our mind stray off what we’re doing and be pulled in six directions. Meditation hones our innate ability to focus.

Reduce brain chatter.The nattering, chattering voice in our head seems never to leave us alone. Isn’t it time we gave it a little break?

A Basic Meditation to Tame Your Inner Critic

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An in-the-moment exercise for confronting the nagging voice in your head.

A 5-minute Gratitude Practice: Savor Through the Senses

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A mindfulness practice for cultivating life’s small delights as you move through the senses.

A Mindfulness Practice for Preschoolers

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A practice for teaching preschool children the basics of mindfulness by drawing on the elements of nature.

A Mindfulness Practice for Kids: Coming Back to the Positive

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A simple practice to help kids take some time to notice what has gone well and see what happens next.

A Mindfulness Practice for Teens and Tweens

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A simple meditation, appropriate for older kids, that uses counting breaths to cultivate mindful awareness, decrease mind wandering and negative thought loops, and improve mood.

Mindful movement can help you tap into that space beyond your busy mind where you are already calm and clear. By focusing on the breath while doing some simple movements you can synchronize your mind and body with breath and rhythm. What happens when you do that, even after just a few minutes, is you begin to pause and start to focus.

Some of the most popular ideas about mindfulness are just plain wrong. When you begin to practice it, you may find the experience quite different than what you expected. There’s a good chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Mindful’s editor-in-chief, Barry Boyce sets the record straight regarding these 5 things people get wrong about mindfulness:

Mindfulness isn’t about “fixing” you
Mindfulness is not about stopping your thoughts
Mindfulness does not belong to a religion
Mindfulness is not an escape from reality
Mindfulness is not a panacea

Mindfulness Is About More than Just Stress Reduction

Stress reduction is often an effect of mindfulness practice, but the ultimate goal isn’t meant to be stress reduction. The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.

Mindfulness trains your body to thrive: Athletes around the world use mindfulness to foster peak performance—from university basketball players practicing acceptance of negative thoughts before games, to BMX champions learning to follow their breath, and big-wave surfers transforming their fears. Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll, assisted by sports psychologist Michael Gervais, talks about coaching the “whole person.” As writer Hugh Delehanty illustrates, players learn a blend of mindfulness, which Gervais calls tactical breathing, and cognitive behavioral training to foster what he calls “full presence and conviction in the moment.”

Mindfulness boosts creativity: Whether it’s writing, drawing, or coloring, they all have accompanying meditative practices. We can also apply mindfulness to the creative process.

Mindfulness strengthens neural connections: By training our brains in mindfulness and related practices, we can build new neural pathways and networks in the brain, boosting concentration, flexibility, and awareness. Well-being is a skill that can be learned. Try this basic meditation to strengthen neural connections.

Explore Mindful

Mindful has many resources to help you live a more mindful life and tap into the best of who you are:

How to Meditate
Guided Meditation
Meditation for Anxiety
Sign up for Mindful Newsletters
Mindful Magazine Subscription
Special Edition Guides
Mindful Online Learning

Mindfulness Apps

How to Meditate - Well Guides

By David Gelles

Illustrations by Sam Kalda

Meditation is a simple practice available to all, which can reduce stress, increase calmness and clarity and promote happiness. Learning how to meditate is straightforward, and the benefits can come quickly. Here, we offer basic tips to get you started on a path toward greater equanimity, acceptance and joy. Take a deep breath, and get ready to relax.

Meditation Exercises

Find a comfortable spot and get ready to relax.

The Basics

Setting aside time for formal meditation is an important way to establish a routine and get comfortable with the practice. Even just a few minutes a day can make a big difference.

“Some people complain about taking time out of their day,” said Atman Smith, who teaches meditation to underserved communities in Baltimore. “Practice is important though. It’s a tool you can use to bring yourself back to the present in stressful situations.”

But we shouldn’t stop being mindful when we stop meditating. “The purpose of mindfulness meditation is to become mindful throughout all parts of our life, so that we’re awake, present and openhearted in everything we do,” said Tara Brach, a popular meditation teacher based near Washington, D. C. “Not just when we’re sitting on the cushion.”

Mindfulness meditation isn’t about letting your thoughts wander. But it isn’t about trying to empty your mind, either. Instead, the practice involves paying close attention to the present moment — especially our own thoughts, emotions and sensations — whatever it is that’s happening.

In addition to basic meditation instructions, we’ve compiled guided meditations for a few popular exercises including the body scan, walking meditation and mindful eating. “Each of the applied mindfulness practices brings alive an experience that might otherwise be more automatic,” said Ms. Brach.

Though meditating on your own is an essential part of a complete practice, the steady guidance of an experienced teacher can be invaluable, especially as you’re getting started. Our minds wander so easily, and the clear instructions of a teacher can help bring us back to the present moment.

Basic Mindfulness Meditation

Learn how to pay close attention to the present moment with this meditation exercise.

When the Mind Wanders

It’s inevitable: During meditation, your mind will roam. You may notice other sensations in the body, things happening around you, or just get lost in thought, daydreaming about the past or present, possibly judging yourself or others.

There’s nothing wrong with this — thinking is just as natural as breathing. “It’s the natural conditioning of the mind to wander,” said Ms. Brach.

When this happens, simply notice what it is you were thinking about or what was distracting you, then take a moment and pause.

You don’t need to pull your attention right back to the breath. Instead, let go of whatever it was you were thinking about, reopen your attention, then gently return your awareness to the breath, being present for each inhalation and exhalation.

“Don’t just drag the mind back to the breath,” said Ms. Brach. “Instead reopen the attention, then gently come and land again.”

After a few breaths, invariably, the mind will wander again. Don’t beat yourself up about this. It’s natural. What’s important is how we respond when it happens. Simply acknowledge whatever it is you were thinking of — without ascribing too much judgment to it, without letting it carry you away — and take a moment to come back to the present, and resume your meditation.

“Where we build our skill is in the practice of coming back,” said Ms. Brach. “Coming back again and again. Notice it — thinking — and then pause, and then come back to the present moment.”

When the Mind Wanders

An exercise to help you stay in the present moment while you meditate.

