Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Where to start?
• Method 2 of 3: How to Practice Meditation?
• Method 3 of 3: How to Make Meditation a Part of Your Daily Life?

Meditation is a form of brain exercise. It can be used to improve concentration and test scores, and to reduce stress and anxiety in daily life. You don't have to embrace a new religion to practice meditation. This technique is available to anyone looking to learn and has tremendous health benefits - improving focus and cognitive function, among others. If you want to meditate, you need to find a time and place to meditate, learn to monitor your breathing, and bring more awareness into your daily life.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Where to start?

1. 1 Find a place to meditate. You can meditate in any place that is comfortable for you. It is best to do this where you can relax and calm down. It can also be very helpful if the location is relatively quiet with few distractions. You can meditate in your own bedroom, living room, or in your local park.
   • You can also go to your local meditation center (if there is one nearby). There are both secular and religious centers that focus on the practice of meditation. Many meditation centers will have a schedule of times when you can pop in and meditate with other people, as well as a schedule of lessons and other activities.
   • If you want to meditate with others elsewhere, join an amateur meditation group or create your own.
   • People meditate in airports, parks, hospitals and other places. Once you learn this practice, you can do it anywhere. But first, it's better to find a quiet and peaceful place that is conducive to relaxation.
2. 2 Stretch. Stretch out a little before starting your meditation. Do some simple stretching exercises before sitting on a pillow or chair to begin your practice. Try two or three of the following exercises:
   • Cow pose. Get on all fours. Knees in line with hips, palms with shoulders. Inhale and bend, lowering your belly to the floor, and direct your chest to the ceiling.
   • Cat pose. This stretch can be done after the cow pose. Also stand on all fours. With an exhalation, lower your head down, bend your back up, as if stretching your spine towards the ceiling.
   • Stretch your shoulders. Stand with your arms spread out to the sides at an angle of 90 degrees to your torso. Inhaling, twist your arms so that your palms are facing the ceiling. As you exhale, twist your arms so that your palms are facing back.
   • Shrug your shoulders. As you inhale, lift your shoulders as if you were trying to reach the ceiling with them. Hold in this position for a second. As you exhale, lower your shoulders down. Repeat three times.
3. 3 Decide how long you want to meditate. Before practicing, it might be helpful to decide how long you want to meditate. There are no rules on this. Try meditating for five minutes to see how it feels.If you enjoy it and have more free time, try meditating for 10-15 minutes next time.
   • Although experienced practitioners can meditate continuously for days, weeks, or even months, you will greatly benefit from even short daily meditations.
   • Try meditating for five minutes every day and then gradually lengthen the sessions.
4. 4 Install an app or timer. Set a timer on your watch or meditation app on your phone. In addition, it is worth choosing the sound that you want to hear at the end of the meditation - it can be music, a bell, or just vibration.
   • If you are using a timer on your watch, just set it to the time during which you intend to meditate.
   • If you are using a meditation app, you may have a selection of relaxing sounds to indicate the end and start of your meditation session.
   • There are many meditation apps that you can download to your phone for free. To find an app that works for you, enter the word "meditation" (without the quotes) into the search bar in the app store. There you can also find guided meditations based on your current emotional state.
5. 5 Choose a simple meditation posture. You can sit in a regular chair with your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Alternatively, you can use the traditional cross-legged meditation position, sitting on a cushion on the floor. Whichever position you choose, sit with your back straight, open chest and relaxed body. If the position seems uncomfortable to you, change it until you find a position that is comfortable for you.
   • If you are just starting to meditate and haven’t received any instructions yet, the easiest way is to simply sit on a chair. Find a seat that makes you feel comfortable but not very relaxed. You can, for example, sit on a kitchen chair instead of sinking into an upholstered living room chair. Place both feet firmly on the floor in front of you, and place your hands on your hips with your palms.
   • You can sit cross-legged on the meditation cushion. You don't have to take the lotus position. Just sit on a pillow with your legs crossed in front of you. The back should be straight.
6. 6 Choose a yoga pose. If you have practiced yoga or martial arts, you may prefer the half-lotus, full-lotus, or hero position. These are postures that are traditionally used for meditation in yoga and other practices. If you learned these poses in yoga class or elsewhere, you may want to meditate in this position. But if you haven't tried them yet, you should use a chair or just sit on the pillow with your legs crossed in front of you.
   • Use caution if you have never tried the lotus or semi-lotus position. If you have knee or back problems, it is best to refrain from using these positions.
   • To take the lotus position, you must sit cross-legged and place each foot on the opposite thigh. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you. Pull your right knee towards your chest. Then place your right ankle on your left thigh. Bend your left knee and pull up towards your chest. Then place your left ankle over your right calf. Bring your knees closer together. Place your hands on your knees, palms up.
   • To assume the semi-lotus position, you must sit cross-legged and place one foot on the opposite thigh. Sitting on the floor with your legs crossed, gently lift one leg and place it on the opposite thigh. Lower your thighs closer to the floor and stretch your back so that you sit up straight. Relax your face and jaw.

Method 2 of 3: How to Practice Meditation?

