Where to start meditation? How to enter a meditative state? What is meditation and how to meditate correctly.

Hello friends!

Even before the total immersion in travel, I read a lot of literature of the so-called spiritual nature and crossed paths with people who, with their examples, showed me a simple and effective way to harmony: calming the mind.

Meditation is a kind of mental exercise (based on concentration, relaxation and awareness) used as part of a spiritual-religious or health practice, or a special mental state resulting from these exercises (or for other reasons).

As you can see from the definition, meditation is both a process and a state. There are many ways to implement them, and every day this set continues to grow. This is facilitated not only by natural interest, but also by the increased commercialization of the spheres of the so-called. " spiritual development”, where the vein of dishonest bribe-takers inevitably begins to penetrate.

In Borovoe (on the photo - my friend)

Such a trend, however, has a twofold result: on the one hand, esotericists get another toy at their disposal, on the other hand, pure practices increase even more in their own value.

In general, in Runet, I noticed that very vague definitions inevitably keep pace with the concept of meditation, in the spirit of “opening the third eye”, “merging with divine potential” or “esoteric wisdom”. All of them, in a certain sense, somehow reflect the experiences of the meditator, but nothing more than a one-sided projection.

To all such fantasies, meditation has only an indirect relation. Moreover, simplicity and naturalness, on the contrary, makes it a very mundane and earthy technique, without loud words and troubles. Although meditation in the form known to us came to us from the East, it primarily works with your quite tangible psyche, and certainly not with divine energies and the radiance of angels.

Even the Buddha initially carefully tried to cleanse it of all superstition, religiosity and ritualism. And even then he did not escape the transformation of his own teaching into an organized religion.

Of course, all people are different and therefore working practices will be different for everyone. Therefore, coming to calm the mind through concentrations on the chakras or angelic light will be just as effective for someone as through ordinary breathing.

Why does a person need meditation?

The purpose of meditation is to calm the chatty monkey called "mind." You have probably noticed how the thought process can take you into distant jungles, fantasies or deep reflection. How many problems have been caused by this? When, starting with the harmless thought of a walk in the park, we suddenly find ourselves drowning in anger towards the offender, who, perhaps, has long been dead.

However, this does not mean at all that the thought process should be completely stopped. This is as much a widespread myth as it is a necessary esoteric component.

The calmness of mind achieved is a very natural state in which the mind, like a mirror, simply reflects things that come and go. Whether it is sensations in the body, thoughts or emotions that suddenly arise.

The nature of the mind is such that it is possible to stop its thought process only with the help of great tension, from which, on the contrary, we are trying to get rid of. There is a contradiction that any practitioner faces with a fairly diligent attitude to practice.

The results of meditation are different:

• someone feels a surge of calm and strength
• someone solves their deepest psychological problems
• someone gets rid of chronic ailments caused by the same destructive attitudes of the mind (the so-called psychosomatic diseases)
• someone overcomes stress and turmoil
• someone draws inspiration for creativity
• someone gets rid of depression and neurosis
• and someone just expands consciousness

Me once meditation in general and the start of a completely new life.

However, such accompanying experiences should not be made goals. This will only add to the tension and make meditation a "mind" exercise that, instead of releasing, will lead to stress.

If you experience other emotions and impressions, it's okay - there are many variations; no less than the number of people living on earth.

In front of the Buddha in Thailand

As for the subjectively experienced experience, there is no point in describing it and even reading about it. All of these are personal projections and experiences of each individual practitioner. They can easily fit both bright and beautiful experiences, and quite frightening.

People often ask the question "what is the meaning of meditation" and confuse the cart with the horse. Meditation is a process, it is an immersion in the here and now.

How to learn it and where to start?

It is very easy to start meditating. Enough 2 simple steps:

1. sit with a straight back (stable body position)
2. start observing your natural breathing (without trying to control it)

Neither lotus postures, nor sevenfold postures, nor mantras, nor even closed eyes are necessary conditions in order to start meditating. Postural stability and simple concentration with awareness is more than enough to get you started.

ALL! According to one of contemporary masters, Mingyur Rinpoche, meditation can be easily woven into everyday life: while cooking, walking and even driving a car. The main condition for successful practice is awareness!

However, do not completely reject the rest. Lotus posture, mantras, eyes are the same tools as breathing and awareness. But if we can do without mantras, then there is no way without awareness.

Of course, it is better to learn meditation under the guidance of experienced craftsman. For this simple practice has a lot of side effects, which are not always easy to cope with.