Mindfulness Meditation Practices

You can practice mindfulness meditation on your own anytime and anywhere. But listening to basic guided meditations can also be helpful, especially when getting started. Instructions from an experienced teacher can help remind us to come back to the present moment, let go of distracting thoughts and not be so hard on ourselves.

Here are four guided meditations you can listen to that will help you remain in the present moment. Choose the one that’s the right length for you: One minute is a great place to start but also good if you simply don’t have a lot of time. If you’re more experienced or ready for an extended mindfulness session, try the 10- or 15-minute sessions. You can download these tracks and listen to them when you’re ready to meditate.

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1-Minute Meditation

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4-Minute Meditation

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10-Minute Meditation

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15-Minute Meditation

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Body Scan

Instead of training your attention on the breath, as is the case in basic mindfulness meditation, the body scan involves systematically focusing on different sensations and areas, from the head to the toes.

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Body Scan Meditation

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Start at the top of your head. Slowly and deliberately, bring your attention to the surface of your skin, one inch at a time. See if you can feel your scalp, your ears, your eyelids and your nose. Continue in this manner, moving across the face, over the ears, down the neck and shoulders and all the way down to your toes.

At first, it might seem as if you don’t feel anything at all. But as you progress, you might begin to notice a whole world of new sensations. Some of the feelings might be pleasant, a gentle warmth, a comfortable weight. Some feelings might be neutral — tingling or itching. And some might be unpleasant. Your feet might feel soreness somewhere.

Whatever the sensation is, just note it. If you need to move to relieve real pain, do so. But try not to react — labeling the experience good or bad — even if it’s unpleasant. Instead, just acknowledge what it is you’re feeling, and continue with the body scan. And of course, if you realize your mind has wandered, simply note the thought, and return your attention to the body.

More Tips on Meditation Exercises

What Is Meditation?

Discovering the present moment.

Training the Mind

Put most simply, meditation is a way to train the mind. Most of the time, our minds are wandering — we’re thinking about the future, dwelling on the past, worrying, fantasizing, fretting or daydreaming. Meditation brings us back to the present moment, and gives us the tools we need to be less stressed, calmer and kinder to ourselves and others.

“Meditation is a training of our attention,” Ms. Brach said. “It allows us to step out of distracted thought, and helps us arrive in the present moment in a balanced and clear way.”

Mindfulness

There are lots of different types of meditation. Most religions have contemplative traditions, and there are plenty of secular ways to meditate, too. But in recent years, mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular.

Basic mindfulness meditation is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with an accepting, nonjudgmental disposition. The goal isn’t to stop thinking, or to empty the mind. Rather, the point is to pay close attention to your physical sensations, thoughts and emotions in order to see them more clearly, without making so many assumptions, or making up stories.

It’s a deceptively simple exercise — just be right here, right now, without daydreaming. But with practice it can yield profound results, giving us greater control of our actions, and making room for more kindness and equanimity, even in difficult situations. With time, mindfulness meditation can even help us better understand what causes us stress, and what we can do to relieve it.

Though mindfulness meditation was inspired by Buddhist practices, today it is available as a wholly secular practice that emphasizes stress reduction, the cultivation of focus and the development of tranquility.

“There’s a misconception that mindfulness is religious,” said Mr. Smith. “What we have to explain is that it’s a stress reduction technique and a way to get yourself stronger mentally. It’s a self-care practice.”

There’s a large and growing body of research identifying the measurable effects of mindfulness on the body and brain, and it is catching on in professional settings including education, sports, business and even the military.

Mindfulness vs. Meditation

Though the words are sometimes used interchangeably, it’s useful to draw a distinction between mindfulness and meditation.

Mindfulness is a quality of being — the experience of being open and aware in the present moment, without reflexive judgment, automatic criticism or mind wandering.

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of actually being present in the moment, which in turn trains us to become more mindful throughout the day, particularly during difficult situations.

As Ms. Brach puts it: “Mindfulness is your awareness of what’s going on in the present moment without any judgment. Meditation is the training of attention which cultivates that mindfulness.”

Mindfulness meditation isn’t the only way to meditate. Transcendental Meditation, which aims to promote a state of relaxed awareness through the recitation of a mantra, is also popular these days. But in this guide, we’re focused on mindfulness, which is increasingly popular and easy to learn.

More Tips on Meditation

Make It a Habit

A few tips to get started.

Pick a Time

Just like any habit, meditation gets easier to do if it’s part of your routine. Choose a time to do it each day and try to stick with it. For many people, it’s easiest to meditate first thing in the morning. But whether it’s at lunch, after work, or before you go to bed, see if you can be consistent. “Start by setting aside time each day,” said Ms. Brach. “Just like physical exercise, to develop a habit of practice means being regular.”

Choose a Spot

Similarly, it can help to meditate in the same location each day. This isn’t essential, but it can help minimize the potential for distractions and mind wandering. It’s not necessary to fold your legs into lotus position, or even sit on the floor. Just find a comfortable position where you can sit upright, and where you won’t be too distracted. “The important thing is that we’re committing a little bit of time to come into stillness and simply pay attention to what’s going on in our inner life,” said Ms. Brach.

Get Your Gear (Or Don't)

You don’t need to spend a dime to get started. All you need is somewhere to sit, and a little willpower. That said, there are plenty of meditation cushions, stools and other accessories for those who want to get kitted out. But a comfortable chair, or a soft rug in a quiet corner, is really all you need.

More Meditation Exercises

Expand your practice.

Walking Meditation

Once you’re comfortable with sitting meditation and the body scan, you might want to try walking meditation. There’s no rule against trying walking meditation first, but it’s useful to learn the basics before you try to walk and meditate at the same time.

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Walking Meditation

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Mindful Eating

Another illuminating exercise to try is mindful eating. Instead of wolfing down whatever is on the menu, make the time and space to give the experience your full attention. You can do this when you’re eating any meal alone. Or, find some time to experiment with mindful eating using a simple food, like a raisin or an apple.

