The decision to start meditating is a matter of a second. When we feel ready to enter this world, we will only have to inform ourselves, find a time where we have the tranquility to do ourselves and a place where we consider that we are not interrupted. Any time is suitable to meditate daily, as long as we are willing to do so and our mind is ready and free of any type of prejudice.
Starting to meditate daily only a decision, desire and predisposition. We can all do it. Our western culture increasingly incorporates more elements within our reach so that everything unfolds easier for us: practice material, reading material, practice spaces, public talks and more.
How to start meditating daily?
There is no “instruction manual” on how to meditate. What there are experiences, those that can serve as a guide, both for simple aspects, such as wearing comfortable clothes and finding the right physical space and more sophisticated aspects?
Next, we will provide you with a “step by step” for those adventurers who want to start. We remind you that, anyway, it is possible to do it accompanied by guided meditations that aim at the full concentration of our mind.
- Choose how long we want to meditate daily. This point is important above all so as not to exceed a time and delimit ourselves. We can start for 5 minutes, ten or fifteen, it depends on what we feel we need.
- Stretch our body, warm up our muscles. To feel more comfortable and relaxed, if we stretch our body, the sensation will be total.
- Sit in a comfortable position. We can test with the different variables mentioned above, depending on which one corresponds to our preferences.
- Close our eyes. This point is vital because it is the one that fully connects us with ourselves and will collaborate in our abstraction from reality and the daily life that happens to us.
- Follow our breath. Inhale and exhale continuously, helping to exercise our lungs and our entire respiratory system.
- Avoid thoughts. Whatever it is that interrupts us from full concentration on ourselves and the here and now. Reject everything that comes from the past and everything that tries to project a future.
- These could be called the basic steps, but there are also many variables to work on. Meditation can be practiced by repeating a mantra, visualizing an object, walking, concentrating on our body and visualizing positive thoughts or deeds.
Everything we want to work on can be complemented by attending classes, learning about philosophy, sharing experiences with people who also practice it, listening to guided meditations. But, above all, trying to enrich our whole being and make it part of the present and its own facts.
Common mistakes when starting meditation daily
Although to be able to meditate as a beginner, there are not many necessary precautions other than the simplicity of being calm and comfortable. We will tell you the most frequent mistakes so that you can avoid them and live the experience to the fullest.
Meditate in states of stress
Meditation is a practice whose main tool is our mind and making us the owners of it. This means that our mental condition is very important when meditating. If we are in a state of intense nervousness or very stressed, being able to connect with ourselves can be very complicated, so it is recommended that we evaluate beforehand.
Meditation for a long time
Sometimes, especially being just started, it is not necessary to force ourselves to carry out a meditation for a long time when the really important thing is to connect from the place of quality. Oftentimes, intense but short-term meditation can be more effective than long ones.
Meditate in an awkward or stiff position
It is common for our imagination to associate a basic or unique posture for meditation, such as that of Buddha: the deity within Buddhism. The truth is that the overriding point related to meditation is that we feel comfortable and relaxed.
Meditate with physical pain
Sometimes strong physical ailments can disrupt the concentration needed to practice meditation. Meditating requires a lot of our predisposition and concentration and if our attention is focused on some discomfort, it will be very difficult to carry out the process.
Meditate strictly following the directions
Many times, our body cannot strictly follow those steps or indications that meditation proposes. It does not have to be a central concern that we cannot take some steps or cannot move forward. It is difficult to feel forced into a process that demands the most natural of ourselves.
It is not identifying the best method that suits you
Because it is an ancestral practice, over time, different types and techniques of meditation have branched out with the same base but different approaches. As each body is a world, not all methods can sit us in the same way. It is just about taking some time to relax, try and explore. Explore different options, such as Trataka, candle meditation, which helps you focus your attention.
Don’t practice too much
Always when we start something, the adaptation period is the most important and the success we achieve depends on our perseverance. If we manage to reserve a moment of our day within our daily lives, it will become easier as a habit or routine that will benefit us.
Meditate after a big meal
In order to carry out the meditation in an optimal way, it is convenient that it is not after having eaten too much, since all the attention that we will need will be concentrated on the digestive processes and we will not be able to be 100%.
The comparison
A common factor in all practices is comparing ourselves with the rest of the practitioners. If they are more advanced or can develop better, it is something that should not matter to us or generate anxiety because our body can handle different times than the rest. Not listening to your body. The gradual change that meditation exerts on us and our well-being deserves to be heard especially if we feel that something is wrong so much to consult.
