MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS
The Three Golden Principles of Meditation:
Achah – I want nothing
Aprayatn – I do nothing
Akinchan – I am nothing
Meditation is only a result of effortlessness. In order to successfully meditate you must let go of all expectations, of all effort and of all ego. We spend so much of our lives being taught that working harder and putting more effort into all that we do will ultimately lead to greater success. The more effort we put in, the better result. However, when it comes to meditation to more you let go, the more you rest, the more you detach from all effort, the deeper and more profound the meditation.
Why meditate?
The research into meditation is broad and expansive and too far ranging for this basic outline. Nevertheless, some of the documented and highly suggested benefits of meditation are:
Lower blood pressure
Improve blood circulation
Lower heart rate
Reduce anxiety
Slow respiratory rate
Reduce blood cortisol levels
Increase feelings of well-being
Reduce stress
Deepen relaxation
How to meditate?
The question is how you ‘just let go’. Ultimately the answer is practise. Through meditation we learn to inhibit our impulses. The carryover effect into our daily lives from learning to do this is gargantuan – it effects almost every aspect of who we are and what we do by helping us learn to resist counterproductive urges.
There are a vast number of types of meditation each one suited to a personal goal and intention.
Beginners often start with guided meditations. They teach our mind to simply listen and follow the guidance of a single voice. They help us to detach from out physical body and follow a path within. These types of meditation can take the form of story, or a journey, or instructions. As the meditator becomes more experienced they will gradually learn to find their inner peace without the need of guidance and instruction.
We can use mantras – sacred sounds or phrases - to add power to the mediation by their transformative effects on the mind. Most people are familiar with the sound ‘om’ – this is the most ancient mantra and the genesis of all other mantras. It represents the ultimate reality within ourselves and the universe. It is the silent cosmic energy that flows though all existence.
We can meditate using sounds and vibrations. Often you will see Tibetan singing bowls used in meditation to add either physical healing aspects to the meditation or to give the meditator a point of reference to return to as their mind may begin to wander.
We can walk, or dance, we can incorporate meditation into our day by being simply present in the moment. As you learn more about meditation you will discover more about what works for you.
Wandering Mind
How do you stop your mind from wandering during meditation? The answer is that you don’t really. Stopping the mind wandering is effortful. Imagine thinking of not thinking – it is impossible without your direct input… without actually thinking. So as the mind drifts to what you are having for lunch or what that noise was or why you have a prickle on the back of your hand or whether that person standing in the queue for the bus was giving you the eye or not… just acknowledge the wandering thought and slowly guide your focus back to whatever it is you are meditating on – be it breath or candle or sound or whatever. Never scold yourself for losing focus and don’t become frustrated when some days your mind wanders more than others. You are not a robot and your beautiful brain is full of connections just longing to fire. Just be gentle. Guide your thoughts within and to a single point and then let go of effort. In this way we are able to observe the thoughts as if an onlooker. We do not engage with them; we do not connect with them. We notice them and we let them go.
How I use meditation to help you.
Through a wonderful free app called Insight Timer I invite you to join our exclusive little group where I share meditations that I think might be helpful to all my clients. I like to welcome the other members to share their favourite meditations, pieces of music, talks as well. The aim is to create a safe and welcoming virtual space for clients to share their experiences without fear of being judged or abused. I also use the app to let my clients know of meditations that might be useful to them on an individual level. These will be a mixture of my own work and that of other teachers on the app. I will encourage my clients to make space to meditate as frequently as they can and we will build this into your weekly goals. There is space on the app to meditate together as a group - which is a wonderful bonding experience and can help connect us on a deeper level. I also am a teacher of Yoga Nidra which is a form of meditation that is like a wakeful sleep. It is deeply relaxing and allows the mind to become open to manifestation. I like my clients to start this type of meditation under my guidance - be it in-person or virtually. It will usually follow some breathwork or yin yoga. There are some excellent nidra recordings on Insight Timer, but because of the nature of yoga nidra it is highly advised to start learning it under the care of a teacher. We can do this in a class format via trainerize or on a one-to-one basis. Once I feel you have grasped the basics I will then direct you to some recordings so that you can practise on your own.
