A lot of people talk about the benefits of meditation. But with so many traditions and ways of meditating, it can get a little confusing. The good news is that there isn’t just one way to meditate.
The practice of meditation has existed for thousands of years. The exact date humans started meditating is unknown, but wall paintings from the Indus Valley Civilization – around 5000 BC – show archaeological evidence of meditation.
According to yogic philosophy, meditation is a state of mind transformation. There are many practices to achieve this. All meditation techniques help you gain better awareness of your mind to control it, just as you control your limbs to help you walk or do other daily activities.
How to Prepare for Meditation
How to Prepare for Meditation
If you decide to try this ancient practice, it’s best to remember that meditation is first and foremost a practice. Like any skill, it takes time, dedication, and regular time each day to practice.
For many in the modern world, the mental preparation for meditation is the most difficult part. Modern life is fast-paced, demanding and hectic. It’s hard to imagine the benefits of sitting still for a few minutes.
But there’s a reason the practice has been around for thousands of years and is practiced in spiritual and secular traditions around the world. Even modern technology is finding ways to facilitate the practice of meditation.
Therefore, the first way to prepare for meditation is to set aside a specific time each day to practice it. Ideally, also set up a comfortable place to meditate where you won’t be disturbed.
How to Set Up a Meditation Room
How to Set Up a Meditation Room
Your personal meditation space can be as simple or as elaborate as you need or want. It can always be changed. Some people just have a special chair to sit on, a cushion on the floor, or a yoga mat in a special corner of the house to meditate on.
Others may have their own “healing room” with statues or paintings on the walls of various deities or teachers important to their particular spiritual path.
What all meditation rooms have in common is the intention behind them. A room is a place where one can set aside worldly desires and focus on the inner work needed to clear and transform cluttered thoughts.
The 10 Most Important Questions to Ask About Meditation
One of the best things about meditation is that you don’t necessarily have to have extensive training to start your personal practice. But even for beginners, there are some practical aspects to consider.
These are the ten most frequently asked questions about meditation and how to apply them in your daily life.
1. Why start meditation?
why should i start meditating
One of the main reasons people start meditating these days is to deal with stress. Numerous studies have shown that meditation can actually be effective in relieving stress. As a result, the practice also reduces other diseases that are often exacerbated by stress. These are some of the known benefits of mediation:
- Reduce stress, depression and anxiety
- lower blood pressure and improve heart health
- help you sleep better
- regenerate cells faster
- Promotes faster healing
- reduce chronic pain
- Increase creativity and productivity
- Help you work better with others
- Let you live longer and healthier
- give you happiness and ease
2. How long should I meditate?
How long should I meditate for?
Some traditions suggest setting aside at least 15-20 minutes of meditation once or twice a day. This can be challenging for beginners. The good news is that you can start reaping the benefits of meditation even if you just start meditating for three minutes a day.
When you first start practicing, the right intention you put into meditation is more important than the time you put in it. Once you are able to sit still for three minutes, you can increase your meditation time to five minutes, 15 minutes, 45 minutes, or even two hours or more dedicated to meditation.
3. Will meditation make me too alienated?
Does meditation make me too alienated?
While the benefits of meditation are numerous, there are also downsides to meditation that cannot be ignored. One of them is that meditation distracts you from other activities.
However, some of these perceived negative effects are due to a misunderstanding of what meditation and yoga in general mean.
A meditation practice can bring to the surface what is already boiling inside of you. It helps you take a close, long, and sometimes close look at your true self. For this reason, many traditions stress the importance of learning to meditate from a master who can gracefully guide you through any problems that may arise.
Most traditional meditation lines have exercises to help ground you so you can reintegrate your meditative experience into your daily life. Some of these practices include:
- Indulge in a simple self-massage after meditation
- Say your name out loud after meditation
- Walk barefoot or hug a tree after meditation
- Eat a warm meal (e.g. potatoes, avocado) after meditation
- Write in your journal before and/or after meditation
- Immediately after meditation practice something you enjoy doing, such as music, art or cooking
In some Buddhist traditions, this feeling of “not being there” is associated with a disease called “lung.” the only cure