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Eating Meditation With a Cup of Tea

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Not only is mindful eating a valuable (and often enjoyable) exercise that can reveal a whole new world of interesting sensory experiences, but some studies suggest that it can lead to weight loss. When we pay closer attention to how hungry we are, and what we’re eating, it turns out we often eat less.

Take time to acknowledge every aspect of the eating experience, and your reactions to it. Notice how you feel as you sit down for a meal. Are you hungry? Is your mouth watering?

Take a close look at the food. What does it look like? Inspect it carefully. Is it warm or cold? What does it smell like? Does it make a sound when you hold it?

As you prepare to take your first bite, pay close attention to your own reactions. More salivating? Are you already thinking about the next bite?

When the food hits your tongue, what happens? Notice the impulse to chew. Are you already inclined to swallow and take the next bite?

How does the feeling of the food change as it gets chewed? What does it feel like as it makes its way down your throat? Can you feel it in your stomach?

Take your time. When you’ve completely finished one bite, move on to the next, again noticing everything you can about the experience — from the tastes, smells and physical sensations, to your own desires, reactions and impulses.

Our Favorite Tea Recipes

Meditation's Challenges

Meditation only looks simple. It can be surprisingly difficult — and that doesn’t mean you’re failing.

Bring a Good Attitude

It’s important to approach your new meditation practice with a healthy outlook. Try to be relaxed, curious and friendly. Staying in touch with these qualities will be useful as you encounter some of the inevitable ups and downs of meditation. If you find yourself striving too hard or criticizing yourself, take a few deep breaths and give yourself permission to relax and take it easy. Remember, the purpose of meditation isn’t to achieve perfect control over your mind or stop thinking altogether. The intention should be to bring a more compassionate, calm and accepting approach to whatever happens. “In order to see clearly what’s in the present moment, there has to be a nonjudging, open and allowing presence,” said Ms. Brach. “A space that is friendly and warm and accepting.”

Manage Expectiations

Basic mindfulness meditation is very simple, even if it isn’t always easy to do. More than anything else, it requires a commitment. “Admiring the idea of meditation doesn’t really do anything,” said Sharon Salzberg, who has taught mindfulness meditation for more than 40 years.

And remember, mindfulness and meditation are not panaceas. Thoughts won’t disappear. Difficult emotions may come up. When you start meditating — especially early on — it may feel impossible to stay focused. But in time, it will get easier.

As you begin, rather than trying to achieve some out-of-body experience, see what it feels like to just hang out in the present moment, noticing your physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. “The ideal thing is to just be present with what’s going on,” said Ms. Brach. “Put aside all expectation and judgment about what’s going to happen.”

Common Hurdles

Self-Criticism: When we begin meditating, it’s all too common to beat up on ourselves. I’m doing it wrong! I’m not a good meditator! I’ll never be able to follow my breath! Most everyone who has tried to meditate has experienced some version of this self-doubt. Though it’s natural impulse, it’s not helpful. Remember, the purpose of meditation isn’t to enter a bliss state or eradicate all thinking. It’s simply to be present with what’s going on right now, whatever that is. Try to let go of any judgments you have about good meditation or bad meditation, and whether or not you’ve achieved anything. We all have the capacity for clarity, for calm and for mindfulness.

Sleepiness: Many people get sleepy when they try to meditate. This may be because our minds are simply overstimulated, or it may be because our bodies are tired and need some rest. Either way, there are skillful ways to wake ourselves up so we can engage in meditation. Straighten your posture. Open your eyes. Try walking meditation. Instead of using your breath as the anchor of your attention, try listening to sounds. Or, develop a pattern of sensations to focus on: for example, first the feeling of breath passing in and out of your nostrils, then the diaphragm rising and falling, and then the gentle breeze of air just above your lips.

Restlessness: We’re so used to keeping busy, that meditation can seem boring at first. If that’s the case, try focusing on very specific sensations, like the outbreath. You can even try to control your breathing, taking shorter inbreaths and longer outbreaths. Most importantly, try not to be too hard on yourself.

Pain: You may feel pain when you begin to practice meditation for longer durations. It could be just a sharp, fleeting pang in your legs, or it could be dull cramps or aches in your back. Whatever it is, try to simply notice it and accept it at first. Acknowledge that it’s a feeling, just like any other feeling, and that it will eventually pass. If it persists, try directing your attention to another part of the body. And if the pain gets intolerable, adjust your posture as needed.

Fear: In the rare instance, panic or fear may arise. Should this happen, try to shift the attention toward something outside the body, like the air whooshing in and out of your nostrils, or sounds. But don’t force yourself to pay close attention to whatever it is that might be causing you emotional discomfort. And if it’s too intense, don’t worry about opening your eyes, or just taking a break.

Go Deeper

Classes, apps and more.

Read Up

With mindfulness now mainstream, resources abound to help people maintain and deepen their practice. Mindful publishes a bi-montly magazine and maintains a robust website full of stories and instructions. Ms. Salzberg has published several books on mindfulness, as has Ms. Brach. And there are dozens of other good books on the topic.

Take a Class

Practicing on your own is great, but there’s nothing like a good teacher and a community to support your practice. Just as listening to a teacher can help you stay focused when the mind wanders, finding a group to practice with can help make meditation part of your routine.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is an eight-week course that has emerged as one of the most popular introductions to meditation today. MBSR classes and other basic introductions to meditation are offered in hundreds of cities around the globe, and many other meditation centers provide mindfulness training as well. Mindful has also pulled together a list of centers here.

Apps

There are several apps that can help you maintain a meditation practice. Here are a few of our favorite.

10% Happier

Geared for those skeptical of meditation, this app features Dan Harris, an ABC news anchor who wrote a book about his grudging embrace of meditation, in dialogue with experienced mindfulness instructors like Joseph Goldstein.

Headspace

Andy Puddicombe, a charismatic Englishman who was previously both a monk and a circus performer, is the teacher on this popular meditation app.

Whil

With contributions from several mindfulness teachers, Whil includes audio and video instructions are available for beginners and experts alike.

Insight Timer

A handy tool to time your meditations, and share your practice with friends.

