Do you meditate?

Meditation is a practice of calming the mind, training the mind to be in a more relaxed state to make you feel better emotionally and physically. To regain health or to stay healthy and happy. 

What do you need to meditate?  You need to know how to do it, a quiet place to sit, inside or outside, a moment in time to be undisturbed and perhaps somebody to sit with. This doesn't seem that difficult does it? There are places where you can learn how to meditate for free (or almost for free) and  you can always find a quiet place and 10 minutes. Even if it's 10 minutes in your car parked in the street or sitting on a bench in a park on your lunch hour.

The basic principle of meditation is to still the mind and let your thoughts wander, just letting them pass like clouds in the sky, not paying attention to them. Watching them getting fewer and more far between. There are different tools and tricks to help you succeed with not paying attention to your thoughts. You can focus on your breath, count your breath, recite a mantra in your mind or out loud, use a rosary, chant and more.  A good way to start and keep doing it is to simply focus on your breath.  

There are so many wonderful books on meditation and there are fantastic recorded guided meditations available for download or on CD to teach you and help you to meditate. There are even programs using brainwave technology that changes your brainwave frequency when you listen to them so you reach a deeper level of relaxation.  Many offer classes in how to meditate, where it takes  a few sessions to learn the art of meditation. All these opportunities are great and wonderful and within reach for most people. 

But do all these choices make meditation seem complicated and make you feel like you don't really know which book to get or what mp3 to buy and download? Or does it make you wonder if you should take a course or not since it must be hard to do? And do you really have to sit in some strange, uncomfortable yogi position? In that case it may end right there. Well don’t worry! There is a simple way to get you started.

Find that quiet place where you can be undisturbed for 10 minutes. Sit in a comfortable position, preferably with your back straight. Take 3 long deep breaths to help you relax. Close your eyes and just focus on your breath for 10 minutes. Feel how your chest moves with each breath. When a thought comes by just let it pass. Whenever you  loose focus on your breath and follow a thought, just go back to focusing on your breath as soon as you notice that you drifted. It's not a competition and you dont have to be perfect. Every time will be different and even if you feel like you are drifting away on every thought that shows up you are still getting the benefits from meditating. If you want help to get started you may find a church or organisation that gives you an almost free introduction. In Göteborg, Sweden you can get an introduction here

Happy meditating!