When coming across those who have a pretty consistent meditation practice we often think, ” They make it look so easy”. Seeing people who have been sitting for what seems to be long periods of time and the aspect of a quiet mind; may have us wondering how do you do that? The secrete is you can do it. We often times here people say I want to get into yoga and meditation but I ________. Preceding the big but is normally an excuse as to how hard it may be, it is tied to a religion, and/or they can not focus for a particular amount of time. Many of these things are merely limit we have placed on ourselves. We are here to help you strip away those limits with 4 encouraging tips you should know before giving meditation a try. Consider this a little beginners Guide to Meditation; giving you some tips and tools to make your practice a little lighter.
1. You Can Meditate Anywhere.
The first encouraging tip to know is you can meditate anywhere, anytime, and anyway you would like. Many encourage beginners to start off practicing meditation in a seated up right position; Indian Style with a little cushion or back support. However, meditation can be done many ways. You can meditate:
• Laying down
• In a chair
• Driving
• Standing
• In the shower
• In a bath
• Through movement
Mediation is believed to be the earliest signs of yoga; making yoga meditation in motion. It all boils down to the breath. Consciously paying attention to your breath makes meditation accessible where ever you may be.
2. You Can Meditate at Any Time.
Many may associate meditation with a religion and assume meditation is reserved for certain times of the day. Our second encouraging tip is to reassure you that meditation is not religion specific and you can meditate whenever you feel. Morning meditation is a great way to start the day. It is encouraged to set a mantra for the day along with morning meditation. You can reflect back on your mantra whenever you feel your day maybe getting rough; aiding with anxiety. Taking a midday meditation break is a great way to recharge while at work. A common meditation time is at night. Meditation after dark is a great way to relieve the stress of the day and settle into your night before going to sleep. Beginning your meditative practice after dark aids one in sleeping through the night or simple falling to sleep. Another encouraging tip is meditation after any type of workout. Doing this helps being the heart rate to a neutral state with easy.
3. You Can Set a Mantra.
Going into any task with an intention is always a great idea. Not as though you are expecting something such as a reward. However, going into yoga and meditation with the intent of leaving it all on the mat will aid us daily in becoming the best version of ourselves. This encouraging tip gives you 3 mantras that will assist you in your meditative practice. The following mantras create space for healing, stress relief, and relaxation; allowing you to create more mantras for yourself later on.
• I am Open
• I Release
• I am Present
Using these three mantras in the beginning will give you a foundation to start with as you build your practice. An encouraging tip when using mantras is to expound on them as you breathe. Asking yourself, “What am I open to?” or “What do I release?”
“Ex: I am open to change.”
With mantras you can say them out loud or quietly yourself as you sync them with your breath.
4. You Can Use Tools.
Our final encouraging tip opens us to a broad spectrum of meditative styles. Some people enjoy mixing their meditation practicing up every now and then by using tools. This normally happens when you become more in tune with your body and able to sense a blockage somewhere. These tools consist of aromatherapy, crystals, sounds, and much more.
Aromatherapy
This is the most common tool we may hear people talk about. Aromatherapy may consist of incense, candles, essential oil, sage wands, and palo santo wood.
• Incense: Great for raising the vibrations and blessing yourself, your space, objects, and others. Sage and Palo Santo wood are the ideal tools to use for cleansing and blessing. Scents such as frankincense and myrrh assist with sending prayers higher. You may also use this fragrance for blessing and bringing in positive energy.
• Essential oils: Is a great tool to ease your mind, activate chakras, and parts of the brain. Common scents used are peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus.
• Candles: Candles are normally used to set the tone as well as manifest an intention. Often times certain colors are picked as a symbol of what is needs. Some may also pick candles according to the crystals being used in chakra clearing or to bring in the energy of what is being asked for. Example: green candles symbolize growth.
Crystals
Another tool that has recently come into the forefront of meditation is crystals. Many people have begun incorporating crystals into their daily life as well as personal meditation practice. Crystals are a great tool to use in meditation as well as metaphysical healing. They assist with taping into what is needed in the present moment. Crystals have their own vibrational frequency and is able to cleanse you aura and aid you is raising to your highest potential. They do this by stabilizing your vibrations and aligning you mentally, physically, and spiritually. Each crystal is different and holds unique purpose as well as story. Crystals are not to be dependent upon or prayed to. They carry a vibration just as we do. Crystals are a guide that The Most High and Universe work through just as much as us so that we can work with in partnership.
Sounds
Using sound during meditation may vary depending on the individual as well the day. It is often suggested that beginners use soothing sounds such as the ocean or rain. Others may suggest a guided meditation where there are sounds incorporated as someone talks you through the practice. There is a nice selection of sounds to choose from for meditation. You may pick from tranquil music from artist, nature sounds, binaural beats, and tabatin singing bowls and cymbals.
o Tranquil Music: This variety of music can be found anywhere. Many of our favorite artists have songs that have a nice beats to meditate to. Getting a hold of the instrumental is pretty easy.
o Sounds from nature: There are many apps such as well.as Calm and Spotify that have a variety of nature sounds such as: lakes, birds, the beach, and more.
o Binaural Beats: Each song we listen has a certain frequency that affects our brainwaves. They are designed to calm the mind and assist with better sleep, concentration, and more. There are many apps designed specifically for binaural beats; such as Beatfulness. The beats are known to assist with activating chakras as well.
o Tibetan Singing Bowls and Cymbals: Similar to binaural beats. These tools are incorporated within the beats from time to time. These tools are normally associated with sound healing.
A helpful tip that I am always mindful of is there is no right or wrong way to meditate. The practice is as personalized as we want it to be because it is a personal practice. All of the tips and tools given today can be used as much or as little as we wish. The encouraging tips given are suggestions to get us started and the tools described above are not to be dependent upon. Have fun with your personal practice and find what fits you. If you find a routine that works for you that is a beautiful thing; it is all about finding what feels right and good to you. My personal practice consists of Tibetan Bowls, eucalyptus oil, incense, and a sage smudge wand. I use the singing bowls and cymbals whenever I need to ground myself a little deeper. I find that is not only clears the stagnate energy within my home but, in my body as well. I do this before I meditate and sometimes after depending on how I am feeling that day. Before I meditate I always take a shower to relax myself; I find that I feel refreshed when I am on my mat. I also like to physically cleanse myself before I enter my meditative state. I take my oil and dab 3 times in the palm of my hand, rub them together, and take a nice inhale of the scent. Once that is done I settle into my meditation. I am not as consistent with the essentials oils and singing bowls as I am with burning incense. I try to make it a habit to burn incense daily in morning and at night regardless of the time I meditate; it does sync pretty well together due to the incense being handmade. They tend to burn slow where I can meditate while they are still lit. I burn my sage wand every Sunday to cleanse myself and well as my home. If I feel it is needed outside of that day I take time to do so. Whenever I light my sage and incense I work them around myself first and then the space. I find it is important to cleanse yourself first before you cleanse other people or space. Ideally I try to meditate at least twice a day; mainly in the morning to start the day on a positive foot. If I not have time before work I meditate in my office before I start my work day. On the days I do yoga I make it a point to close with meditation.
I hope this Beginners Guide to Meditation (4 Encouraging Tips To Know) was helpful. If you have a meditation routine and you would like to share it feel free to do so. And if you have any question my door is always open.
PS. The Healing Yogi 