According to the National Institutes of Health, Americans use meditation as a complementary treatment for various conditions, including anxiety, pain, insomnia and depression. With regular practice, meditation can help you maintain focus, manage stress, experience life more directly and build wisdom. The instructions seem simple: sit comfortably, focus on your breath and when your mind wanders, come back to the inhalation and exhalation. However, meditation is not as easy as it sounds, as the mind loves to think, and thoughts can be powerful distractions from the reality of the present.
Step 1
Select a posture in which you can remain still and alert without undue pain or excessive sleepiness. A position where you hold your spine straight is ideal. Some people sit in a chair. If sitting cross-legged on the ground, a pillow can make your session more comfortable. Many yoga stores sell zafus, or meditation cushions. A meditation bench can be easier for those with fragile knees.
Step 2
Remove distractions. Wrap your shoulders and legs in a shawl or blanket to keep you warm. Use a quiet location without the interruption of cell phones or television. Avoid movement during your meditation. Stillness will help increase your focus. If you feel pain, you can adjust, but be mindful of your actions.
Step 3
Set a timer. Begin with a daily meditation session of no more than ten minutes. As you grow more comfortable, gradually increase the length of your sittings. A typical meditation could last forty-five minutes.
Step 4
Use a recording of a guided meditation, or focus on your breath. As you sit, thoughts will arise and take your awareness away from your breathing. With gentle attention, note these distractions. Say "thinking" to yourself. Become aware of the type of thought: planning, worrying, judging, etc. Let the thought go. Come back to your breath.
Step 5
Pay attention to the emotional backdrop of your thoughts. Examine the physical sensation of your emotions. Do you feel energetic and light? Or tense and withdrawn? Let go of the story around the emotion. Concentrate instead on your own reaction. How does the feeling change? Come back to the breath.
With meditation practice, you can build awareness of your thoughts and emotions in daily life, and with more self-awareness, you can increase your understanding of the world around you.
Tips and Warnings
- Visit a meditation center to try instruction in person. By tradition, Buddhist teachings are often spoken rather than written. Your instructor's tone and manner can be as useful as his choice of words. Practice daily, on a regular schedule. Your attention to unpleasant as well as pleasant sensations will serve you well in life outside your meditation sessions.
Things You'll Need
- Chair, bed, or meditation cushion or bench
- Blanket or shawl
- Timer or recorded meditation guide
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