Meditation Techniques

Whenever we think of practicing meditative techniques, we really want to relax, have lesser negative thoughts and get rid of our anxieties. Meditation will not only help you achieve this but will also help improve physical and spiritual health. Anyone who is relaxed and calm is always more confident, has a lower heart rate and has a general feeling of wellbeing. All meditative techniques teach you to train your mind to be in your control. We mostly live in the past or worry about the future and focus on the negatives of life and that is the cause of many ailments. Controlling our thoughts and living in the present moment and making the most of it, is our goal which can be achieved through sustained practice of meditation. Thoughts seem to have a will of their own and they keep pulling us into past events and future concerns. The more negative the thought the more powerful it is. So how do we begin to eliminate focusing on negatives of life? Meditation is effective but is often more difficult than it may seem. Sitting still for long hours thinking about nothing may not be for us mere mortals. Thinking about nothing or “shunya” as the Vedas call it, is really the essence of meditation and mind control. With small steps everyone can get there. Elementary meditative techniques can be practiced just about anywhere and at anytime. Once these are mastered one can move on to mastering the more advanced techniques. Here are three Elementary to intermediate techniques.

Thought switching
The mind can only hold one thought at a time. So to begin with try switching a negative thought whenever it occurs with a positive one. This is not really a meditation technique but is very effective in dealing with stressful thoughts and a step forward. It helps you practice the very basic mind control and soon you learn to be the master and not a slave to your random thoughts. Negative thoughts have a deep effect not only on mental health but also on physical health and reflect in our attitude which has an effect on our work performance and relationships which have a bearing on how well we do in life professionally and personally. Whenever you find yourself having thoughts which make you anxious and stressed all you need to do is, think of something or someone who brings you joy and happiness. Usually we are anxious about future events or outcomes of acts already done. We need to understand that in both situations we can do nothing but wait for events to unfold. No amount of thinking and stressing can change anything. If you find that there is something that can be done to influence the outcome it would be sensible to take action rather than stressing about it. Let us look at two techniques that can help us be in more control of our thinking process and live a happier, healthier life. This can often lead to creating harmonious circumstances. Very often our circumstances are what we think them to be.

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Focused Breathing
Our breathing always changes in line with our emotional and mental states. The converse also holds true, if we change the way we breathe it affects our emotional and mental state. Usually when we breathe it is shallow. Try starting with just this aspect of breath control breathing deeper and consciously. Our anxiety and negative thoughts always start when we are alone. This can happen at any time and more so at night. Whenever you find yourself having the “opportunity” for negative thoughts try focusing on your breath. It is quite simple really and can be practiced anywhere; at work, at home, while commuting and wherever you feel the need. Whenever and wherever you remember be aware of your breathing; breathe deeply in a steady controlled manner. You need to breathe slow and deeper than you normally would. Simply using this breath control technique, over time you will find measurable change in your heart rate and blood pressure. It will calm and relax you. This is also an excellent technique for managing anger. If done regularly, this alone will change your attitude and make you a more positive person. Focused breathing in the long term can become a matter of habit. It affects changes to the biochemistry of the body especially a drop in blood cortisol levels. Cortisol levels are found higher in many people due to high stress and anxiety levels.

Bhastrika
To take the practice further and if you are more committed, you can try Bhastrika. It is best to practice Bhastrika in the morning somewhere with nature. Go to a park if you can. Sit cross legged in Gyan mudra. Keep your spine straight. For Gyan mudra make a circle with your index finger and thumb, place your hands, face up on your knees. Close your eyes and focus in the middle of the forehead. Now take deep breaths saying Om within your mind. Try to stay focused. You will find all kinds of thoughts wondering through your mind. Try not to focus on any thought and bring yourself back and concentrate on the word Om, the point on your forehead and in keeping your breath steady. Every time you breathe in say “O” and when you breathe out say “hm” to complete one chant of “Om” within your heart. In the beginning you may find it difficult to continue for long. Start with a couple of minutes and increase the time every day. You should target about 15 minutes of Bhastrika practice every day. When you begin it is fine even if you get out of the house, reach the chosen place and practice only for a minute. It is important to make it a habit and go through the motions of preparing to do it. Start at home if you like or if you do not have access to a ground or park. The important thing is to start and practice regularly. I wish you luck in your journey towards peace and liberation.

MeditationExpert.com