Meditation
Meditation has been a part of many cultures for thousands of years. It is used all over the world, by millions of people, to relax, reduce stress, rest or to find a deeper understanding of particular issues, themselves or life in general. Daily meditation sessions can certainly have a huge positive effect on your life through stress releif and being able to handle situations calmly and more effectively.
There are many methods of meditation but we are going to look at self guided or unguided meditation here. You should initially start in a quiet place where you will not be interupted however, with some practice, you should be able to meditate almost anywhere. Please note that meditation should NEVER be painful. Seek professional advice if you experience pain while meditating.
The Technique.
Start in a sitting position, upright but comfortable. Your feet should be flat on the floor if you are using a chair or you can sit on the ground with your legs crossed. Make sure your back is straight (slouching may damage your back) and have your arms comfortably by your sides with your hands in your lap or on your thighs. Close your eyes.
Option 1 - The Mind's Eye
Take your thumb and press it firmly to your forehead, in the middle just above your brow, for about 5 seconds. Place your hand back in your lap. If you lose focus at any time simply repeat this action. You should be able to feel the impression of your thumb for some time - especially if you are focussed on it. Imagine your conciousness expanding outwards through this point, allowing your mind to float freely. You may see colours, flashes or images or you may get many pther strange sensations. Just allow your mind to wander aimlessly. If you find yourself thinking of day-to-day things (like what you need at the shops or what to have for dinner) just refocus on the thumb print and allow your mind to expand out again. When you have finished your session, gently come back to the room and open your eyes.
Option 2 - Breathing
With your eyes closed, focus on your breathing. Take long, slow, deep breaths through the nose, breathing with your diaphragm. Your stomach should expand rather than your chest. (Take note of babies - this is how they breathe naturally and somehow we unlearn this far more effective breathing technique.) Allow your mind to wander. Your body may want to move in odd ways - a gantle turning of the head or rotations of the neck or shoulders. This is usually subconcious stress being released and you should allow this to happen. Again, if you find yourself thinking of day-to-day things, refocus on your breathing. When you have finished, slowly return and open your eyes.
Option 3 - The Water Vessel
this is usually the method most people end up using as it is the least physically obvious, so you can do it anywhere - even on the train on the way to work!
Close your eyes. Imagine you are a vessel full of water, filled to the very top. You have a plug in the base of your foot. Image the plug is pulled and the water begins to drain away. Feel it slowly emptying from your head, down your neck and shoulders, across your chest and stomach and all the way down your legs and feet until you are completely empty. Then image refilling. Beginning with the feet and slowly coming up the legs and body, up the neck and finallyright up to the top of your head. Some people prefer to think of a thin line like a laser moving slowly from top to bottom and back again. Whichever you prefer is fine. If you do not feel fully focussed, repeat the procedure. Your mind should now be empty so you can just allow it to wander. Refocus by repeating the procedure if you begin to think of everyday things. When your session is finished, come slowly back and open your eyes.
While meditation can be quick or can last for many hours, a good time to set aside would be about 20 minutes. This allows plenty of time to focus and relax and for any tensions to work their way out of your body. These methods should enable you to release stress that you are holding subconciously or it may even alert you subtly of illnesses or injuries you were not aware of. Some people fall asleep for the first few times (or even months!) and this is OK. It just means that your body needs to sleep or to repair itself. Other common reactions include visions of colours, flashing light or images, body movements, hot and cold flushes and focussed awareness of parts of the body. Please remember that meditation should NEVER be painful. If you get any physical pain, stop immediately and seek professional advice.
You should avoid eating immediately prior to meditating as you will just be meditating on your food! However, if you have a particular issue you want to try to resolve, focus on it before beginning and you may find insight.
Meditation can be done any time you feel like you need to revitalise your mind. Two to three times a day is a good guide but try to make it at least once a day. Enjoy!