How much time should one meditate per day?

The answer is predictable: the bigger, the better. However, few of our modern environment can afford to devote 4-6 hours a day to practice. And even the 2 hours recommended by Vipassana seem like a huge luxury.

And this is normal, because only monks can afford to devote so much time to practices. We are laymen, and the demand from us, adjusted for our daily bustle, will be completely different. The practice can be easily woven into our daily lives: while walking, before going to bed, or on the way to somewhere.

The so-called. "The Art of Small Steps" Mingyur Rinpoche repeatedly speaks about him in his wonderful book “The Buddha, the Brain and the Neurophysiology of Happiness”.

Its principles are as follows:

1. 20 minutes a day can be a lot
2. try to meditate for 2 minutes, but daily
3. It is better to meditate badly than not to meditate at all.

Gradually, in a natural way, 2 minutes will grow to 5-10-15, etc., plus stable states will begin to be woven into everyday life, making even routine tasks tools for practice.

As a result, the accumulated "drop by drop ocean" will become a very good help and will begin to bear its beneficial fruits at the level of the deep psyche.

In the misty Himalayas

How and when this will happen, no one knows. And don't focus on it. It is better to direct efforts of attention to practice.

And what metamorphoses will occur thanks to it depends on the meditator. The main thing is not to stop and treat the process of meditation with patience, wisdom and discipline.

That's all, friends! I don't know what else to say about the basic foundations of meditation. Therefore, if you can add something on your own, please write in the comments.

And, traditionally: if the article seemed interesting to you, please share it on your social networks. This is the best award for me as an author.

Peace of mind to you and deep awareness!

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How does meditation affect a person? Research is ongoing, but it is already clear that meditation can radically rebuild all body systems and prevent the most serious diseases.

The state of "no mind"

It is not easy to explain the concept of "meditation". There are such characteristics of meditation as relaxation, purification of the mind, change of consciousness, concentration, self-knowledge, enlightenment.

Everyone puts their own idea into this word. “Meditation is the realization that I am not the mind,” wrote Osho. Mystic noted the most important rule meditation is the attainment of pure consciousness, without any content.

Today, there are many types and techniques of meditation, but there is a common link inherent in all meditative practices - an object designed to concentrate attention.

It can be a mantra, a breath, the sky, or, as the Buddhists say, "nothing." The role of the object is to allow the non-egocentric type of thinking to take a dominant position in the mind of a person.

According to scientists, the object for concentration provides the possibility of such a shift by monopolizing the nervous activity of the left hemisphere, involving it in monotonous activity, which allows the right hemisphere to become dominant. Thus the rational mind gives way to intuitive insight.

Brain and meditation

It has been established that meditation causes changes in the activity of the human brain, correcting its biorhythms. Meditative states are characterized by alpha waves (frequency 8-14 hertz) and theta waves (4-7 hertz).

Interestingly, in the normal state, the biorhythms of the brain are a chaotic pattern of waves.

Meditation makes the waves move evenly. The graphs show that uniformity of frequencies and amplitudes reigns in all parts of the cranium.

A number of Western specialists (Layvin, Banquet, Walls) have established various forms coordinated activity of brain waves: integration of the left and right hemispheres, the occipital and frontal parts, as well as the superficial and deep parts of the brain.

The first form of integration serves to harmonize intuition and imagination, the second form ensures consistency between mental activity and movements, the third form leads to uninterrupted interaction of body and mind.

In 2005, at the Massachusetts Hospital in Boston, scientists used MRI to monitor all the changes that occur in the brain of a meditator. They selected 15 people with meditation experience and 15 people who had never practiced meditation.

After analyzing a huge amount of information, scientists came to the conclusion that meditation increases the thickness of those parts of the cerebral cortex that are responsible for attention, RAM and sensory information processing.

“You train your brain while you meditate, so it grows,” says study leader Sarah Lazar.

"It's like a muscle that can be used in many different ways," echoes Katherine McLean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Once perception is facilitated, the brain can redirect its resources to concentration.”

Extreme relaxation

In 1935, French cardiologist Thérèse Brosset traveled to India to study the effects of yoga on the human body. She noticed that experienced Indian yogis during meditation slow down the work of the heart.

In the 1950s and 60s, scientists continued to work in this direction, studying the monks of Japanese Zen Buddhism.

It turned out that meditative practice, accompanied by specific biocurrents of the brain, significantly slows down the metabolism.

