My 7 ways to meditating (for Begginers)
Meditation had been insinuating itself, invading my perception through books, conversations, and “coincidences”, since I was 11 years old. Any path I chose led me to it. It was only at the age of 21, however, that I opened myself to understand what meditation really is.
I had been meditating for a long time — even before I was 11 — without knowing that I was doing it. I would spend hours lying on the floor of my room, alone, doing whatever caught my attention while my mind (that low, sneaky little voice) was fading away.
When I purposely tried to meditate, on the other hand, my mind was more awake than ever. And for 10 years I tried to meditate, always giving up moments after starting, for one simple reason: I used to believe in a wrong, or at least shallow, concept of meditation.
Meditation has no concept
It cannot be summed up in a concept, a sentence, or even a text; meditation is more about really feeling. I happened to read repeatedly that meditation was simply "not thinking about anything and finding inner peace".
I tried not to think, but it seemed to me that with each attempt, I failed at it more. This is how I lived for 10 years: interleaving moments of interest and disinterest in meditation, when finally, through more “coincidences,” readings and help from a few friends, the answer to my longings became clearer.
For me, meditation is to be so deeply concentrated in the present moment and in oneself, that any ego traps or impulses of the mind no longer matter; it is to feel the Oneness in oneself — we are all manifestations of a single force.
But how to reach that point where thinking becomes diminished and gives way to feeling? After much reading — and even more trying — I adapted to a particular way of reaching a meditative state, which consists of 7 stages. I repeated this sequence day after day until both body and mind adapted to the practice. Meditation is not difficult, though it does require persistence.
Readings
Even though meditation is more about practice than theory, finding supporting materials is, in my opinion, of great help. In addition, through reading, meditation loses some of its abstract character — which was precisely the problem I faced when I thought meditation was simply not thinking about anything.
Some of the books I have read that I recommend to those looking to learn more about meditation are:
Meditar Transforma — Amanda Dreher
Learning to Silence the Mind — Osho
Letter to a new meditator — Sally Kempton
The Power of Silence — Eckhartt Tolle
A Brutally Honest Review of My 10-Day Silent Meditation Retreat — by
Ivy Kwong
7 ways of reaching a meditative state
1. Posture
Meditation, besides providing tranquility to the mind and body, is an energy work: the chakras of the human body have centers of energy input and output, through which vital energy flows and is revitalized during the meditation practice.
For this work to be successful, it is necessary to have your spine aligned and in an upright position (which is why it is necessary to meditate sitting down). But you don’t have to sit like a monk right away.
Use accessories that help you keep your spine straight. You can meditate sitting comfortably on a chair or, if you prefer, you can sit on the floor and lean your back on the wall, also using cushions or a mat to give your hips more support and comfort. You can even lay down if that feels best for you. Respecting your body is also important.
2. Breathing and focus
The meditative state, in Sanskrit, is called Dhyana. This word does not have an exact translation and, as Osho himself says in “Learning to silence the mind”, this state is commonly confused with “concentration”. Meditation is not just concentrating, it is an even deeper state. Nevertheless, it is through concentration — focus — that one achieves Dhyana.
It is very important that you concentrate on your breathing. This brings awareness to the body and raises consciousness to a state of calm-alertness (an expression used by Eckartt Tolle). Breathe deeply, calmly, until you feel more peaceful. A technique I often use is to breathe while mentally repeating that as I breathe in, I absorb tranquility, and as I breathe out, I release any tension or anxiety present in my body.
It works kind of like this:
INHALE — “I am tranquility”
EXHALE — “I release all tension”
I repeat this process until I feel really calm and present in the moment, without letting my mind get in the way with thoughts of what I have to do next or anything like that.
After a while, when I reach a meditative state, I let my breathing flow naturally, without worrying whether I am breathing too slowly or too quickly. But my attention to breathing is always (or almost always) present, because the it is the medium through which our vital energy (Prana) flows (ceaselessly, even when we are not meditating).
3. Mantras
After meditating for a long time, reaching the meditative state occurs naturally, without the need to repeat mantras or listen to guided meditation. Until that happens, however, one of the most effective and beneficial ways I found to “turn off” the constant mental chatter was to repeat mantras mentally.
A mantra is a kind of “chant,” a syllable or verse that is repeated. You can repeat Hindu mantras or even repeat some phrase that you identify with and about something you want to attract into your life.
The right mantra has a sense of comfort that allows us to easily focus inward (…) the best known of all is Om — Sally Kempton
You can play a mantra in your headphones, listen to someone else repeat it, and you can also repeat it by yourself. For example: “I am a calm, quiet, and focused person”.
Anyway, you can create a mantra that fits with what you want to attract — the important thing is (1) to believe in it, and (2) to say it as you already are/have it.
4. Turn your attention to a specific point
This step is an alternative to the previous one. You can, instead of using mantras, pay attention to a central point in your body, such as your heart or the third eye (in the center of your forehead).
I do this a lot, after the breathing exercise. I pay attention to that specific spot and notice, with my senses, how it is “behaving”. When my attention turns to the heart, I often feel and imagine a light radiating from it — I let my intuition color this light through my imagination.
When I turn my attention to the third eye, I also turn my eyes, although closed, to this point. And that technique allows me to “see” lights, colors, mandalas, and sometimes even more complex things, such as a memory, an animal etc. Also in these cases I let my intuition (through imagination) act freely — I don’t chase any colors or shapes. I trust I will see (or not see) exactly what I need in the moment.
5. How to deal with distractions
Eventually you may be bothered by distractions. Noises, itches, and discomfort are common, especially for beginners. When this happens, even if you seem to leave the meditative state, don’t give up meditation at that point.
All you have to do is go back to step 2 again: keep focusing on breathing until you are calm again and you can proceed.
If negative or anxiety-producing thoughts start to appear, don’t rush to “not think them,” just observe them (and also observe the sensations your body has to them), then let them go right away. Don’t get attached to them and don’t feed them. It’s as simple as that. You observe, and then release.
6. Dive deep inside yourself
Once you have put your efforts into each of the previous steps, connecting with your inner self will be a simple, pure, and inevitable consequence. At this stage, you don’t have to worry about thinking about what “needs to be healed,” because your subconscious mind will be doing the work itself.
Even if everything you imagine seems meaningless, or even if you don’t imagine anything at all, your brain waves will already be doing the work of reprogramming your mind, ridding it of negative thoughts and harmful patterns.
7. Consistent, regular and persistent practice
Perhaps the first few attempts will be a bit frustrating, not because they are difficult, but because they are foreign to your habits. But don’t give up! Meditation has so many benefits for body, mind, and spirit, that giving up on it shouldn’t even be an option.
Remember that you have your time, and there is no deadline for you to learn to meditate. All that meditation will require from you is persistence: practice every day, for as little as 5 minutes.And watch your entire life change for the better.
Love, bibi.
(This text was originally posted in 2019)