More Tips On Going Deeper

how to start, what to do - and why not everyone needs it - Knife

Of my ten years, not everyone was simple, and they should not have been. In the process of long-term practice, you can experience more than one collapse of what you considered your personality or "real" I "" (I have already written about this illusion). But the changes were worth it.

After a year of meditation, I learned to control my speech and body, which for a 20-year-old me was an achievement. After two years of regular meditation, my memory and concentration increased so much that after a three-year break from education due to the inability to assimilate the material, I returned to my studies and became one of the best students, gaining the ability to read several books a day if necessary and immediately remember what I read. I became an excellent student, which had never happened to me before in my life.

Further changes touched on deeper problems: realizing that there is nothing permanent in the world, including some given "me", I got rid of major problems with self-esteem and acquired the ability to learn quickly and work productively, as my mind became free from unnecessary worries and could focus only on tasks.

When my emotions became quieter, I began to understand and read other people better, which turned out to be very useful in life and work. I became less emotionally dull, less irritable and angry, it seems that I learned not to conflict with the most difficult relatives and with the most obnoxious interlocutors. Of course, I cannot be called a harmless person with a light character - so far, excessive gentleness seems unviable to me. Although let's see how I'll sing in another ten years.

When I started, there was no such hype around the need to meditate. Admitting that you are engaged in Eastern practices was far from decent in any society, and relatives could consider that you fell into a sect.

In the process of popularization, the topic of spiritual practices is gradually losing many of the nuances that originally made it valuable.

On the one hand, simplifications allow a large number of people to learn about an interesting tool for working on consciousness. On the other hand, in popular expositions there is often nothing left but advice to relax, watch the breath, or accept the world as it is - and those embarking on very serious work have no idea what kind of complex transformations in the psyche they are facing. And yet there is a way to briefly explain the essence of meditation without missing the nuances.

What is meditation

Meditation is one of the tools of the spiritual practice of Buddhism, it can often be supplemented with elements of Hindu yoga practice, they are similar in spirit. This practice is part of the process of curbing consciousness, which begins with observing it in its natural states, goes through several stages of "excavation" and ends with "purification" - that is, the elimination of destructive behavior, speech, thoughts and emotions that are dangerous to oneself and others.

The final stage of this process is the transformation of consciousness, a change in the most basic elements of the worldview and organization of the individual, as well as the development of all kinds of virtues, primarily understanding the cause-and-effect relationships in the world and compassion for all living things. The ultimate goal of such meditation, following the example of the Buddha, is liberation from suffering. For a detailed description of what suffering is in Buddhism and the work on its awareness from the point of view of neuroscience, you can read "The Brain in Nirvana".

The idea of meditation as entering an unconscious trance state or comparing it with the effect of psychoactive substances is fundamentally wrong. Meditation is an arbitrary, completely controlled process of controlling your consciousness. No tricks and magic, no "comings" if you do everything right.

A narrower concept of meditation implies a specific practice of static meditation, in conversation it is often called simply "sitting", because for it one usually takes one posture and sits in it, sometimes for hours. We will analyze this basic meditation.

What can happen in "sitting" meditation

Technically, there are only two types of meditation: fixed and analytical.

Fixed meditation can also be called concentration meditation, mindfulness practice, or one-pointed meditation. Concentration is a basic property of human attention, the ability to arbitrarily direct it to some object and cut off everything else as unnecessary noise. It is this property that is trained in one-pointed meditation.

In Buddhist practice, the development of concentration is called calming or stilling the mind. This is how the concept of "samadhi" (or "shamatha") is translated, under which sometimes for some reason they mean some kind of very penetrating buzz.

It is, of course, a special pleasure to control oneself, but of a different kind than one might think if one listens to some popular gurus.

Why you need to control the mind

The usual state of mind is uncontrollable: we usually cannot get something out of our heads that is “stuck” or think about what is “not thought about” or laziness. In addition, external factors influence the mind all the time: advertising, a song from YouTube that has become attached, impressive events of the past involuntarily scroll, worries about the future climb into the head, hunger or the food that we absorb affects thinking, the physical condition of our body directly affects the ability to think.

In Eastern traditions, the mind is compared to a restless monkey, a wild bull, or an unruly elephant — which, in the process of spiritual practice, is humbled, curbed and saddled.

Thanks to developed concentration, we have two abilities important for working on consciousness: mindfulness, that is, the ability to notice what is happening both outside and inside the body, and vigilance, or alertness, the ability to quickly respond to what is happening.

When we achieve steady concentration and acquire mindfulness and vigilance, we become aware. This is the ability to link together everything that we notice, that is, to keep many objects in our field of concentration and observe their dynamics. Some magical properties are attributed to awareness out of ignorance - and it really can seem so when you watch a person who is more aware than you.

It seems that he sees people through, knows how to control time and his body, can remotely influence the state of other people and all that. But the actions of a specialist in laser medicine can also seem like magic to a person far from science.

In fact, understanding other people is an atypically heightened attentiveness, the ability to influence them is an unusually deep empathy and understanding that helps to influence people with a word or gesture at the right moment. And time management actually turns out to be composure and focus, which allow such people to work on their tasks more productively and quickly.

In short, in the same sense that knowledge is power, awareness is triple power.

When they talk about the volume of consciousness, they talk about the volume of awareness: the more a person is able to keep in the field of attention, the more interesting the results of his analysis and synthesis, and the more creative his creativity. Just because he has more tools. Well, or consider that the processor is more productive, and therefore you can run heavier versions of graphic editors.

Developed concentration means that you are in complete control of your mind. This means that you can direct it to any subject, whether it is your scientific research, another person, or a philosophical concept. Due to the stability of concentration, such knowledge can be really long and continuous and lead to insights that are not accessible to superficial analysis. This allows you to move on to the second type of meditation.

What is analytical meditation

The second type of meditation is analytical. This is a more complex and difficult type of practice, which is started only after the already well-developed skill of fixed meditation. Analytic practice is a special kind of purposeful thinking in which we set the subject of reflection and think exclusively about it for a certain time.

In contrast to ordinary meditation, in which the mind flies absent-mindedly wherever it pleases, analytical meditation focuses the mind into a dense beam and consistently, point by point, analyzes the subject of reflection.