According to scientists, meditation is a special state that differs in its parameters from the state of wakefulness, sleep, or ordinary sitting with eyes closed.

Relaxation during meditation is more complete than in sleep, but the mind remains vigorous and clear. In this case, the body reaches a state of complete relaxation in a matter of minutes, while in a dream it takes several hours.

The researchers were particularly impressed by the fact that breathing spontaneously stops during phases of deep meditation. Such pauses can last from 20 seconds to 1 minute, which indicates a state of extreme relaxation.

The work of the heart undergoes similar changes. The heart rate slows down by an average of 3-10 beats per minute, and the amount of blood pumped by the heart is reduced by about 25%.

Mind and meditation

Humanistic psychology, in the study of meditative states, pays Special attention the ultimate sensations experienced by the meditator.

The American psychologist Abraham Maslow noted that meditators internal forces combined in the most effective way: the person becomes less scattered, more receptive, he has increased productivity, ingenuity, and even a sense of humor.

And yet, as Maslow notes, he ceases to be a slave to base needs.

Australian psychologist Ken Rigby tries to explain the inner state of meditation in the language of transcendental psychology. At first, according to Rigby, consciousness is alert, but gradual concentration allows you to switch to a less active level, where "verbal thinking pales before subtle, mobile spiritual activity."

A number of experiments confirm that meditation leads to peace of mind and harmonizes the person with the surrounding world.

Researchers from Yale University note that meditation can act as an effective preventive measure for a number of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Scientists used MRI to monitor the brain activity of several volunteers. Their conclusion is this: meditation slows down the work of the neural network of the brain responsible for self-awareness and introspection, which protects the psyche from excessive immersion in the jungle of one's own "I". It is "withdrawal" that is characteristic of such mental disorders as autism and schizophrenia.

Meditation Healing

Until recently, meditation was the practice of individual religious schools and trends, and today doctors state system UK health officials are seriously considering prescribing meditation for people suffering from depression.

At least that's what the British Mental Health Foundation has come up with.

The head of the foundation, Andrew Makolov, emphasizes that, according to statistics, ¾ of doctors prescribe pills to patients, being not sure of their benefits, and meditation, according to him, has already proven its effectiveness in combating depression.

Meditation is becoming increasingly popular in Western medical circles. Sharon Salzberg and John Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts use some Buddhist mindfulness meditation techniques at their weight loss clinic. Physicians train their patients to observe changes in the mind and openly perceive everything that arises in it. Breath is used as the object of concentration.

Research results show that after completing an 8-week anti-stress meditation program, the number of CD4-T-lymphocytes in the body increases. It is known that CD4-T cells are primarily susceptible to attacks by the immunodeficiency virus.

Science has already proven that meditation, due to the restructuring of brain activity, allows you to normalize many physiological processes: digestion, sleep, the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Meditation is a natural preventive measure against many serious diseases, including cancer.

Harvard scientists have found that daily meditation for 8 weeks activates the genes responsible for recovery and inhibits the genes that lead to disease. A study by the American Heart Association in 2005 showed that meditation prolongs life by activating telomerase in the body, which is called the key to cellular immortality.

1. Find your seat. A place where no one can interfere with you, nothing will distract you, no noise, no light, other people, no one. It is better if there is a beneficial, calming energy in this revenge. Light is not bright, dim.

2. Before meditation, you should not overeat, because a full stomach will greatly interfere. And go to the bathroom beforehand.

3. Some use specially selected, quiet, melodic music, preferably without words. Try collections of meditation music. Music can distract from everyday life, help you enter a state, but it is not at all necessary, it is more convenient for someone. Maybe without music.

4. Pose. It is important. It is not necessary to apply any yoga asanas. It is important that you can be in this position long time and you weren't bothered by your body. Everything should be comfortable, the hands do not look for “their place”, the legs do not get numb, nothing presses on the side, the seat is not hard. It is desirable, if the posture is sitting, that there would be support for the back and head. You can also try lying down, but so many fall asleep quickly.

5. Close your eyes. Put aside all thoughts, ideas, problems, forget for a while all daytime experiences. You will think about all this later. Now the goal is to stop the flow of thoughts. It's hard, but it's important!

