What is meditation and how to learn to meditate? What is meditation and what does it give to the common man.

Hello friends!

Even before the total immersion in travel, I read a lot of literature of the so-called spiritual nature and crossed paths with people who, with their examples, showed me a simple and effective way to harmony: calming the mind.

Meditation is a kind of mental exercise (based on concentration, relaxation and awareness) used as part of a spiritual-religious or health practice, or a special mental state resulting from these exercises (or for other reasons).

As you can see from the definition, meditation is both a process and a state. There are many ways to implement them, and every day this set continues to grow. This is facilitated not only by natural interest, but also by the increased commercialization of the spheres of the so-called. "spiritual development", where the vein of dishonest bribe-takers inevitably begins to penetrate.

In Borovoe (on the photo - my friend)

Such a trend, however, has a twofold result: on the one hand, esotericists get another toy at their disposal, on the other hand, pure practices increase even more in their own value.

In general, in Runet, I noticed that very vague definitions inevitably keep pace with the concept of meditation, in the spirit of “opening the third eye”, “merging with divine potential” or “esoteric wisdom”. All of them, in a certain sense, somehow reflect the experiences of the meditator, but nothing more than a one-sided projection.

To all such fantasies, meditation has only an indirect relation. Moreover, simplicity and naturalness, on the contrary, makes it a very mundane and earthy technique, without loud words and troubles. Although meditation in the form known to us came to us from the East, it primarily works with your quite tangible psyche, and certainly not with divine energies and the radiance of angels.

Even the Buddha initially carefully tried to cleanse it of all superstition, religiosity and ritualism. And even then he did not escape the transformation of his own teaching into an organized religion.

Of course, all people are different and therefore working practices will be different for everyone. Therefore, coming to calm the mind through concentrations on the chakras or angelic light will be just as effective for someone as through ordinary breathing.

Why does a person need meditation?

The purpose of meditation is to calm the chatty monkey called "mind." You have probably noticed how the thought process can take you into distant jungles, fantasies or deep reflection. How many problems have been caused by this? When, starting with the harmless thought of a walk in the park, we suddenly find ourselves drowning in anger towards the offender, who, perhaps, has long been dead.

However, this does not mean at all that the thought process should be completely stopped. This is as much a widespread myth as it is a necessary esoteric component.

The calmness of mind achieved is a very natural state in which the mind, like a mirror, simply reflects things that come and go. Whether it is sensations in the body, thoughts or emotions that suddenly arise.

The nature of the mind is such that it is possible to stop its thought process only with the help of great tension, from which, on the contrary, we are trying to get rid of. There is a contradiction that any practitioner faces with a fairly diligent attitude to practice.

The results of meditation are different:

• someone feels a surge of calm and strength
• someone solves their deep psychological problems
• someone gets rid of chronic ailments caused by the same destructive attitudes of the mind (the so-called psychosomatic diseases)
• someone overcomes stress and turmoil
• someone draws inspiration for creativity
• someone gets rid of depression and neurosis
• and someone just expands consciousness

Me once meditation in general and the start of a completely new life.

However, such accompanying experiences should not be made goals. This will only add to the tension and make meditation a "mind" exercise that, instead of releasing, will lead to stress.

If you experience other emotions and impressions, it's okay - there are many variations; no less than the number of people living on earth.

In front of the Buddha in Thailand

As for the subjectively experienced experience, there is no point in describing it and even reading about it. All of these are personal projections and experiences of each individual practitioner. They can easily accommodate both bright and beautiful experiences, and quite frightening ones.

People often ask the question "what is the point of meditation" and confuse the cart with the horse. Meditation is a process, it is an immersion in the here and now.

How to learn it and where to start?

It is very easy to start meditating. Just 2 simple steps are enough:

1. sit with a straight back (stable body position)
2. start observing your natural breathing (without trying to control it)

Neither lotus postures, nor the sevenfold postures, nor mantras, nor even closed eyes are necessary conditions in order to start meditating. Posture stability and simple concentration with awareness is more than enough to get you started.

ALL! According to one of the modern masters, Mingyur Rinpoche, meditation can be easily woven into everyday life: while cooking, walking and even driving a car. The main condition for successful practice is awareness!

However, do not completely reject the rest. Lotus posture, mantras, eyes are the same tools as breathing and awareness. But if we can do without mantras, then there is no way without awareness.

Of course, it is better to learn meditation under the guidance of an experienced master. For this simple practice has a lot of side effects, which are not always easy to cope with.

How much time should one meditate per day?

