Beginning a Meditation Practice
Meditation sounds easy, but is it really that simple? We are
giving you 5 simple techniques how to meditate and to start with your journey
to inner serenity.
Yoga teacher
training dharamsala
At the turn of the year, many of us decide to incorporate a
new practice into our lives. We decided
that this year will be the year that we are healthier,
stronger, more organised, less stressed. But
often by the time February rolls around we’ve slid back into
old patterns and what we’re left with is
a feeling of regret and annoyance that we weren’t able to
keep our resolutions. Whether you set
New Year goals or not, the beginning of the year is as good
a time as any to begin something new.
This year, why not invite a meditation practice into your
routine?
For many, the idea of starting a meditation practice is
daunting. The word ‘meditation’ often
conjures up images of ash-covered sadhus sat in caves, perfectly
still monks clad in orange robes or
the endless recitation of long, complex mantras. Fortunately
for us, there are many other, simpler
The benefits of meditation are vast – a reduction of stress
and anxiety, improved concentration, lower blood pressure, greater
self-awareness and even increased compassion and kindness. If (like me) you
operate from a position of scepticism then you may also be interested to know
that Harvard Medical School has produced a significant amount of research
proving the effect of mindfulness and meditation, even alluding to the
possibility that different techniques do in fact produce different chemical and
neurobiological results. (For more on this, check out this article)
So we understand why meditation is useful, but how to begin
practising it? Often the mistake
beginner’s make is that they try to ‘empty’ their mind of
thoughts, and many people believe that if their mind is not quiet then they
aren’t meditating. This isn’t true! Meditation is the act of
concentration and observation rather than trying to rid your
mind of thoughts, and like anything else this will take a certain amount of
practice. We don’t expect to perform certain asanas at first attempt, nor do we
believe we can instantly play a new instrument or speak a new language. These
things take time, practice, and a certain amount of dedication. Meditation is
no different. By beginning small and simple, you will rapidly begin to reap the
rewards of your practice, and over time meditation becomes far more accessible.
Website:
https://shreehariyoga.com/