6. Focus on the body for now. All muscles must be relaxed. Start, for example, with right hand. We relax all the muscles of the hand, the hand becomes heavy, very heavy, like lead, heavy and pleasantly warm. The hand begins to fall down, lower and lower. Then the other hand relaxes and falls through. Then legs. Next is the head and finally the torso and the whole body as a whole. You will feel the state of a pleasant flight. For some, this item causes difficulties, and it can take a lot of time, but this is only at first. Very soon, such a pleasant relaxation is achieved instantly at the command “fly”. Initially, you can skip this item or complete it partially, relaxing as much as possible.

7. We turn off all thoughts. We turn off all body sensations. There is no body, there is only silence!

We concentrate attention in the center of the head and listen to the silence. We just listen. And look inside the head with closed eyes. We maintain this state of silence.

If you manage to achieve this silence, this is the meditative state!

From there, there are many options. This state is a tool with which you can do a variety of things with your mind and body.

You can move the point of concentration of consciousness inside your body and look at yourself from the inside, at every organ and joint. You can move to any point in space and see what is happening there. And much more is possible.

The main thing is not to forget to return home to the body. To do this, you need to say: “Back to the body!”

In this article, I will talk about how to meditate properly, I will give an example of a specific meditation that you can start practicing even today and tell you about the correct posture in which your body should be during the session. Meditation is effective exercise for relaxation and concentration, which frees your mind from thoughts and worries, calms you and puts your thinking in order. Regular meditation improves your mood, teaches you to relax and not react to stress, helps in the fight against bad habits(and), strengthen your and character, improve your concentration, memory and. Most importantly, meditation develops in you a healthy critical ability, the ability to look at things around you and also at yourself, soberly and without prejudice, rids your perception of the veil of illusions!

Purpose of Meditation

There is no magic or magic in meditation. This is just a certain exercise, training, nothing more. The goal of meditation is not "opening the third eye" or "realizing the absolute." The purpose of meditation is healthy body and a healthy mind, calmness, harmony, balance and. Everything that is so lacking in our busy time.

Meditation is not as difficult as it seems. Moreover, I am sure that most of you have already practiced meditation, in some way, and you are even able to appreciate its effect! Surprised? Many of you, when you started counting sheep: one sheep, two sheep ... n sheep, until you fell asleep? At the same time, it was possible to imagine the curly-haired lambs themselves jumping over the fence, for example. It helped someone. Why do you think? Because you kept their attention on one thing thus stop thinking about something else. All worries and thoughts left your mind!

And the very monotony of this process calmed you and you fell asleep! You see, no tricks, everything is extremely simple. Meditation is based on a similar principle, although this is a very rough and simplistic comparison. You concentrate on the breath, on the image or on the mantra, thereby calming your mind. But there is no doubt that the effect of meditation is much wider and deeper than the effect that appears when counting sheep. This practice can give you incomparably more.

Many articles in the domestic segment of the Internet on this issue are overloaded with all sorts of esoteric terminology: "chakras", "energies", "vibrations".

I believe that such articles do not quite play into the hands of spreading this, no doubt, useful and effective practice in our country, since all these terms can cause bewilderment and skepticism among ordinary person. All this smacks of some kind of sectarianism, behind which it is impossible to discern the very essence of meditation. Well, in fact, why do you need to “open the lower chakra”, when in fact you just want to learn how to control your emotions, not to succumb to momentary impulses and mood changes, or?

I look at meditation in a completely different way. For me, this is not a religion, not a secret teaching, but quite an applied, if I may say so, discipline that helped me a lot in life, an ordinary, earthly life, and not beyond-cosmic-spiritual. She helped me cope with the shortcomings of my character, addictions, weaknesses. She allowed me to more fully reveal my potential, put me on the path of self-development, and if not for her, this site would not exist. I'm sure she can help you too. Anyone can learn meditation. There is nothing difficult in this. And even if you fail, it will still bring its effect. So let's get started. If you want to start meditating, then to start:

Make time for meditation

I would recommend meditating twice a day. In the morning for 15-20 minutes and in the evening the same amount of time. In the morning, meditation will put your mind in order, give you a boost of energy, prepare you for the start of the day, and in the evening it will allow you to relieve tension and fatigue, relieve annoying thoughts and worries. Try not to miss a single session. Let meditation become a daily habit.

I am sure that everyone can allocate 30-40 minutes a day. Many people complain about the lack of time and in this fact they can find an excuse for why they do not engage in themselves, for example, do not spend time playing sports or not meditating. Understand that you are not meditating for someone else, but, first of all, for yourself. This is an action that aims to achieve personal happiness and harmony. And this harmony is not so expensive. Only 40 minutes of your precious time! Is it a big fee?