In addition to analysis, a creative approach is also needed here: usually some complex philosophical concept becomes the subject of such reflection: it is necessary to find understandable analogies from life, metaphors, find connections and patterns.

The purpose of analytical meditation is to achieve a personal experience of abstract philosophical concepts. Such an experience is akin to religious revelation as the result of prayer, or creative insight as the result of long work to overcome deadlock or the fear of a blank slate.

The pinnacle of analytical meditation is the contemplation of emptiness and responsible reflection on the fact of the impermanence of the phenomena of the world. You can read about this concept from a scientific point of view in the text "Does Our Self Exist". The result of a developed practice of this kind is the Buddhist liberation from samsara or from cause and effect. But it begins with an attempt to understand these causes and effects.

Analytical meditation requires developed concentration so that the practitioner can lead his mind on the subject of meditation without losing focus, clarity of thought and vigor and without letting the mind fall into insignificant nuances or deviate from the topic. It is also very important, before starting analytical meditation, to be well acquainted with the system by which you are going to carry out the transformation - even if it is not Buddhism, but the psychotherapeutic school to which you are committed. Otherwise, you will have nothing to rely on to control your condition.

How two types of meditation can change how the mind works

The Tibetan term “contemplation” (“gom”) means “accustoming” or “mastering”. All these stages - from concentration on the tip of one's nose to analytical meditation on the awareness of emptiness - are ultimately needed in order to transform it by controlling one's consciousness, forcing it to absorb certain provisions of Buddhist philosophy. It is this transformation of consciousness and life that leads to liberation. Concentration itself does not fundamentally change anything (except the ability to concentrate).

In practice, this means that mind control allows us to react (with actions, thoughts, emotions) not by chance, as if life is “happening to us”, but arbitrarily, in the way we consider right.

By reacting in a new way, we not only change our lives, but we transform the body and brain - and therefore consciousness. That is, it turns out such a cycle of spiritual work.

For example, thanks to developed concentration, we comprehend the wisdom of the prohibition against harming living beings, and in a stressful situation we learn to restrain aggression, consciously replacing it with compassion for the offender. Sweeping away evil thoughts, we are filled with understanding. Our body ceases to give a stress response - cortisol releases and hyperactivation of the amygdala occur less often. This makes our body calmer and more stress-resistant in general, which makes it easier for us to further practice.

What to do to start meditating

There are hundreds of types of practice, but we will consider a basic understanding and possession of which will help you to do any kind of meditation. To do this, we need to understand: when and where to meditate, how to use our body for practice, what exactly to do, what can (and will) interfere with us and how to check our progress.

Time to meditate

You can say that any time is good for meditation - but you can also say that any time is not good for it. The first is true because meditation is work on consciousness, and consciousness is always with us while we are alive, so it is possible to do it at any time.

The second is true because in any most peaceful situation there is something that will distract from the practice, because distraction is the nature of the mind, its natural state.

When looking for time to meditate, both of these points must be kept in mind.

If you live an ordinary hectic city life, then it is better to set aside the freest and quietest time of the day for practice. Most often it turns out to be early morning, which is good for practice, meditation can easily fall into the routine somewhere between the morning shower and breakfast. The main obstacle in the morning will be dullness and lethargy of the mind if you do not wake up immediately.

The time before bed is also good for meditation if you go to bed every day, which means that it will be easier for you to meditate at about the same time every day. Before going to sleep, the mind will be, on the contrary, overexcited by the events of the day. And if you are not sober yet, then you will have to meditate for three in order to stop the jump of mental images.

Early morning and late evening are good because at this time it is easier to get rid of all kinds of affairs, and meditation, tied to the time of awakening and going to bed, becomes a daily routine more easily. But any time is suitable for her when you can be more or less alone with yourself so that no one bothers you.

To make progress, it is better to meditate every day.

Place for meditation

The place for meditation should ideally be comfortable: not cold, not drafty and ventilated, not hot, clean, quiet, empty and all that.

In fact, everything always turns out to be wrong, and you have to adapt: meditate in drafts, cover yourself with a blanket, undress in hellish heat and train endurance when, in the middle of practice, it turned out that the repellent not only does not scare away mosquitoes, but seems to attract them.

Silence is also far from everyone, especially if you have animals in the house, children or elderly people with hearing loss who like to watch TV. In difficult circumstances, just know that the author of the article has repeatedly meditated to the sounds of scandalous Russian television talk shows.

On the other hand, tracking progress in difficult conditions is easy: when you stop fuming, getting angry and annoyed - and then hearing distracting noises, say thank you to granny.

And in general, it is not the place that makes the meditator beautiful, but the meditator the place. Many beginners have a desire to drop everything and "meditate until enlightenment" because it seems that moving away from the world itself is enough for enlightenment. But if a person settles in an ideally quiet and clean place, he will still remain an irritable piece of uncontrollable flesh, and it will still be as difficult for him to practice mindfulness as in any other place. Numerous stories of classical or Zen Buddhism show that this nuance is often overlooked. As in the joke about a hermit who retired to a cave for 30 years to meditate, and a traveler who looks in on him and breaks his concentration, to which the hermit shouts in anger: “Go to hell, you ruined my practice!”

In fact, situations where something goes wrong are also a means to achieve liberation. In addition to the practices of sitting meditation, there are many more things that are easily integrated into life (for example, Aleister Crowley's practice of refusal).

The ritual of preparing the place is a good way to tune in to meditation. You can spend five minutes to put things in order within a radius of a couple of meters from your rug or chair, and at this time try to calm your thoughts.

Body in meditation

The lotus position is indeed the most comfortable meditation position if your knees can afford it (if you are young, do yoga, or were born a woman, you will find it easier). This is not due to the fact that it is easier to start from it in levitation, but with special stability due to the area of \u200b\u200bthe triangle that you rely on in this position.

But you can meditate in any posture. The main thing is that it is not difficult for you to keep your back straight in it. In addition to the lotus, all sorts of half-lotus varieties and the Japanese “butt on heels” sitting on the floor are popular. The easiest option for a Westerner who is not used to such a load on his knees is to sit on a chair. The chair should be fairly firm, the angle between the knees should be straight, hands on knees.

