What does meditation do?
Meditation is a very ancient and very effective way of self-development, self-knowledge and knowledge of the world as a whole.
The best way to learn something is to reading book through the book we learn many information. So, the lot of books are there to guide the meditation. To buy a one of the best book for meditation click this link.
It teaches a person at the same time a lot of things, in many ways, even, it seems that the opposite: complete relaxation, maximum concentration, freedom from thought and contemplation.
With proper training in meditation, the whole body becomes healthy and strengthened, awareness increases, memory develops, a “battery of attention” is charged, the energy balance of the organism is restored.
In my opinion, in our turbulent modern life, meditation becomes an absolutely necessary compensating tool. It allows you to escape from “vanity of vanities” and give a few minutes to yourself and your awareness, silence and contemplation. This is a very effective prevention of stress.
For an active person who aspires to self-knowledge and life success, meditation can become in general the main key that opens all these alluring doors.
With regular practice, meditation will uniquely change you and your life, as well as your ideas about important and unimportant 🙂
In a state of meditation, you can solve very complex problems. At the same time, “very strong answers” come. True, do not do this too often. Still, the main task of meditation is to come to silence in your thoughts, to teach you physical, emotional, mental relaxation and contemplation.
Just about the complex
Now there are many methods of meditation.
But, in most cases, – there are described ways with a very large touch of mysticism and esotericism. Energy flows and bodies, chakras, mudras, karmas and other terms are poured on us from the pages of books and from the mouths of various “Guru”.
All this often discourages people from understanding the question and meditating, because the process seems very complicated, confusing and even dangerous.
But in fact, meditation is easy, useful, natural, simple, comfortable and safe. You just need to understand and accept the correct basic principles.
For me, meditation was interesting already in my childhood. The first tips and lessons, I remember, was given to me by the hand-to-hand combat coach. And I started classes then, though not quite right :). That’s how it looked almost 25 years ago, here to me, about, years 12 or 13 …
Many years later in my life there were two Teachers who taught me meditation. Real. Those who have acquired knowledge of Tradition and live as they teach.
The first was a sufficiently deep esoteric, and taught meditation from the concepts and positions of complex terms and the philosophy of Hinduism.
Second, on the contrary, he told me about meditation in a very simple and clear language. And I explained many complicated things in very simple words. He is a Buddhist, but I did not hear a single specific or incomprehensible term from his explanations.
Nevertheless, they talked about the same thing. And the technique was very similar. But, at the same time, it is quite different in details from what is usually described in books and other educational materials. Then you will see it yourself!
I, too, are adept and a supporter of maximum simplicity in everything. Therefore, I will try to give you the technique of proper meditation in the simplest possible language. Do not omit all important details.
So, I present you the methodology and the answer to the question: “How to meditate properly?”.
When and how many times is it better to practice meditation?
Meditation is best practiced several times a day. The frequency, rather than the duration, is more important.
Classical scheme: in the morning, in the daytime and in the evening.
The starting time is from 5 minutes. Less is not meaningful. It is better to start with 10 minutes (in my experience – this is still the minimum time when I’m able to reach the stage of contemplation).
Meditation should be practiced on an empty stomach. At least 2 hours after a meal, or preferably after 4. Take food after meditation should not be earlier than 15 minutes.
It is clear that at first it is difficult to accustom yourself to enter the state of meditation several times a day. First, start practicing meditation at least once a day – in the morning.
Then, when you get involved, you will have an inner need to do this exercise, and you yourself will look for time for practice.
Where is the best place to practice meditation?
Of course, the ideal place for practicing meditation is in nature. Away from factories, factories, car exhausts and other sources of pollution.
Very good practice near the pond. Especially near the flowing (river) or the sea, the ocean.
The only thing if you practice on the street – avoid classes in strong winds and precipitation.
If you meditate at home, then you need to do this in a well-ventilated room.
It is recommended not to practice in the same room where you sleep. Because, in this room you will be more drawn to sleep. A fight against sleep, a frequent companion of meditation, especially if you do not get enough sleep. If there is no way to comply with this recommendation – at least thoroughly ventilate the bedroom before the session.
Principles of proper practice of meditation
For the proper practice of meditation, it is extremely important to observe a few simple principles.
Constant state of comfort
This is the most important principle in practice. During meditation, you should always experience a state of comfort. And full! And, on the contrary: during meditation you should not experience any discomfort.
This is the main measure of the correctness of the whole practice. Absolutely all aspects of meditation must be subordinated to this fundamental principle!
And it is his non-compliance that is usually the most important mistake of those involved. Moreover, not observing this principle – often very destructively affects the body.
That is, instead of good, you get a negative and destructive effect.
Clothes should also be free and comfortable. Nothing anywhere should press, pull together, press and cause other uncomfortable sensations.
In this case, you should dress so that you are not neither cold nor hot.
Everything should be natural and comfortable. Remember this!