In the same way, sports are aimed at strengthening your health, which is more important than anything else, which everyone constantly forgets and chases for the implementation of momentary, short-term goals, and not global tasks, sacrificing strategy in favor of tactics. But it's in best case. More often than not, those 40 minutes that could have been spent with great benefit, go to class some nonsense. That is why you cannot sacrifice it in favor of something else, less essential.

But you can start with 15 minutes a day if you are a beginner. This is not difficult. I recommend subscribing my free 5 day meditation course, with which you can learn a simple technique of meditation and avoid common mistakes.

The topic of this article is not sports. But, since I've already started talking about it, I'll allow myself the following comparison: if physical exercises is the health of your body, meditation is the health of your mind. Many underestimate, until they themselves begin to engage in it (this was the case with me, in general, I am a materialist and it was quite difficult for me to start doing something that I associated with religion and some kind of shamanism, but personal problems forced me to try, which I am very happy now).

If you have only urgent matters, then it is better to sleep less and meditate at the same time: since 20 minutes of meditation, according to my personal feelings, replace the same amount of sleep, or even much more, as you rest and relax. If only you have very, very little time and you, moreover, do not sleep much, or it is very difficult for you to sit idle for 20 minutes from the beginning, then you can try. This is a special technique taught by one of the famous masters of this practice. But I would still recommend meditating for at least 15 minutes for an adult and 5-10 minutes for a child.

Choose a place

Of course, it is better to meditate at home and in a quiet environment. Nothing should distract you. Some do not recommend practicing in the room where you sleep. Since in this case there is a greater likelihood that you will fall asleep during the session due to the fact that your brain is used to the fact that you fall asleep in this room.

But if you do not have the opportunity to choose another room for practice, then there will be nothing wrong with meditating in the bedroom. It's not critical, believe me. If for some reason you cannot find a suitable environment for meditation, then this is not a reason to abandon the practice. When I first started meditating, I lived in the suburbs and had to take the train to work every day. I practiced on the road and, despite the many distractions, I managed to somehow relax.

Even meditation in the midst of a noisy crowd can have some effect, so do not neglect it, even if you do not have a quiet place where you can be alone with yourself. Such a place, of course, is desirable, but not so necessary.

Take the right posture

It is not necessary to sit in the lotus position. The main thing is to keep your back straight and comfortable. The back should not be tilted forward or backward. The spine should form a right angle with the surface on which you are sitting. In other words, it should fit perpendicularly into your pelvis. You can sit on any chair, it is advisable not to lean on its back. Keeping your back straight is important so that you can breathe easier and the air can move through your lungs better. It is also required to maintain awareness. After all, meditation is a balance on the verge of relaxation and inner tone. Meditation is not only a relaxation technique, as many people think. It is also a method of observing your mind, a way of developing awareness. And these things require the preservation of attention, concentration. A straight back helps. If you sit up straight, then the chances that you will fall asleep during meditation are reduced. (Therefore, I do not advise lying down to meditate)

What to do if the back is very tense?

During the straight back pose, muscles can be involved that are not normally used in life. Therefore, the back can tense up. It's a matter of training. I recommend that you first sit on a chair with a straight back and do not lean it on the back of the chair. Mild discomfort is best tolerated without focusing on it. As soon as it becomes difficult to endure, gently move back and lean your back against the back of the chair, without disturbing the straight position of the spine.

With each new session of practice, you will sit longer and longer with a straight back, without leaning it against anything, as your muscles will strengthen over time.

Relax your body

Close your eyes. Try to completely relax your body. Direct your attention to tense areas of the body. If that doesn't work for you, don't worry, leave it as it is.

Direct your attention to the breath or mantra

Close your eyes. Direct your attention to the breath or mantra. When you notice that you have begun to think about something, just calmly return your attention to the starting point(mantra, breath). Avoid attempts to interpret thoughts, emotions, sensations, desires that arise inside. Perceive these things without getting involved in them.

The paragraph above practically contains comprehensive instructions on meditation for those who have just started to practice it. In it, I tried to formulate as clearly as possible the essence of what I understand by meditation without any unnecessary things, so as not to complicate anything and to convey the meaning of meditation as much as possible to those who know nothing about it.

But, this instruction needs some explanation.

While you are watching your breath, you cannot think about anything at the same time (try it). Therefore, when you return your attention to the breath, thoughts will go away by themselves. But sometimes, having achieved a good concentration on the breath (mantra), you will be able to watch thoughts from the side, how they come and go, how they pass by you like clouds. And it will seem to you that you are not a participant in this process, that you remain on the sidelines.