1. 1 Sit in a relaxed position with your back straight. After taking a position in a chair or traditional meditation posture, straighten your back and find a comfortable position. The lower back should be slightly curved inward and the upper back outward. The chest should be open, the neck should be straight, the head looks straight. The body should be slightly relaxed, but with a straight posture.
   • Relax your shoulders. Keep your hands and palms relaxed.If you feel tension, raise your shoulders, lower your shoulders, and return to meditation.
   • You should be relaxed, but not so relaxed that you fall asleep. Likewise, sit with your back straight, but not tense.
2. 2 Press your tongue to the sky. Place your tongue behind your upper teeth and press against the palate. This will prevent dry mouth during meditation.
3. 3 Focus your gaze on a point a meter or two in front of you. Close your eyes a little and look at the floor one and a half to two meters in front of you. The gaze should fall at an angle of 45 degrees. Hold him on the floor or ground. Your eyes should be open, but you shouldn't look at what's on the floor. Just leave your eyes half-open and focus on one point, looking at the ground or floor in front of you.
   • There is no need to look at any object in front of you. If you find that you are focusing on something in front of you, remind yourself of the sensation of your breath.
   • In order not to be distracted by anything during a meditation session, focus your gaze on a place where there are no irritants. If people are moving in front of you or electronic lights are shining, this can be very distracting. If this is the case, find another, quieter place to meditate.
4. 4 Pay attention to what you are breathing. After relaxing in a comfortable position, you may notice that your body is breathing. Pay attention to the movement of your breath - air enters and leaves the body.
   • In some traditions, meditation requires breathing through the nose. If you usually breathe through your mouth and find it difficult to start breathing through your nose, continue breathing in a way that is comfortable for you.
5. 5 Watch your mind. You may notice that your mind is wandering. If you find yourself thinking or feeling something, you can label each thought or feeling with a “thought bus”. Think of every thought or feeling that comes to you as just a “bus”. Just like with buses in the city, you can decide whether to take the “thought bus” or skip it. As the buses come and go, you may feel more aware and mindful of yourself.
6. 6 Return to your breath. As the thought buses come and go, keep returning to the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits your body. Focus on the sensation of the breath and let the thought buses just pass you by.
   • It is helpful to observe where the mind is going during meditation, but it is not necessary to follow it. You should notice which "thought buses" come and go during meditation, but do not get on those buses. Just watch them pass by, bringing your attention back to the breath.

Method 3 of 3: How to Make Meditation a Part of Your Daily Life?

1. 1 Bring more awareness into your daily life. You can make meditation a part of your daily life and become more mindful by learning the skills of Breathing, Observing, Listening and Determining. CSSO skills include:
   • Breath. Deep breathing and slowing down. When you feel like life is getting too busy and stressful, try breathing deeply and slowing down your feelings and thoughts.
   • Observation. Observe your thoughts and feelings. By practicing meditation, you will learn to observe and become more aware of your thoughts and feelings.
   • Listen to yourself. As you learn to meditate and pay more attention to your thoughts and feelings, you can better listen to yourself. You may notice that there are things in your life that you would like to pay more attention to.
   • Decide what you want to do in life. Through regular meditation practice, you can improve your decision-making skills. There is evidence that meditation and mindfulness improve cognition and decision-making skills that will benefit everyone.
2. 2 Try breathing exercise 7/11. If you are feeling stressed or anxious about an exam or other life event, try this breathing exercise. Take a long, deep breath. Inhaling, count to 7. Exhaling, count to 11. Release all the air from your body, and then inhale again.This exercise will only take a minute and will make you feel more relaxed during a busy day.
   • The 7/11 breathing exercise is part of a study on the role of meditation in improving the mental health of young people.
3. 3 Try walking meditation. Start by breathing deeply. Feel the air sinking deep into your stomach. Relax your shoulders and feel your feet touch the ground. Then start walking and focus all your attention on the sensation of body movement. If you notice that your mind begins to wander, label your thoughts or feelings with “thought buses” and return to feeling your body. Notice the feeling of the soles of your feet on the ground and the feeling of air on your face. Pay some attention to where you are going, but don't be distracted by the surrounding landscape.
   • Walking meditation is part of a British study that focuses on the role of meditation in improving the mental health of young people.
   • Practice walking meditation in a place that is familiar to you. If you go somewhere new, it will be more difficult for you to focus on meditation.
   • It would be helpful to devote at least 20 minutes to this type of meditation.
   • If you meditate regularly, you can try walking meditation after sitting meditation.
   • If you walk to school or work, you can try walking meditation along the way.
4. 4 Meditate on the subway. If you take the subway to work or study, you can try meditating there as well. If you know how long it takes to get there, you can set a timer or use the meditation app so you don't miss your stop. Sitting on the subway, keep your back straight and your chest open. Let thoughts come and go, focus all your attention on the breath.
5. 5 Practice meditation before bed. If you find it difficult to make time to meditate during the day, try meditating before bed. Since meditation reduces stress and anxiety, you will be better able to rest. It is still worth meditating in a sitting position. Watch your breath and watch your mind for five minutes before bed.