Principle 5P
For the practice of meditation, as for any other, it is important to observe the principle of 5P . This also directly depends on whether there will be real benefit from your studies. If this principle is not observed, at best, you will simply be wasting your time. At worst, you can do yourself harm.
Briefly recall its main rules.
Practicing meditation is necessary:
- Constantly (without days off and other breaks).
- Gradually (carefully increase time and add other techniques).
- Consistently (to master new techniques only after very good consolidation of the available baggage).
- Long (the first significant and tangible effects will be noticed after 3 months).
- Correctly (read this article carefully).
Positions for meditation
In fact, you can practice meditation in a variety of poses. Sitting in a chair. Sitting on the floor, stretching his legs forward. Lying. Sitting in special positions.
But I recommend practicing in one of three classic positions. To work out a kind of ritual. In the future, acceptance of this position will automatically reassure the mind, and set you up for meditation. This saves time.
So, I recommend using one of the following checked items:
- Sitting “feet in Turkish.”
- Sitting in the position of “half-lotus.”
- Sitting in the lotus position.
It is important that the position is absolutely comfortable for you. Therefore, I usually practice the first two options. There should be no pain, discomfort, stress. The lotus position is not comfortable enough for me, although I can accept it.
Back and posture during meditation
The back should be straight. The top of the head is slightly “suspended”, as if you are being pulled by an invisible rope. The chin is slightly lowered. The tongue is pressed against the upper palate.
A flat back, or as the “vertical spinal column” says differently, is a very important aspect. And here lies the big mistake of many practitioners.
I repeatedly read in the books and articles the recommendation to try to keep the back straight without any support and support. Due to the muscles of the back and tension. At the same time and constantly monitor it.
Often they write even such nonsense that, they say, it’s hard, unpleasant, but you have to overcome yourself. Over time (someday), the back will be strong enough, and the unpleasant sensations will go away …
In fact, this is all completely wrong. Because the main principle is violated – the principle of comfort. And keep a long time the back is flat without support – not at all comfortable. As a result, a person can not fully relax. Half of the time he fixated on the back and waist. There is no sense from such practice, only harm.
Therefore, you need to sit so that you have the opportunity to lean your back against any surface or support. But not cold. It can be a wall, a door, a tree, a stone, a stable piece of furniture, etc. Support is even the most needed not for the entire back, but for the waist.
And, for greater comfort, you need to move your pelvis and lower back as close to the surface as possible.
If the surface is cold (for example, a stone) you need to put something under your back.
If you practice on the street – look for places where you can lean back: a tree, a rock, a building wall, etc.
Here, for example, I found such a place in the stones in Cyprus:
For more convenience, between the towel and the stone, I slapped.
Sit back to the surface you need, without stretching specifically up, but not slouching.
In this case, the shoulders should not be artificially spread and unfolded, pushing out the chest. This is also a common mistake. Shoulders in a natural and comfortable position are slightly forward, the chest is slightly retracted, the back slightly rounded.
Hand position during meditation
When meditating, hands are usually folded into one of the positions, which are called mudras. Mudras do work, but now we will not go deep into the theory of the deep. A little later there will be a separate article on this topic.
At first, I just recommend you to use one of the 4 finger positions.
1. Wisdom of calmness
This position of hands under the belly, palms up. One hand lies on the other (which hand to put on top – see how comfortable you are). The tips of the thumbs touch.
This is one of the most used and comfortable mudras.
2. Knowledge of wisdom
Hands are on the same lap, palm up. The index finger and the thumb are connected by the tips. The rest of the fingers are straight, slightly rounded, not tense. It is performed simultaneously with two hands.
It is believed that this mudra removes emotional tension, anxiety, anxiety, melancholy, melancholy and depression. Improves thinking, activates memory and concentration, increases the ability to absorb new knowledge.
3. Wise strength
Hands are on the same lap, palm up. Here the thumb of the hand connects with the middle finger and the anonymous one. The index and the little finger are stretched, but not tense. It is performed simultaneously with two hands.
The performance of the mudra provides an analgesic effect and promotes the purification of the body (the removal of various poisons and toxins from it).
4. The Mudra of Life
Hands are on the same lap, palm up. Here the thumb of the hand connects with the ring finger and the little finger. The index and middle fingers are elongated, but not tense. It is performed simultaneously with two hands.
It is believed that this mudra aligns the energy potential of the whole organism and contributes to the strengthening of its vital forces. Increases working capacity, gives cheerfulness and endurance, improves overall well-being and visual acuity.
Breathing during meditation
Another mistake that practitioners often make is the desire to breathe through various “cunning” techniques.
For example, something like this: “for three counts inhale, then for two accounts holding your breath and then for 6 accounts – exhalation, and again for two accounts – delay.”
This is also unnatural and uncomfortable. Furthermore. Practicing various special breathing practices without the supervision of an experienced teacher is simply dangerous!
