Meditation is an approach to train the mind, similar to fitness which is an approach to training the body. However, there are many ways to meditate, and knowing which one is best for you is challenging without a meditation guide.
In the Buddhist tradition, the word "meditation" is equal to sports. However, many meditation experts say that different styles of meditation require special mental skills. As a result, it's incredibly challenging for beginners to fine-tune their minds without a meditation guide.
The idea behind mindfulness seems straightforward. However, meditation requires patience, and allowing the mind to wander off seems challenging. Meditation expert Sharon Salzberg shares her first experience explaining that it seemed difficult to drift into a transcended state of mind. But all it took was one breath, a quiet environment, and the right meditation technique to tap into complete Zen mode. It might seem challenging at first to achieve quietude, but with a correct meditation guide, the process of attaining serenity becomes easy.
Achieving Zen Through Meditation
While meditation is not a cure-all, it can certainly alleviate stress and provide much-needed space in life. Sometimes, that's all we need in life to make better decisions for ourselves, our family, and our community. Achieving Zen through meditation requires months of practice, but it's worth the effort. However, patience and consistency are crucial if you want to learn how to start meditating.
How to Start Meditating
Most people trying meditation for the first time have specific goals to reduce stress. Meditation is a terrific tool for that. Indeed, the calm experienced through meditation seeps through the day. Needless to say, meditation practitioners achieve a more natural sense of balance, compassion for others, and a robust sense of humour. On the other hand, meditation unlocks the mind to see the "bigger picture" of life and supports better decision-making.
Expectation about what will happen during meditation is a big obstacle. Some people believe they will develop supernatural powers as their third eye opens up. While others believe they will enter into euphoria. Before beginning to meditate, you need to limit expectations and have a grounded, pragmatic approach. We recommend you let go of your ideas about meditation to learn how to start meditating.
1. Find a Secluded Place
Solitude is crucial for meditation, and a serene environment is excellent for starting practising. The constant disturbance is a major obstacle in achieving serenity through meditation, and most beginners have a tough time picking a spot. Try finding a place close to nature. This will stimulate relaxing hormones in your brain, and meditation will bear more fruits. Alternatively, any spot with a relaxing sitting area and little to no noise can be an excellent place to start.
2. Choose a Meditation Posture
Choosing a meditation posture is a topic of much debate. Most experts state that only the right posture can stimulate senses and smoothen the meditation process. However, many people have reported achieving serenity by creating their own stance. Therefore, it depends on the practitioner to find a relaxing meditation posture. It makes complete sense because every person has a unique body structure, and achieving Zen through a specific stance is not possible for everyone.
3. Start With Short Practices
Beginners often struggle with sitting for long hours during meditation. However, no one said that beginners should force themselves to practice long meditation sessions from the start. In fact, meditation experts suggest that short practice sessions are the best way to start. After a certain level of immunity is developed, sitting for any real length of time comes naturally. Moreover, the right meditation techniques don't abide by time durations. Therefore, meditating until the body becomes uncomfortable is the right approach.
4. Focus on Breathing
One of the most popular and accessible meditation techniques is mindfulness. It is often about sitting quietly and exploring the richness of the moment. Learning to observe thoughts, emotions, and sensations that appear in mind, acknowledging them, and then letting them go is the true essence of meditation. However, most beginners fail to remain in the moment. The best way to let go of hurtful thoughts is by focusing on breathing.
Paying attention to the crisp and serene sound of your own breath can reduce stress and allow the brain to acknowledge negativity and let it out with each breath. When you notice your mind is wandering off, gently bring it back to breathing. The goal of meditation isn't shutting down the mind, not judging the meditative process. Therefore, whatever feelings or thoughts you have, bring your mind back to breathing.
5. Meditation Guide Are Helpful
Meditation guides take the guesswork out of meditation. With a precise set of rules, recommendations, and proper meditation techniques, achieving a transcended state of mind becomes easier. With adequate information at hand, avoiding the barriers to meditation becomes fairly easy. Therefore, many beginners follow meditation experts to shorten their mindfulness journey and quickly attain positive results through meditation.
Ending Note
Meditation is the process of alleviating the mind and body from stress and anxiety. It has been practised for centuries and has undergone many innovations. However, the positive results of meditation have driven many people to daily meditation practice. Achieving a transcended state of mind often seems complicated or unrealistic to beginners. Yet, only a few attempts can lead to quietude and relaxation. There are many meditation guides to follow for quick results and learn how to start meditating. Regardless, attaining mental peace through meditation is relatively easy.