Meditation has been around longer than Joan Rivers and has been used by millions of people to relax, calm their minds and if practiced an insanely amount of hours a day for decades or lifetimes, to find enlightenment.
Most people would just like to find a way to calm their mind and soul and live each day with a little more peace and understanding rather than being wound up tighter than a piano string. If you’ve had more than one heart attack this week, read on.
A lot of western people are a little wary of meditation because they don’t understand it or think that it may be to too complicated to learn or are worried they may end up selling flowers at the airport. Not to worry.
You can begin by sitting in any position that you find comfortable and don’t worry about crossing your legs in some pretzel like lotus position and making sure your palms are up and that your thumb and index finger are making a circle and you’re facing the right direction and that you don’t smell. It really doesn’t matter at this stage.
Close your eyes, take in a few deep breaths and try to quiet your mind as you exhale. Don’t worry about your past mistakes or any future issue, just let it all go and let your mind go blank.
Slow your breathing and concentrate on your breath. Some people direct their attention to the rise and fall of their chest or stomach and others feel the air moving in and out of their nostrils. Keep your mind as blank as you can and concentrate on your breathing. If your mind wonders and a thought comes in, and it will, acknowledge the thought, let it go and return to your breathing.
At first you will find that you can’t go very long before a thought comes into your mind. Don’t worry, it just takes practice. Over a few weeks you will find that you can go longer and longer without any thoughts creeping. Start by meditating for 10 minutes twice a day, in the morning and in the early evening. Work up to 20 minutes, twice a day.
You will soon be reaping the benefits of meditation. You will be calmer throughout the day, things that used to upset you won’t seem as important any more and you will find that you sleep has improved. And if you do find enlightenment, send me a card. And if I see you at the airport, I’ll buy some flowers.