The main requirement for any posture is a straight spine. Check the neck, usually people turn their nose up, bending the neck - but you need to lower your chin a little and push the back of your head back to straighten it. A straight spine guarantees good blood flow during long sitting.

The second requirement is to find a balance between relaxation and tone, because if you spread out on a chair, you will fall asleep, and if you sit hard in an unyielding lotus, then after a couple of minutes you will have some unexpected muscles cramping.

The main secret of the meditation posture is that no position is comfortable. Immediately or not immediately, but motionless sitting turns into torment, because our body is not accustomed to immobility, like our mind.

The main task of the body during meditation is not to move, and it will seem impossible, because something will definitely itch, it will be necessary to correct the foot, change the position of the hand, etc. Do not give in. Pretty soon, reaching the peak of hellish discomfort, the body will submit to your control. If you scratched - just return to static and fight bodily impulses further.

How long to sit

Experience shows that the average time to start a practice is 20 minutes. Try to start with it, if more or less rushing, meditate for 20 minutes all the time. If you want, you can add a second and third meditation for 20 minutes to the day. After a few months, you can start adding minutes or sometimes temporarily extend the meditation to an hour to shake things up.

If something is wrong with 20 minutes, try 15 or 10. But remember that the shorter the meditation time, the more intense the concentration should be: if you set a timer for three minutes and you wallow, gathering your strength, you will not even have time to begin. But three minutes are great for complex visualization of objects. But this is for the next levels of mastery.

How to choose an object for concentration

We start with fixed meditation to develop concentration, so we need an object to concentrate on.

One-pointed meditation can only have something simple as its object. The more material the object, the easier it is to concentrate; the more speculative it is, the more difficult it is.

Therefore, one begins to meditate with grosser, material objects.

We perceive an external object with the help of the senses. Because modern culture is visual, our strongest sense of perception is usually our eyesight. Therefore, as the very first object for meditation, it is better to choose something visual.

It can be a significant symbol for you, pinned to the wall (or if you are extreme, then a small dot painted on the wall), and if it is dark outside, then it is good to use a candle flame: due to the fact that it is dynamic, for it is easier to observe, especially if you have difficulty concentrating.

However, if there are too many visual distractions around you, open eyes can only be a distraction. In such a situation, it is better to close them and use sound.

Traditionally, meditation uses mantras - sacred phrases with deep meaning, a similar effect can be achieved from the prayer of any religion, if it inspires you.

Any slogan is technically suitable, even "don't slow down - snickers", but remember that meditation is the assimilation of the concept by the mind, and not just concentration, so choose the highest possible meanings available.

If mental problems do not bother you, you can try listening to Bon mantras. If you are not so stable, try the sound of the waves, it has the rhythm you need for concentration.

The rosary is made for those who are already trying to lean on a contemplative object (pronounces the mantra "to themselves"), but still support themselves through the senses, in this case through touch. The trick of the rosary is not to miss the moment when you passed the circle, and turn them over, going the other way. This trains mindfulness and vigilance.

The next most difficult object for fixed meditation is the sensations of our body itself. Concentrating on the breath, the tip of the nose, sensations in the whole body at once (called “body scanning”) is a little more difficult: it is easier to lose concentration.

But your body is always with you: if, for example, you get used to watching your breath, it will be very easy for you to enter a meditative state outside of sitting meditation.

A subtle object is an imaginary object that we realize within consciousness. For example, we imagine the same symbol, dot, candle flame, or mantra without seeing or hearing it “actually. ” Keeping a simple symmetrical circle in front of your eyes for 20 minutes is not an easy task, not to mention simple mandalas of two squares and a circle.

When the concentration is more developed, you can direct it to the consciousness itself, but this is the next step.

What does it mean to "concentrate"

Hold the object where you put it: in front of your eyes or in your mind's eye. Maximize the signal from the sense organ by which you perceive your object, and try not to notice others. Your main task for the first time is not to forget why you are sitting here at all (this happens all the time and more than once during one meditation). The second task is to continue to perceive the selected object. This is your concentration effort.

Don't study it, don't think about it - just try to perceive it and not get carried away into the space of a dialogue with yourself about the object. Probably, most of all, this feeling can be similar to those cases in childhood when you kindled a fire with delight. It got dark, you stared at the flames, unable to tear yourself away from their dance. You did not think of anything else then, but only tried to catch with your attention the appearing and disappearing forms. Even a real static object in front of your nose will also “dance” after some time of meditation (of course, it’s not him, but your brain is “dancing”) - and you will have to make an effort so that it doesn’t float away from your close attention. As soon as you get stuck, return to the effort.

In addition to the chosen object, a lot of everything will come into your head: memories, plans, fragments of songs and conversations, obsessive thoughts, a desire to scratch or move, sensations of pain, burning, "left" emotions and, in general, a bunch of all kinds of garbage.

Your first task is if you "carried away", then notice it and come back. If you have learned to cope with this, learn not to be "carried away": brush aside extraneous thoughts and return to the object, do not enter into bargaining and negotiations with the rubbish of the mind.

When you learn to brush it off, learn to just ignore the thought - just you and the object of concentration. This is your noise-cutting effort.

Of these two efforts, in essence, any kind of fixed meditation consists. Your job is effort. The result is not in your direct control, but it will come in the process of regular practice as if by itself.

I can’t meditate

Usually they say this when they sit down in meditation, close their eyes and cannot “think about anything”. Keep in mind that everyone, even the 14th Dalai Lama, does not “meditate” this way, because the nature of the mind is to think and jump, and our task is to calm it down.

The reason we meditate is that we cannot stop thinking. And the very effort to concentrate and cut off distractions is meditation. What you try to do when you "fail to meditate" is the practice, and it leads you to progress.