But this doesn't happen right away. This is the next stage of concentration, which you can achieve when you achieve good concentration. In the beginning, you will most likely be constantly distracted by thoughts, and this is normal. Once you notice this, just bring your attention back to your breath. That's all that is required of you, develop concentration.

Getting rid of thoughts can be difficult, because the brain is used to constantly thinking. Getting rid of thoughts is not the goal of meditation, as many people think. Your task is simply to calmly observe your breath or concentrate on the mantra.

A modern person receives a lot of information every day: meetings, business, worries, the Internet, new experiences. And his brain does not always have time to process this information in a fast paced life. But during meditation, the brain is not busy with anything, so it begins to “digest” this information, and because of this, those thoughts and emotions come to you that you did not devote enough time to during the day. There is nothing wrong with these thoughts coming.

You don’t need to mentally scold yourself for not being able to relax or get rid of thoughts. You don't have to try too hard to influence how the meditation goes. You just calmly observe what is happening without interfering with it. Let everything go on as usual: good thoughts do not come, good thoughts come too.

Take the position of a detached observer: do not make any judgments about your thoughts. You should not compare your feelings with how you felt during another meditation or with how you think you should feel. Stay in the present moment! If your attention is distracted, then calmly, without any thought, transfer it back to the starting point.
In general, you don’t have to think: “I need to stop my thoughts”, “I need to relax”, “I can’t do it”.

If you follow these guidelines during your practice, then there will be no "right" or "wrong" experiences for you in the state of meditation. Everything that will happen to you will be “correct”, simply because it happens and nothing else can happen. Meditation is the existing order of things, the acceptance of one's inner world as it is.

(Everyone can remember their fruitless attempts to sleep. If you try to force yourself to sleep and constantly think about it (“I need to sleep”, “I can’t sleep - how terrible”), then you will not succeed. But if you just relax and let go of the desire to fall asleep as soon as possible, then after a while you will fall asleep peacefully. The same thing happens during meditation. Let go of your desires to go deeper into meditation, get rid of thoughts, achieve some special state. Let everything happens the way it happens.)

Of course, one cannot completely compare meditation with sleep. During it, there is still a small particle of effort. This is the return of attention to the starting point. But this is effort without effort. That is, it is very light. But at the same time, it should have a soft persistence, constantly reminding you that your attention has gone to the side. You should not relax to the point where you leave absolutely everything to chance. A small part of you must be trying to maintain awareness and control of attention.

It is a very delicate balance between action and inaction, effort and lack of will, little control and no control. It's hard to explain in words. But if you try to meditate, you will understand what I am talking about.

Now, in connection with large quantity comments and questions, I would like to once again dwell on one thing. Even if you fail to stop the so-called “internal dialogue” and you think about something all the time during meditation, this does not mean at all that it is wasted! Anyway, the positive effect of meditation reflects on you, leave everything as it is, do not try to conform to any ideas about meditation. Can't clear your mind of thoughts? It's OK!

You can say that meditation has failed only if you have not meditated at all!

Your goal is to notice when attention begins to wander, not to get rid of thoughts.

Therefore, people who think about something all the time during practice benefit from it: they become more collected and better control their thoughts and desires, as they learn to keep attention on themselves. "I'm thinking again, nervous, angry, worried - it's time to stop." If earlier these feelings seemed to pass by you, then practice will help you to always be aware of them, and this is a very important skill. With practice, you will learn to be aware at any point in your life, not just during meditation. Your attention will stop constantly jumping from thought to thought, and your mind will become calmer. But not all at once! Don't worry if you can't concentrate!

What should you focus on while meditating?

• Concentrate on the breath: you either just follow your breath, direct your inner gaze to this natural aspect of your life, feel how the air passes through your lungs and how it comes out. No need to try to control the breath. Just watch him. It must be natural. During meditation, breathing can become very slow, and it will seem to you that you are hardly breathing. Let it not scare you. This is fine.
• Mentally read the mantra to yourself: you say to yourself the repeated words of the prayer in Sanskrit. I personally meditate this way (Updated 03/17/2014 - I now meditate by concentrating on the breath. I find this method better than concentrating on the mantra. Why, I will write below). For me personally, the mantra is not a sacred text, it's just a repeated phrase that helps me to keep my attention and relax. You can read about the link. It is not necessary to read the Indian mantra, you can use the prayer in any language.
• Visualization techniques: you imagine different images: both abstract, like multi-colored fire (), and quite specific, for example, you can place yourself in an imaginary environment (), inside which you will feel peace and tranquility.

