Daily Meditation Practice

The practice of meditation involves working with the body, breath and mind in a way that supports clear attention, clarity of mind, relaxation, and the growth of awareness. The physical effects of meditation include reduction of the heart rate and blood pressure (if these are high), a reduction of stress hormones, increased energy, a balance nervous system, and a bolstering of the immune system. For those of us who commute to work, your meditation can be done on the train or in a car (as long as you are not the driver). Keep in mind there is no perfect way to meditate. It is also very common for your mind to try and talk you out of meditation. Here are some general recommendations for the practice of meditation:

Find 10-20 minutes in your daily routine for the practice, at least once per day (twice a day is more effective); early morning before breakfast is a great time.
Time yourself at first by glancing at a watch or clock. Commit to a specific length of time and stick to it.
For the period of time you have set aside to meditate, arrange your life so that you won’t be distracted. For example, turn off the telephone ringer and ask someone to watch the kids (or practice when they are asleep).
The ideal posture is for the lower back to be arched a little (not a lot). You may need to place a small pillow under the back 1/3rd of the buttocks. This will help to slightly arch the lower back. With your lower back arched, your upper back can easily and naturally be supported in an upright position. Your head will freely “float” on an aligned torso. When sitting in a chair, make sure both feet are in contact with the floor. You can also sit on the floor using a meditation cushion. If for some medical reason you are unable to sit up straight, your meditation practice can be performed lying on your back.
Hands are gently placed in the lap or on top of each thigh.
Breath drops into the abdomen; inhaling expands the belly slightly, exhaling contracts it. Breathe through your nose with a gentle seal on the lips (unless your nose is congested, then breathing through the mouth is ok).

Two common meditation techniques are breath awareness and mantra repetition. When you are aware of your breath or when you are repeating a mantra, you are present. Being present is the way to inner transformation. Breath Awareness: One of the most effective forms of breath awareness is the 4, 7 breath meditation. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 and slowly breathe out through pursed lips for a count of 7. (It is helpful to imagine gently blowing out a candle). Mantra: A mantra is a short phrase, or string of sounds, that is repeated over and over and over again in the mind. “Om” (rhymes with foam) is a time-honored mantra that is very effective in helping to focus and quiet the mind . While meditating repeat the mantra “om” in your mind over and over again for the duration of your meditation. You can also repeat this mantra throughout the day to help keep your mind focused. Another option is the So Hum meditation: in your mind say “so” on the in breath and “hum” on the out breath. Meditation Directions Step by Step:

Step 1: Choose your method of meditation (Breath Awareness or Mantra).
Step 2: Sit quietly in an upright position.
Step 3: Gently close your eyes.
Step 4: Notice any areas in your body where you are holding tension and gently let it go.
Step 5: Let the rate of breath be soft and natural, do not try to control it.
Step 6: When distracting thoughts enter your mind (and they will over and over again), simply notice them and then return to your breath awareness or mantra practice.
Step 7: When you finish, sit quietly for a minute or two, gradually opening your eyes.
Step 8: Be gentle with yourself. Acknowledge yourself for making the time for your meditation practice.

Coming Back: The nature of mind is to wander and have random thoughts. When thoughts arise, do your best not to get involved in them. Your mind may tell you, “I’m not good at meditation”, “I’m not doing it right”, “I can’t do this”, “I don’t have time for this”, “I am frustrated”, “this is not working” … When these types of thoughts arise, don’t buy into them. This is how your mind rebels against meditation. It is a normal response, and it happens to almost everyone – especially in the early stages of your meditation practice. Keep in mind that your meditation is always perfect just the way it is. At some point after the mind has wandered off, you will eventually realize this has happened. At that point, “come back”. You can straighten your spine if it is slouched, and you restart your mantra or breath awareness practice. You may have to “come back” over and over again as the mind tends to repeatedly wander. It is important to not make any evaluation of how you are doing during meditation. Do your best not to judge yourself when the mind wanders – just come back. Relax and Release Technique: This technique can be used with any meditation practice. It is one of the most important techniques to free up resistive patterns in your mind and emotional body. During your meditation, or at any time throughout the day, pay attention to any thought patterns or emotions that may be unpleasant, fearful, or in any way disturbing. Allow these thoughts and emotions to arise and do your very best to not push them down or resist them in any way. They are arising because your psyche wants to release them. When they come up, take a breath, relax your body and let go of any tension that you feel. The more you do this exercise, the more you will be free of these disturbing thoughts and emotions.

As you develop a daily meditation practice, your mind will slowly become very clear. This happens all by itself – it is not really something that you “do”.