| Meditation is a conscious mental state where our | | | | exercise mat. Some people even have a favourite |
| body and mind are purposefully focused and | | | | meditation chair. Try some of the challenging |
| relaxed. Expert meditators swear that doing it | | | | positions you might have learned from your yoga |
| regularly, using the right meditation technique, | | | | or even Pilates class. But, don't be too hard on |
| leads to a higher state of consciousness. They | | | | yourself. Practice easy positions first and build |
| say meditation gives you better focus,sharper | | | | your meditation approach as you become more |
| concentration, and increased awareness, plus a | | | | confident. |
| healthier positive outlook. | | | | Some people prefer a silent atmosphere when |
| You don't have to be mystic, or a 'guru' to enjoy | | | | meditating; others like some appropriate relaxing |
| the acclaimed benefits of meditation and you can | | | | meditation music or recorded natural sounds, like |
| literally meditate anywhere, but preferably where | | | | whales singing, birds quitely chirping or water |
| you don't have to concentrate on driving a car or | | | | flowing. There are even good recorded guided |
| machinery. | | | | medition CDs you can use to enhace your |
| Meditation has many different disciplines and | | | | practice. |
| approaches, but the basic fundamentals remain | | | | You might also like to have some pleasant incense |
| common to all. The ultimate focus is getting rid of | | | | burning, or even some nice smelling candles, to |
| negative, wandering, and obstructive thoughts by | | | | add to your peaceful meditation environment. |
| disciplining the mind to become accustomed to a | | | | You will need to get instruction about this, but one |
| higher plane of activity. Meditation seeks to get rid | | | | school of meditation involves chanting, or |
| of the the 'flak' and 'junk' that fills your mind, | | | | humming what sounds like a monotonous noise. |
| replacing it with more meaningful ideas and | | | | This is actually a mantra which has a mystic value |
| thoughts. | | | | to the person using it. Meditation chanting is a |
| Reigning in the mind through meditation, seeks to | | | | more advanced technique. |
| tune your thoughts to a better purpose; to clean | | | | Breathing is an important part of meditation. Yoga |
| it of rubbish and self-defeating thinking. | | | | teaches us to breath in through our nose to the |
| One school of meditation requires the removal of | | | | count of five, then out through our mouth, to the |
| all outside sensory stimulation so that exterioir | | | | countr of 10. You can use this tecnique to |
| noises and sights are phased out. | | | | become calm in stressful situations. |
| Other meditators deliberately focus their mind on | | | | The whole purpose of all these techniques; |
| some meaningful and important thought. This is | | | | breathing, chanting, relaxing; is to focus and |
| not easy because we are all very accustomed to | | | | discipline the mind. Another meditation technique is |
| sensory overload in our daily lives. The paradox is | | | | to singularly focus on a particular object or idea. |
| that by settling the mind and training it through | | | | A good meditation technique is to calm your mind |
| meditation, practitioners become much more | | | | and then to quietly, without speaking, only thinking |
| aware of what's going on around them. | | | | it, name each part of your body, progressively |
| Traditionally, we are familiar with mystics | | | | focussing your consciousness on them in |
| contorting themselves into all sorts of weird | | | | succession. You'll find it works very well to |
| positions when they meditate, but rather than | | | | mentally visualise each body part as becoming |
| jumping in to try yoga meditation, those starting | | | | completely relaxed, and without any tension. |
| out should simply find a comfortable position to | | | | Some people visualise the tension flowing out of |
| calm the body and the mind. You could lie down, | | | | them like a soft flowing stream. |
| sit cross legged, or even be walking as you | | | | IF you are interested in taking up meditation, it's |
| meditate; anything that induces an atmosphere | | | | definitely worth getting some lessons from the |
| where you can both relax and concentrate. | | | | experts. Researchers have discovered that |
| Ensure that your back is straight and that your | | | | meditation has a beneficial impact on the mind and |
| muscles are not tense or uncomfortable. But, | | | | body, but it takes practice. |
| don't become so relaxed that you fall asleep, | | | | Even medical doctors are coming around to the |
| because this is a different mind state. | | | | view that a healthy mind leads to a healthy body. |
| You should dress in very loose, comfortable, | | | | Meditation, or disciplined relaxation of the mind, |
| baggy clothing that does not constrict you in any | | | | has spin-off benefits to the body's biochemical |
| way. Many expert meditators barely cover | | | | processes and organ health. |
| themselves at all; maybe just with a loin cloth. | | | | After all, practitioners have been advocating |
| The environment for your meditation should also | | | | meditation for many thousands of years and, in |
| be peaceful, pleasant, soothing and relaxing. It | | | | today's frenetic world, deliberate and regular |
| could be your favourite room in the house, or in | | | | 'calming of the mind', through meditation, should |
| your garden, or even in a warm bath. | | | | be a daily practice for better mental and physical |
| Should you be a bit more advanced in your | | | | health. |
| meditation journey, you could consider using an | | | | |