If you don't know which of these practices to use, then read my article, or meditate on your breath, as I do. I think it doesn't really matter which meditation you choose, as each one is based on the same principle.

Although I believe that during meditation, there should be as little information in the head as possible in order to enable you to observe. The mantra and the picture you visualize are also information. Even though the words in Sanskrit help you concentrate, they distract you a little from watching and keep your mind busy with information.

That's why I prefer to concentrate on my breathing.

What does it mean to focus on the breath?

Due to the large number of questions, I want to clarify this point. Concentrating on the breath means focusing your attention on the sensations in the body associated with the breath: the opening and closing of the lungs, the movement of the diaphragm, the expansion and contraction of the abdomen, the movement of air around the nostrils. Focusing on your breath does NOT mean imagining how the air oxygenates your cells, visualizing how it is distributed through the channels, etc. Your task is to observe what is, your sensations in the body, without adding anything to it!

The next question is what exactly to focus on? On sensations in the stomach or in the nostrils? Or should sensations be observed throughout the duration of the movement of air from the nostrils to the abdomen? All of these methods are correct. Experiment with the technique and see which areas of your breath help you focus, relax, and achieve awareness and clarity (as opposed to sleepiness). General advice sounds like this: if your the main problem is the mind that is constantly distracted during practice, then concentrate on the abdomen. Watch how it rises and falls, what sensations are present between inhalation and exhalation. Some teachers believe that observing these sensations will "ground" your mind. But if your problem is rather sleepiness, lethargy during practice, then you better concentrate on the sensations in the nostrils. Watch how the air passes through the nostrils, what sensations are present between the upper lip and nostrils, how the temperature of the air differs when inhaling and air when exhaling. Also, if the drowsiness does not go away, you can slightly open your eyes. But these kinds of concentration can work differently for different people, so check for yourself which suits you best.

And, of course, I remind you that you should not control your breathing. I know this is very difficult to do, because breathing is one thing that is very easy to control. But with practice it will start to work out. Just watch your breath, leave it as it is.

In conclusion, I would like to give a few important tips for those who want to start meditating.

• Don't expect instant results! The effect of meditation does not come immediately. It took me half a year to feel the tangible effect of the practice, but it may take less time for you. Nobody can become a guru in a few sessions. Effective meditation requires patience and habit. Do not start classes if something does not work out for you or you have not achieved the expected effect. Of course, it takes time to achieve something tangible. But, nevertheless, some aspects of the effect of meditation may become noticeable immediately. But this is from person to person: everyone is different. Don't be discouraged if you don't feel anything and keep meditating! Practice will not bring great results if you do not work on yourself. Meditation is, in a sense, a tool that helps you work on yourself. One should not look at practice only as a panacea. Do not think that the effect will come to you immediately if you meditate. Analyze yourself, apply the skills gained during the practice to life, maintain awareness, try to understand what meditation has taught you, and then the result will not be long in coming.
• During the session, you should not strain and go out of your way to stop thinking. You should not constantly think about not thinking. Don't get hung up on what you can do. Take it easy. Let everything go by itself.
• It is better not to meditate before going to bed. Try to meditate at least a few hours before going to bed. Meditation gives a charge of vivacity and strength, after which it can be difficult to fall asleep.
• Notice how much better you feel on the days you meditate. Over time, you will notice that your mood becomes more upbeat after meditation, it is easier for you to concentrate, and in general you become more relaxed and confident. Compare this to days when you don't meditate. This will come with practice and will motivate you to keep practicing.
• It is better not to fall asleep during the session. To do this, you need to keep your back straight. But, even if you fall asleep, then there will be nothing to worry about. According to the Himalayan meditation teacher, even sleeping during the session will be beneficial for you in terms of the meditative effect.
• Do not eat heavily before and immediately after the session. This is because during and after meditation, the metabolism slows down, which prevents the digestion of food. Also, during practice, the processes of assimilation of food will prevent you from concentrating. And if you are hungry, then before you meditate, you can eat something light so that thoughts about food do not distract you.
• It might get worse at first. If you suffer from depression or other mental illnesses, such as panic attacks() and decide to use meditation as an exercise that will help you overcome these conditions, then know that it is really very efficient technique on getting out of depression, fighting nervousness (), etc.
  Thanks to meditation, I got rid of panic attacks, anxiety, sensitivity and bad mood. But it is known that these ailments can intensify for a while. I had it. But it's not scary. The deterioration was short lived. And after a while it all went away. Someone says that a bad state at first may be due to the fact that the negative comes out. Like it or not, I don’t know, but the fact remains on the face and don’t let it scare you. Forewarned is forearmed.
• Know about side effects practice! Read the article.

