Meditation is a mental training to have greater self-awareness, to learn to observe inwardness or to try to reach an altered state of consciousness. In India it is an ancient practice with a rich history that is part of the Hindu and Buddhist tradition. Meditation offers real benefits and can improve your quality of life, whether it's just for relaxation or even for spiritual reasons. To get started, you can try some of these simple and effective techniques.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Vipassana Meditation
Step 1. Sit on the floor or in a chair
Find a place to sit comfortably for at least ten minutes; it can be indifferently outdoors or indoors. However, the most important thing is that it is quiet and free from distracting noises, such as music, television or people talking.
- Not all sounds are negative for the Vipassana tradition; normal ambient noises, such as cars or the ticking of the clock can actually be a reference to help you focus on awareness.
- Ideally, you should wear comfortable clothing and take off your shoes.
- Sit on the floor or on a pillow. You can assume different postures, such as half lotus, full lotus or cross-legged; make sure you keep your back straight, with good support, and your spine straight.
- If you have back pain, sitting in a chair is also okay.
- You should be in an upright position, but not too tense; the body and mind must be relaxed, while the effort to stay straight should energize the meditation.
Step 2. Place your hands on your lap
Now place one on top of the other, palms facing up. Traditionally, the right hand should be on top of the left; for beginners it may be helpful to close your eyes.
- Try not to shake hands and do not punch.
- Closing your eyes facilitates concentration, but this is not the key to Vipassana meditation and it is better to open them if, as sometimes happens, you see images that can be disturbing.
Step 3. Focus all attention on the breath
Turn it to the rhythm of the inhalations and exhalations; for example, some people find it helpful to focus on lifting and lowering the abdomen, 3-5 cm above the navel. Follow this movement with your mind, from start to finish.
- If you find it difficult to keep your attention on this action, place a hand on your stomach.
- Eventually, you can also try to focus on the sensation of the air passing through the nostrils and touching the skin of the upper lip; this practice is slightly more advanced.
- Refine your attention on these movements. Be aware of the sensations involved from start to finish; do not try to divide the action into several parts, but live it as a continuous movement.
Step 4. Pay attention and immediately let go of all other feelings and thoughts
While you are meditating, focus on the "primary object" of your concentration, for example the breath. If the mind wanders to a "secondary element", such as a thought, sound or sensation, take note of it for just a moment.
- You don't have to resist it; the aim is to leave the distraction behind. Pause for a second or two and give it a note mentally. If you hear a dog bark, label it "hear"; if you perceive an insect bite, define it as a "sensation".
- Once you notice an object, let go of it and go back to your main element: the breath. The fact of noticing these things allows you to be aware of the world around you, without being tied to it; the sensations should arise and then go through you.
- Such detachment is supposed to help you appreciate the temporality of the world and the emptiness of self.
Step 5. Start slowly and increase the duration of the meditation
There is no correct answer regarding the duration of the session, except that a little is better than nothing anyway; however, setting yourself up to meditate for 15 minutes a day initially is a doable goal, work hard to achieve it.
- Gradually increase the length of your sessions by about five minutes a day each week, until you reach 45 minutes.
- There may be days when you are too busy to spend 45 minutes meditating and that's okay, but try to get busy whenever possible, even if briefly.
Method 2 of 3: Being Aware with Anapanasati
Step 1. Find a suitable and quiet place
Like Vipassana meditation, Anapanasati is also about serene awareness. The first step is to find a suitable place; the Buddha recommends three: the wood, at the foot of a tree, or an isolated or empty area.
- Silence is an essential aspect of Anapanasati, especially for beginners; a quiet room may work best for you, but a lonely wood or beach is fine too.
- Silence helps to develop concentration; if you can't find a completely quiet place, look for at least some quiet and intimate place.
Step 2. Sit up straight
It is possible to meditate by assuming different postures, such as standing, leaning on the back, sitting or walking. The sitting position is the best for this type of meditation; ideally, you should cross your legs with both feet pointing upward resting on your thighs, as in the lotus position.
- Don't worry if you can't get it right, sitting with your legs partially crossed and one slightly bent is also fine.
- Keep your back straight; the chest should be erect but not tense or rigid. Try to imagine all the bones of the spine connected to each other.
- As for the hands, they should be placed gently in the lap and, as with the Vipassana technique, tradition has it that the right is over the left, with the palms facing up.
- The eyes can be closed, squinted or open - find the most comfortable situation for you - and the head tilted down, with the nose perpendicular to the navel.
Step 3. Focus on the breath
In Anapanasati, too, the focus is on the breath; direct your mind towards the raising and lowering of the abdomen, focusing on the inhalation and exhalation. Pay attention to the sensations involved and become aware of them.
- Pay attention especially to the area where the breath enters and leaves the nostrils; this is the point just below the nose or above the upper lip. Focus on the area where the breath touches the skin.
- Become aware: when you inhale, you recognize that you are inhaling, as well as when you exhale; however, don't try to control or hold your breath. As the awareness of the breath increases, it becomes less and less intentional.
