People who practice meditation often say that it changed their life and helped them find peace within themselves .
And hey , scientists agree with this claim , confirming that meditation not only reduces stress and improves your physical well being , it's also good exercise for the brain .
All right .
So you're ready to give it a shot , but you have no idea where to begin and what to do .
Don't worry , this guide will definitely help you out .
But before we start , don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell so that you won't miss any of our new videos preparation .
Meditation is a very personal process .
Thankfully , there are several techniques to choose from to find your cup of tea .
But the first step here isn't figuring out which method works for you .
It's preparing for this experience , choosing the place where you'll be meditating and checking that the environment is suitable are both critical meditation requires a certain atmosphere and a good amount of time .
So make sure that you won't be interrupted or distracted by anything or anyone if you're going to do it at home , it's better to wait till you're alone .
Don't forget to turn off your TV .
And any other noisy devices , put your phone on silent too , unless you want to use it to play special calming meditation music to help you concentrate more meditating outside is also great , especially if you choose a park or any other picturesque location , just ensure that you have privacy there so that you can focus the clothes you wear during meditation are also very important .
They should be loose fitting and comfortable .
If you end up deciding to meditate somewhere other than at home , this rule still applies .
Of course , you want to look great in front of other people but tight or unsuitable clothing , no matter how cute it is will only make you feel uncomfortable , ruining the whole experience .
Meditation is a time to connect with yourself not to show off , stick to cozy shirts and pants .
If you want to get the best out of it , when you're meditating , you have to sit the whole time .
So doing a couple of simple exercises will help prepare your body .
Stretching is the best way to go pay special attention to stretching your neck shoulders and lower back .
They usually get tense first .
Now that you're all prepped and ready to roll , it's time to learn exactly how to meditate and what techniques you can use .
Basic meditation .
Any kind of meditation is done sitting or lying down , seasoned meditators can assume the lotus position , which is sort of like criss cross apple sauce .
But with the soles of your feet turned up toward the ceiling .
If it's impossible for you to bend that way , just get as comfortable as possible and close your eyes as you practice meditation .
More and more you'll be able to do it with your eyes open too still .
For beginners , it's better to start with closed eyes .
Breathe naturally and focus your attention on your breath and how your body moves each time you inhale and exhale .
I don't try to control your breathing or think about its pace or intensity .
Don't let any other thoughts distract .
You just focus on your body and yourself .
If you're completely new to meditation , it's advisable to start with five minutes a day and increase the amount of time you do it every week .
Most experienced meditators can do it for 20 minutes a day .
Also , be sure to do it at the same time each day so that it becomes habitual more easily .
After each session , you'll feel so relaxed and calm and you'll only get better at it with time .
But this is just the simplest type of meditation you can do and it's a great one to start with .
As for other techniques you can use once you've made meditation a part of your daily routine , we're about to get into that right now .
Concentration meditation .
This method isn't that hard .
All you have to do is focus solely on one thing .
It can be your breathing just like we mentioned or repeating one word or mantra over and over again , listening to a repetitive sound or even staring at a certain point works too .
As you get to it , you'll realize that it's way more difficult than you thought .
Truly focusing your mind on one thing without letting it wander from one point to another , takes time and practice .
But it brings wonderful inner harmony and a new sense of calm with it .
Plus , if you do this often , you'll find that problems with focusing at work or school won't be issues for you .
Mindfulness meditation .
You can also try mindfulness meditation .
This type encourages you to closely observe all the thoughts that appear in your mind .
Your task isn't to judge them .
You just have to acknowledge each and every one of them and be aware of their appearance with repeated practice .
You'll notice that your thoughts and feelings move in particular patterns .
You'll stay in touch with yourself more , accept yourself and your subconscious and find that inner balance mantra meditation .
Since we briefly mentioned these things called mantras , we should delve further into what they're all about mantra .
Meditation basically involves repeating a specific sound word or phrase over and over again until you silence your mind and enter a deeper meditative state .
Your mantra can be anything but there are a few of them that are especially common and popular .
You've probably heard of the mantra is said to be the first sound heard at the creation of the universe .
Pretty crazy .
Huh ?
When pronouncing each syllable fully , you'll feel the energy of the sound rising from your pelvis to your head is also believed to unblock the throat chakra , which results in more effective communication skills .
Another good mantra is Satnam .
If you're repeating it , you should prolong the first a like basically .
So that SAT is about eight times longer than this mantra translates to truth is my name .
It's said to help find intuition and even improve your sex drive .
Tat sa is yet another mantra .
You may want to memorize .
It's a Hindu mantra .
The three words that denote the absolute truth refers to the infinite spirit .
Tat means all that is and Sat is truth .
Put it all together and you get the infinite spirit is the only truth .
And finally , Shanti Shanti is another useful mantra you should have under your belt .
We already know what stands for .
As for Shanti , it means peace in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions .
This mantra calls for peace of mind , body and speech .
So three Shanti means one piece for each aspect of our self and you shouldn't stop there .
Even your favorite inspirational quotes can be your mantra .
For instance , you can repeat to yourself the famous be the change you wish to see in the world , quote by Gandhi .
I change my thoughts , I change my world by Norman Vincent Peel or Love is the only miracle there is by Osho , you can make it absolutely anything , whether it's asking for forgiveness or assuring yourself that you're strong and confident .
That's the beauty of meditation .
You can see what's missing in your world and figure out the one thing you need for inner balance and then slowly build this missing component within yourself .
It's like a superpower .
Really definitely something we should all at least give a try the benefits .
If you're still on the fence about giving meditation a go , then maybe learning about the amazing health benefits it brings will convince you there's been a ton of research on the positive effects meditation has on your whole body .
In one study , over 3500 adults , researchers from the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that meditation significantly reduces stress levels .
Another study conducted by specialists from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center followed up with 18 volunteers after they had completed their eight week meditation program and practiced daily meditation for three years .
The study concluded that meditation reduces the symptoms of anxiety disorders such as phobias , social anxiety and panic attacks .
To name a few , not too shabby , right .
Other benefits of meditation that have been confirmed by the scientific community include lower blood pressure and blood cortisol levels as well as improved blood circulation among others .
So why are you still hesitating ?
You can at least give it a try , right ?
Just give yourself some time and don't give up simply because you feel like it's not working for you .
Nothing happens overnight and it will take time and practice to achieve successful meditations .
But once you get there , you'll see that it was definitely worth every second of it .
What do you think is meditation a must or just a waste of time ?
Tell us in the comments below .
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