Now, perhaps, everything. Finally, I wish you success. I hope this article has helped you figure out how to meditate properly, and encouraged you to engage in this all-round beneficial practice. Don't delay and get started today.

Update 09/06/2013. Dear readers, from this day on, I stop responding to comments from the series: “I meditate for a month and I can’t concentrate, what am I doing wrong?” or “when will meditation work? Am I doing everything right?

The point of meditation is not to turn off thoughts. Thoughts will come and go - that's normal!

Meditation is not just a process during which, by some miracle, your body is restored and your mind calms down. This is also happening. But meditation is also a conscious work on oneself. You learn to control your thoughts and experiences, to observe them from the outside, without getting involved in them. And it is normal that another thought or emotion distracts you from the mantra or the observation of the breath. Your task at this time is to gently bring your attention back.

And the more often you are distracted by thoughts, the more often you notice it and the more often you divert attention from them, the better you can do it in real life. The less you identify with your emotions and the better you can stop them. Therefore, from a certain point of view, thoughts during meditation are even good.

During meditation, relax, you do not need to react in any way (with annoyance, or with the thought that it does not work out) to the appearance of thoughts. Just calmly and indifferently concentrate on the mantra or breath. Thoughts come - so be it.

The meditation technique consists in moving into a special altered state of consciousness, relaxed and calm. find out simple rules and you will always be able to get rid of anxiety, calm your thoughts and activate brain activity.

What is a meditation technique?

A meditation technique¹ is a sequence of actions through which meditation is accomplished! There is no single meditation technique, how many practitioners, so many techniques!

The ancient art of immersion in oneself, or in an altered state of consciousness, cures many diseases - both spiritual and physical.

There is a stereotype: the ability to meditate is the lot of the elite. In fact, this is absolutely not true. Meditation is available to everyone, you just need to try ...

What is the best way to meditate?

If you are new to meditation, you probably imagine this process in books and films as follows: you sit in the lotus position, close your eyes and plunge into nirvana ...

It's beautiful, of course, but modern man practically impossible. Even if you manage to fold your legs correctly, you won’t be able to completely relax, as thoughts about work, tomorrow’s visit to the tax office or a quarrel with a friend will come into your head.

The insistence on relaxation causes us even more stress. Therefore, you first need to learn how to concentrate² and only then go directly to meditation itself.

Gradually, you will be able to reach a state where the mind and body are in harmony and you will find an island of serenity inside you, where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle and recharge with optimism.

So, have you decided to try it?

Then close the door, turn off mobile phone and start meditating. Most importantly, enjoy the process!

• the best time for meditation is early morning (4-6 am) or evening (before bedtime);
• do not meditate on a full stomach, it will prevent you from concentrating;
• during meditation, the position of the body is not as important as the position of the spine and neck. They should be straight but not tight;
• you should be wearing loose clothing so that it does not interfere with concentration;
• good health is also important.

Meditation technique

Now let's get down to meditation:

1. You need to inhale and exhale three times, and begin to gradually relax.

2. Relaxation of the body is better to start with the head. First the forehead, then the chin, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, hips, knees and feet.

3. If it is not completely possible to feel relaxation, then you need to imagine that the muscles have relaxed or say to yourself: “I am completely relaxed, my body is completely relaxed, I feel lightness in my whole body, I feel good and free.”

4. After that, you need to concentrate on breathing or on a specific object until there really is lightness in the whole body, until the feeling of one's own body disappears, as if it is in weightlessness.

In this state, you can achieve a lot, as mentioned above, or just go into a trance.

If you have embarked on the path of self-development, then the ability to enter a trance will be useful for practicing many techniques that you have yet to master. Take meditation lightly, give it at least half an hour a day and the results will not keep you waiting. I wish you success!

Alma Akhmetova.

Notes and feature articles for a deeper understanding of the material

¹ Meditation is a kind of mental exercise used as part of a spiritual-religious or health-improving practice, or a special mental state resulting from these exercises (