Step 4. Start with "counting"
There are eight progressive steps in Anapanasati meditation, each of which serves to arrive at nirvana; the basic and most elementary level is "counting". This level is aimed at those who are not familiar with the technique; people who already have experience do not need it and can go directly to the second level.
- Bring your attention to the tip of your nose and start counting the breaths. For example, you can start by counting the first inhalation "one, one" and the first exhalation "two, two"; it continues until the tenth breath ("ten, ten"), before returning to "one, one".
- If you lose count, start over with "one, one".
- Counting itself is not meditation, but it helps to calm the wandering mind by making you aware of when you start to get distracted and lose count.
Step 5. Follow the various "steps" to improve your practice
In Anapanasati there are altogether eight levels; to improve in technique, you need to be able to slowly progress towards higher ones. The next step is to "follow"; once you have learned to calm your mind with counting, you should be able to keep track of, or "follow" your breathing without counting.
- In this phase you simply have to follow the respiratory flow with the mind; you don't have to inhale or exhale on purpose, just be aware that it is happening. See the beginning, middle and end of each cycle of breaths; this practice is called "whole body experiencing".
- "Contact" and "fix" are the next levels. Both require a lot of concentration and are difficult techniques to master. People who succeed may come to feel that they have stopped breathing altogether, as they have achieved such inner calm that they cannot feel the action of the breath; they must remain focused on a point under the nostrils. Many practitioners report feeling calm, joy, or even powerful visions.
- Very few people manage to reach the major stages of the technique; "observation", "estrangement", "purification" and "retrospective view" lead to higher levels of self-awareness.
- If you want to reach such high levels, you probably need a spiritual master to guide you; consider attending a meditation retreat - some monasteries and other centers around the world organize such meetings and in many cases as a free service to the community.
Method 3 of 3: Mantra Meditation
Step 1. Choose a mantra
This type of meditation derives from a Hindu tradition and consists in meditatively repeating a single word or phrase, which represents a "mantra". Its purpose is to provide you with a point to turn your attention to, as is the case with the breath in the Vipassana and Anapanasati techniques; in this case, first, you need to choose a mantra.
- You can choose a few words or even one that particularly inspires you, better if simple.
- Some ancient mantras are: "Om", "Om mani padme hum", "Ham-sah" or even "Namo Amitabha". Other moderns may simply be "peace", "love" or "one".
- It is better to choose one that is not in your native language, because it allows you not to establish too many mental associations that distract you from meditation.
Step 2. Find a suitable time and a good place
Obviously, there is no right time or place for meditation, the choice is entirely personal; however, some people find mantra meditation to offer better results when practiced first thing in the morning, after work, or in the afternoon at about 4pm.
- As for the place, make sure it is a quiet place where you are not disturbed; it could be the bedroom, the backyard, a quiet park, a grove or even the beach.
- The important thing is to minimize distractions; the quieter and less populated, the better.
Step 3. Sit down and close your eyes
You don't have to cross your legs or take the lotus position for this type of meditation; find a comfortable place and simply sit with your back straight. If you wish, you can support your spine with a pillow, lean against a wall or even sit in a chair.
- However, you shouldn't lie down, as you may fall asleep easily.
- Close your eyes and stay still for about 30 seconds; get used to your surroundings and take a few deep breaths.
Step 4. Recite the mantra
After a few deep breaths, return to normal breathing and start chanting the mantra. Some people find it convenient to do this out loud, but you can also repeat the word mentally, without moving your tongue or lips.
- Don't force things; the repetition of the mantra must be relaxed and gentle.
- You don't have to worry about coordinating pronunciation with breathing; let them both flow naturally.
- Some people find it helpful to imagine the mantra being whispered into their ear rather than having it originate from their mind.
- Stay focused and don't try to clear your mind; when the attention begins to wander, simply bring it back to the mantra and the breath. Don't worry when this happens, as it is completely normal; the most important thing is to realize that you are going to divert attention and focus again.
Step 5. Start slowly and stick to your own pace to increase the length of the sessions
At first try to repeat the mantra for five minutes at a time; gradually, you should be able to go up to 20 to 30 minutes, several times a week. Alternatively, some people aim to achieve a certain number of repetitions, usually 108 or 1008.
- Several people use their cell phone alarms as a timer, while others sit with their watch in sight; in reality it is not essential the way, simply find the most suitable method for you.
- When finished, stop repeating the mantra and sit quietly for a few minutes to relax. Allow yourself to slowly return to your normal activities, otherwise you may feel groggy as if you've taken a nap.
Advice
- It is better to focus on the meditation technique rather than the results.
- You may not be able to concentrate easily at first, but by practicing more you should be able to do it more easily, as the mind learns to settle on its own.
- Meditation is a process used to achieve a healthier state of mind; it should not be used simply because you feel restless, but because you want to perfect mental abilities.
- You should meditate every day.