There is another problem: “what to do, it’s boring!”. Boredom is the mind's natural reaction to your attempt to keep it in an unnatural state. He is used to perceive something new all the time - we even produce dopamine specifically for the search for a new one. But constantly returning the mind to what seems familiar and boring to it is a basic exercise in meditation. It is very useful in life: I have been meditating for almost 11 years now - and over the past 10 years I don’t remember a single situation that made me feel bored: neither on the train, nor in line at the tax office, nor with one interlocutor, nor in complete solitude.

How to check your progress

If you need proof of progress, feel free to keep a meditation diary and measure everything that can be measured so that you can compare the results, for example, after a year. Write down how your meditation went, what difficulties you encountered, what emotions attacked you, and so on.

If you are a complete pedant, meditate with a pen in your hand and a piece of paper on your knee: you can, without opening your eyes, put a dot or a stick there every time you find that you have “driven off” into automatic reflections from the object of concentration.

Just keep in mind that at first this number will not decrease, but increase: not because you are more distracted, but because your ability to notice distractions increases.

You can also check your progress in meditation in everyday life. True, magical changes do not happen on their own, no matter what they say in popular books. Progress will only occur where you set goals for yourself. Various mind control experiments are great as an additional practice to meditation: from giving up bad habits to giving up habitual gestures, from the practice of non-violence and compassion for offenders to the practice of everyday mindfulness.

Simply put, if meditation counteracts anger and other passions, eliminates psychic obscurations, and reduces the amount of suffering in and around us, then everything is going well.

If meditation makes you snobby, arrogant, more critical of other people, or think you now have an excuse for "righteous" anger, something is going wrong. Keep practicing and be mindful of your states with the understanding that these erroneous impulses are the result of your ignorance.

Why it was great at first, but then it became difficult to meditate

When you first start the practice, everything can be easy and bring very bright results. When I first encountered the fact that with practice it becomes more and more difficult and even more unbearable, I thought that someone there in the heavenly office was giving beginners a head start as a marketing ploy.

Now I understand that there are no superpowers at the first stage - it's just that the beginner has so little experience that the slightest advance seems like a huge step to him.

Also, as concentration progresses, awareness grows, and we begin to notice problems that were not there before, and catch distractions for which we were previously too dumb and inattentive. This can lead to despair - do not give in.

In general, there are two basic obstacles to meditation: dullness of the mind and its agitation. Lethargy is manifested in laziness, inertia, drowsiness during practice. Excitation - in absent-mindedness, a jump in thoughts and emotionality.

As you progress, these obstacles do not go anywhere, but take on subtle and even sophisticated forms.

Lethargy can turn into a feeling of happiness, calmness and peace. Some believe that this is the purpose of meditation, but it is not - it is also an obstacle that often causes people to stop their studies and enjoy the results (which quickly, if partially, go away). Arousal manifests itself in powerful insights, vivid images, and heightened creativity, which should not be confused with the purpose of the practice either: it is a good by-product and can be used - but not taken as the end goal.

The main goal of the practice is complete control of the mind.

Whatever happens to you is an obstacle to practice, and whatever it is can be overcome by continuing to meditate with unrelenting intention.

Once again about why this is all

The development of concentration and peace of mind, awareness and mastery of analytical meditation are tools that are necessary for constant spiritual practice or, more technically, for working on consciousness.

The problem with the modern Western version of "mindfulness" meditation is its excessive purification from the philosophical context in which it originated.

Teaching the pop version of meditation is like teaching you how to use a hammer, but they don't give you a nail or a wall to hammer it into - and you don't have anything to hang on the wall. No wonder some people start banging their foreheads and end up with a head injury.

Of course, and in this form, the practice still brings results for the majority, helps to better control their feelings and actions, set goals more clearly and achieve them, improves brain function and psychological state.

In the Buddhist context, meditation is one of the three stages of work on consciousness. The first is the study of philosophical truths (reading or listening to a teacher), and the second is the usual reflection on them. That is why, in the classical version, meditation is called to start after learning from a teacher who makes sure that you understand the basics of the teaching and then, with the help of meditation, transform your consciousness into a constructive direction.

Meditation is a means. But she needs goals. Of course, you can meditate to increase sales. Or formulate goals together with a psychotherapist, working in parallel in the office and in a meditative pose to work through the same problem.

But if you want to go further in your practice, try to take as an object some simple classical text of Buddhist teaching. My favorite is Dhammapada. It is short and simple.

Read one chapter, then while meditating, focus on the most important images or ideas you have taken in, record the results in a diary, and try to keep the spirit of what you have read throughout the day by mentally returning to the passages that interest you.

Over time, you will see how your thinking changes under the influence of practice. But this is already the next level for those who have mastered one-pointed concentration well.

If I don't need meditation

Buddhism says that not everyone needs meditation. Spiritual practice is a need for which one must mature. You can improve yourself in the same way in impeccable work that benefits people, housekeeping and caring for loved ones, in social work and helping those in need, and much more.

As already mentioned, your consciousness is always with you, so you can work on it in any circumstances.

If you do not feel attracted to the doctrine of emptiness, the results of Buddhist meditation may shock you and turn you away from working on consciousness in general. Still, the main thing is to reduce the amount of suffering for yourself and those around you in the way you understand it. Such a task is quite possible without meditation: just start with a pause of a few breaths and exhalations when you feel that you are overwhelmed by emotions. Such an exercise will help you not to say or do too much - and this is an excellent result of working on the mind.

Buddhists believe that the mere fact that you know about the existence of the practice of meditation or think about it means that you have reached a certain stage of maturity of consciousness, not to mention the situation when you practice in one way or another.

Therefore, at the end of meditation, it is customary to thank the world, mother, spiritual teacher, circumstances - and everything else you can think of - for the fact that your life generally allows you to do such difficult things.

If you were born a dog, nothing would be in the focus of your consciousness tonight but paw-nibbling reagents and sausages in a grocery store window.

The basics of meditation: where to start and what practices to pay attention to in order to become more mindful

Despite the popularity of meditation, for many, breathing practices and mindfulness are still associated with the life of Tibetan monks. In fact, meditation is available to everyone. Studies confirm that it has a positive effect on our health: it reduces stress and anxiety, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, improves attention and helps to get rid of bad habits.

