For a long time I tried different techniques and methods. I "took my knocks and stepped on every rake". I gave up and started practising again. And the moment I stopped making it complicated, everything literally began to work of its own accord. When I literally "dissolved" in the process, meditation became not only a regular and conscious practice, but also helped me widen the boundaries of working on myself in particular and of body-oriented therapy in general.
I began meditating about 15 years ago. At the start the sessions were occasional and I noticed no particular effect. It was only when I got real pleasure out of the process of going deeper that meditation became one of my favourite and most constant habits.
Meditation will help you:
- be more flexible and free in your decisions,
- change (transform) your body,
- let go of muscular and psychological blocks;
- relieve pain and tension at practically any moment.
The recommendations in this article will help you avoid possible mistakes, especially at the start, and you will need them as your practice goes on. Do not rush to put all the advice into effect at once: try, come back to this article, repeat and move on.
Start with two minutes
Meditate for two minutes?! That may even sound funny. Excellent! Start this week with a two-minute daily meditation. Next week add two more minutes, and do the same every week after that. If all goes well, and it will (!), in 2 months you will be meditating on your own for at least 10 minutes. That is astonishing! But be sure to start small and move forward little by little, step by step.
Begin your day with meditation
It is very easy to say "I meditate every day", and then to forget about it. Instead of promises, do it. Set an alarm for every morning with the note "meditate". You can put stickers with the same word everywhere you will see them.
Do not think about "HOW", just meditate
Many people worry about where to sit, how to sit, which cushion to put underneath... all that is fine, of course, but it is not so important for simply getting started. You can sit on a chair or on the sofa. You can even meditate on your bed. If you are comfortable sitting on the floor, sit down cross-legged or in the lotus position. It is only two minutes, so just sit down somewhere. ☺ The main thing is to feel calm and comfortable.
Check how you are feeling
If this is your first experience of meditation, simply notice how you feel. How does the body feel? What state is your mind in? Busy? Tired? Anxious? Whatever you bring into this meditation, it will be a good one in any case.
Count your in-breaths and out-breaths
.Once you have settled (sat down or lain down), focus your attention on your breathing. Notice how you breathe in, how the air passes through your nose and all the way down to your lungs. Try to count in your mind, "one" on the in-breath and "two" on the out-breath. Carry on counting up to 10, then start again from one. It is no disaster if you lose count, just start again... "one", "two"...
Distracted? Come back!
Your conscious mind will be distracted all the time. That is how it works. It is absolutely normal. No problem. When you notice that you have been distracted, smile and simply come back to your breathing, smoothly and gently. Start counting again: "one" in, "two" out... You may feel disappointed, but in fact it is GREAT not to stay focused, we all do it. Do not forget, this is a practice, and it is impossible to achieve everything in a short space of time.
Be friendly
When different thoughts and feelings come to you during meditation, take them positively. Look at them not as enemies or uninvited guests, but as friends. Thoughts and feelings are part of ourselves. Do not be harsh, be friendly.
You are doing it right
Are you worried that you are doing something wrong? Excellent! We all do. You are doing it right. Not perfectly? But you are doing something that will make you happier.
Do not try for an empty head
Many people make one and the same mistake, thinking that meditation is the complete absence of thoughts. It is not. That can of course happen, but it is not the aim of meditation. We all think. And that is absolutely normal. Our brain is an organ like the liver, the kidneys and the heart. It is a factory producing thoughts, and we cannot simply make it stop working. Instead, focus your attention on your breathing when your brain starts wandering again.
Feel!
When thoughts or feelings come to you during meditation, try staying with them for a while... Yes, I know I said to come back to the breath, but after about a week of practice you could try staying with the thoughts and feelings that come up. After all, we habitually avoid feelings such as confusion, anger, anxiety... and, surprisingly, meditation is meant precisely for being able to stay with your feelings for a time. Just stay with them, believe me, it will be interesting .
Get to know yourself
The practice of meditation is not aimed at focusing your attention; it teaches you how your mind works. What is going on in there? It is all unclear and hazy. But once you begin to watch your wandering thoughts and your disappointments, and stop avoiding difficult feelings, you will start to understand yourself more and more.
Do not criticise yourself
If you have decided to get to know yourself, do it with love and without criticism. You are getting to know your closest friend. Smile and give yourself at least a little love.
Get to know your body
Once you have got a little used to concentrating on your breathing, start moving your attention to one of the parts of your body. You can begin with your feet: how do they feel? Move slowly from your toes to your ankles... your knees... your hips... and so on up to the crown of your head. Or in the reverse order. From the head to the feet. It does not matter! Just scan your body.
Rest your attention on the light, on the smells...
After about a week of practice using the focus on the breath, learn to concentrate on what is around you. Focus your gaze on one point and notice the light in the room or in the other place where you are meditating. The next day focus on sounds. On another day try to pay attention to the energy around you (including light and sounds).
Get better
Refine your practice. Do not tell yourself: "All right, I will give it a couple of days..." or anything of the kind. Meditate every day. The habit will form and settle in after about a month.
It is not the place that makes the practice
You can do this anywhere. If you are travelling, or something went wrong in the morning, you can meditate during the day. At work. In the park. On public transport. When you are out for a stroll or on your way somewhere. Sitting meditation is of course the most convenient, but in truth it is better if you bring awareness into the whole of your life.
The main piece of advice!
Smile and enjoy the process! Finished your two-minute meditation, or any other? Smile! Thank yourself for the time you have given yourself, for your daily practice, for getting to know yourself and becoming friendlier towards yourself. Those were two incredible minutes of your life!
I sincerely hope this information has been useful to you. Take care and stay healthy!
Write to me if you still have questions