Therefore, the main recommendation is very simple – breathe naturally !
Do not try to artificially accelerate or slow down breathing, as well as pauses between inspiration and exhalation.
It will naturally slow itself down as you immerse into a state of meditation.
Gradually you will need to learn the lower breathing “belly”. And this is also a natural and comfortable process. If you correctly take a position, the breath itself becomes lower. By the way, children, after birth and up to 4-5 breathe that way.
How to meditate, description of technique, stages
Generally speaking, the process of meditation consists of four consecutive stages.
1. Creating a pose : maintaining balance with a straight back and maximum relaxation (especially the muscles of the abdomen and face).
2. Concentration : following attention for inhaled-exhaled air with a gradual natural deepening of breathing and eliminating wandering thoughts.
3. Contemplation : the absence of thoughts (as in a deep dream) with the simultaneous sensation of “the presence of oneself.”
4. Exit from meditation : performing special exercises-compensations.
Meditation in itself, as a state is contemplation. But meditation, as a process, consists of these four stages.
About the pose, we already talked, so I’ll tell you more about the other stages.
Concentration in meditation
In the state of meditation, the transition occurs by itself with increasing concentration.
There are many ways to increase concentration.
I practice a simple and comfortable method, both teachers told me about it. It is called “Clean the path”.
The technique of execution is very simple.
We have two points. Top and coccyx. If you follow the eastern terminology, these are the points of bai-hui and hui-yin.
You need to learn to do one simple thing. With inhalation and exhalation, pass by your attention along the “internal line” along the spine from one point to another.
When breathing in, we track the line from the crown to the tailbone. That is down. With an exhalation, we follow the line in the opposite direction from the coccyx to the crown. Up.
At the same time, you can visualize the process (for example, imagine that a fireball is moving along this line) and simply track this path with your attention, without any tricks and visualizations.
Control of thoughts
When you begin to build up concentration and enter a state of meditation, you will most likely run into a lot of “wandering” thoughts. They will always come to your mind and interfere with the process of meditation.
In many sources, again, for some reason, a typical mistake is recommended. You are recommended to cut off such thoughts and try not to think about what stubbornly climbs into your head 🙂
But this leads to the opposite effect. Thought stubbornly returns 🙂 Beating thus with it can be a long time …
You need to do it differently. It is necessary to “think out” a thought to a certain logical end. Logical completion. Put some point, even intermediate. To come to any, or possible, preliminary, but internal decision or conclusion regarding the situation or problem. Then this idea will “let you go” for a while.
So you need to do with every thought that comes, and gradually they will become less and they will let you go faster.
By itself, concentration by the method of “cleaning the path” will also help to eliminate the appearance of thoughts. Because your attention is concerned with tracking the position on the track. Here you need to learn to hold this very attention and do not break it.
Contemplation
At some point you will reach the goal – enter the state of contemplation. This is not a word conveyed by the words, but you will immediately feel when you reach it. You will feel very good, pleasant, comfortable and calm (in this condition, endorphins are actively produced – a kind of internal drug). There will be a feeling that you can be in this state for a very long time. And in the end there will be some regret that you need to get out of it.
You have achieved the goal – the state of contemplation in meditation. In this condition, you have already slowed down your breath as much as possible, neuroimpuls have slowed down, you are practically asleep, but you fully understand and control yourself. This is a very interesting state of “inner emptiness” and “inner comfort.”
How long to be in this state – decide for yourself. Often, you generally lose track of time, because in this state it flows differently. Perhaps you will even be surprised when you finish meditation. You thought that it was 15 minutes and passed, for example, half an hour.
In the future I will tell you more about how you can use the state of contemplation for various interesting and useful techniques.
Exit from the state and compensation after meditation
At the end of meditation, if the saliva accumulates in your mouth, swallow it.
After meditation, you should do special exercises – compensation. Teachers said that these exercises eliminate any kind of possible negative consequences after meditation and facilitate a return to the “world of vanity.”
They explained this in different words, but in general they are the same. One spoke from the standpoint of energies that the energies flow in a normal state and in a state of meditation in different ways. And if you do not make compensation, you will get “swirls and distortions” of internal energy.
The second teacher explained from the standpoint of internal rhythms and impulses. During meditation rhythms slow down, and in the usual state much faster. A sharp change in rhythms is undesirable and sometimes even dangerous.
Therefore, compensation after meditation is really important.
You can choose one of these exercises or combine them of your choice. I personally make eyeballs and fingers.
- Wave your arms relaxed back and forth, both at the same time.
- Rotate the eyeballs. First with your eyes closed 15 times in one and 15 in the other, then open 10 times in each direction.
- Rub palms and wash your face (dry washing).
- To knock by teeth 36 times.
- Comb your hair with your fingers spread out from your forehead, from your forehead to the back of your head.
- Make a finger exercise