There is a misconception that all meditation is about relaxation. But according to Andy Puddicombe, creator of the Headspace app and author of Meditation and Mindfulness, meditation helps in many areas of life:

“For many, meditation becomes a means of dealing with stress. For others, meditation is the basis for a more meaningful approach to life, the ability to consciously live every moment of life. For others, it participates in the planning of personal growth, becomes a means of achieving emotional stability. Some turn to meditation as a way to improve relationships with parents, children, friends.”

In the article we tell you what you need to know if you are new to meditation, what applications to use and what techniques to try if you have already passed the basics.

A Few Important Principles

Before moving on to breathing patterns and correct postures, here are a couple of key points to clarify:

Mindfulness and meditation are different concepts . Meditation is a set of mental exercises, and mindfulness is a state in which you fully live every moment of time.
The main thing in meditation is concentration and regularity. You will learn to relax, relieve fatigue and fall asleep quickly if you practice every day.
Meditation is a tolerant practice. Place, pose, time, duration, goal you choose yourself. The most important thing, as Kaggi Erling writes in the book "Silence in the Age of Noise", is to "isolate yourself from the noisy world" and be alone with your thoughts and judgments for at least 10 minutes.

How to meditate correctly

Posture

You can meditate while sitting, lying down and even while walking or eating. It is not necessary to sit in the lotus position. You should be comfortable and your body should relax. Breathing is very important in meditation, so corsets and belts should not interfere with inhalation and exhalation. In a sitting position, the back should be straightened. If you are meditating lying down, you should choose a hard surface, stretch your arms at your sides and straighten your legs.

Place

Try to choose a quiet and peaceful place where nothing will distract you. It is better to meditate in the same place, it will help you concentrate. You can sit on a chair, a meditation mat, or a regular cushion. If you want, you can turn on soothing music, light candles and set a timer.

Breathing

Before starting, make sure that nothing will disturb you for the next 10 minutes, close your eyes and relax a little. Only after that, concentrate on the sensations and breathing. Corinne Sweet, author of Meditation for Busy People, advises breathing in through the nose while mentally pronouncing the word "ascending" and exhaling through the mouth ("descent"):

“Breathe deeply. Notice where in your body you feel pain, fatigue, cold, heat, or peace. Take a deep breath and feel your lungs fill with air. Exhale, releasing the air between your lips. Repeat."

Attention

For meditation it is important to be able to concentrate, so your main task is not to let your thoughts wander. You can focus on the subject of the room, breathing or bodily sensations. If the thoughts have drifted away, don't beat yourself up: just focus again. The more you practice meditation, the easier it will be to maintain focus.

Meditation Practices

Breath Meditation

This is a standard meditation where the emphasis is on your breath. How long the inhalations and exhalations should be, you choose for yourself. To focus on the breath, Andy Puddicombe suggests following this plan:

Determine in which part of the body inhalations and exhalations are most clearly felt.
Follow each breath, the rhythm of breathing: you take long or short breaths and exhalations, breathe deeply or shallowly, breathe hoarsely or inaudibly.
Count your inhalations and exhalations, continuing to focus on the sensations that arise as you breathe. The count of "one" corresponds to inhalation, "two" to exhalation, and so on, until you count to ten.
Repeat the cycle 5-10 times, and more if time permits.

Body scan

If you have learned to focus on your breath, try mentally scanning your body. Slowly move your focus from the top of your head to your toes and notice how you feel. Do not be distracted by extraneous thoughts. In some parts of the body, you will feel warmth, tingling, or heaviness. If it becomes uncomfortable to sit, you can change your position, but try to endure and accept this feeling.

Meditation on gratitude

Sometimes, in order to feel happier, you need to realize that there are many reasons for joy. Gratitude for the positive events in your life will allow you to appreciate the present moment. Sitting in a comfortable position, focus on your breath and find even small things to be grateful for: the good qualities of your loved ones, a significant achievement, a cool room. Try to formulate affirmations (positive slogans) and repeat them during meditation, in the morning or before bed.

Sometimes just 3 minutes in the morning and 3 minutes in the evening are enough for such meditation. This is where the 6 Minutes diary can help. It contains questions and exercises that will help you realize gratitude and turn it into a daily practice.

Meditation while eating

During breakfast or lunch, turn off the TV and put away your mobile phone so as not to be distracted. Instead of mindlessly eating everything on your plate, evaluate your feelings. What taste does each piece have? Is the food warm or cold? What do you experience when you swallow food? Being aware of exactly what you are feeling at the moment helps you enjoy food and live every second more fully.

Meditating while walking/driving

When we drive to work or walk in the park, we make plans, think over projects, but this prevents us from enjoying the present moment. Try to observe your movements: what do you feel when you step, how fast are you walking? Pay attention to what is around: smells, sounds, colors, people. Just notice what is happening, but do not think about it. So, the actions that you did as if in a fog or on the machine will become richer.

Applications for meditation

To quickly master meditation techniques, use special services. They give ready-made schemes and practices, select music and keep track of time. Most of the applications are in English, but they also have courses in Russian.

Headspace

Andy Puddicombe's website and app contains guides on how to make every action conscious: from walking to cooking. In the morning you can watch a motivational video, during the day you can meditate, listening to the instructions of the trainers, and in the evening you can tune in to sleep. The site also publishes popular science articles proving the effectiveness of meditation.

Insight Timer

Meditation sessions here are supervised by neuroscientists and psychologists from leading American universities. They give tips on how to meditate to improve focus or relieve stress after a hard day. Insight Timer has a built-in timer, a selection of music tracks, and a large collection of over 45,000 free meditations.

Smiling Mind

Non-commercial service, access to all courses is free. There are separate meditations for children and adults, as well as special sessions for group meditations. Courses are also divided depending on the place: you can meditate on the go or during sports exercises.

Calm

The application is divided into several sections, 3 main ones are music, meditation and sleep. You can turn on nature sounds, guided meditation, and start a timer to better track your progress.

Meditations by Daria Beloglazova

The creator of the wellness platform Your Om, Daria Beloglazova, has recently launched her own YouTube channel, where she uploads meditations, Ayurvedic recipes and yoga techniques.

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