The answer is predictable: the bigger, the better. However, few of our modern environment can afford to devote 4-6 hours a day to practice. And even the 2 hours recommended by Vipassana seem like a huge luxury.

And this is normal, because only monks can afford to devote so much time to practices. We are laymen, and the demand from us, adjusted for our daily bustle, will be completely different. The practice can be easily woven into our daily lives: while walking, before going to bed, or on the way to somewhere.

The so-called. "The Art of Small Steps" Mingyur Rinpoche repeatedly speaks about him in his wonderful book “The Buddha, the Brain and the Neurophysiology of Happiness”.

Its principles are as follows:

1. 20 minutes a day can be a lot
2. try to meditate for 2 minutes, but daily
3. It is better to meditate badly than not to meditate at all.

Gradually, in a natural way, 2 minutes will grow to 5-10-15, etc., plus stable states will begin to be woven into everyday life, making even routine tasks tools for practice.

As a result, the accumulated “drop by drop ocean” will become a very good help and will begin to bear its beneficial fruits at the level of the deep psyche.

In the misty Himalayas

How and when this will happen, no one knows. And don't focus on it. It is better to direct efforts of attention to practice.

And what metamorphoses will occur thanks to it depends on the meditator. The main thing is not to stop and treat the process of meditation with patience, wisdom and discipline.

That's all, friends! I don't know what else to say about the basic foundations of meditation. Therefore, if you can add something on your own, please write in the comments.

And, traditionally: if the article seemed interesting to you, please share it on your social networks. This is the best award for me as an author.

Peace of mind to you and deep awareness!

No related articles

Good day, dear readers of my blog! On the path of self-development, meditation is an important tool - this is a state when the body is as relaxed as possible, there are no thoughts and emotions. It is achieved through special mental exercises. And today we will consider what meditation gives a person, since it has been used since ancient times, to this day.

Briefly about meditation

To understand what it is, I will briefly talk about the process itself. In a comfortable position, you need to try to clear your mind of all thoughts in order to concentrate on one task. By the way, the widespread opinion that only the lotus position is suitable is incorrect. It is quite possible to sit on a chair and even a bed, the main thing is not to lose control and not fall asleep. And for those who do not like to sit in one place, there are techniques that allow you to meditate while walking in nature. But in any case, each of them consists of several stages and has several types.

Stages

• Training
• Active actions
• Consolidation of the result
• Completion

Main types

1. Unidirectional . That is, you need to concentrate your attention on something, say something or listen. There are a large number of techniques, I will introduce you to them in the next article (concentration on breathing, on creation, auditory, active, passive group, revealing, deep, etc.). Usually one-pointed concentration is used to prepare for the next sight.
2. On the void . Sometimes it is difficult to achieve it, due to the fact that there should not be a single thought in the head, not a single emotion should distract you, only relaxation and concentration on emptiness.

Well, let's get down to the most important thing - why do we need it? Scientists have conducted more than three thousand studies on the effect of meditation on the human body. The results may surprise you, but even skeptical experts have recognized the enormous changes in the health and psychological state of the meditator. Even if a person practiced for only four days, there was a tangible benefit immediately.

Health impact

1. Lowers blood pressure and levels of lactic acid (lactate), thereby reducing post-workout pain and fatigue.
2. Helps strengthen the immune system, thereby increasing the level of protection against adverse environmental conditions.
3. The practitioner of the relaxation technique is less likely to develop heart disease.
4. Reduces pain and helps with headaches.
5. Less frequent asthma attacks
6. Most readers will probably be delighted, because meditation keeps the body youthful, and also increases life expectancy.
7. By engaging in practices, especially breathing, there is a high probability that there will be no need for smoking or alcohol.
8. The quality of sleep improves, depression and nightmares disappear.
9. Even children are useful, because the techniques help to reduce the hyperactivity of the child, calming the nervous system and increasing concentration.
10. Your mind and body will always be in good shape, no matter what kind of meditation you prefer.
11. Increases the production of the hormone serotonin, thanks to which we experience joy, happiness and interest in life.

Impact on thinking

1. Improves brain function and thought processes, resulting in increased performance over time.
2. Memory is strengthened, and absent-mindedness disappears accordingly. It is also an excellent method for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease, when over time a person loses the ability to remember events that happened 5 minutes ago, thinking decreases to the level of a two-year-old baby. By the way, if you want to increase your level of attentiveness, you can read a previously published article on the blog: "".
3. The process of processing information is accelerated, which significantly saves time and improves the quality of work.
4. A meditating person is able to discover and develop intuitive abilities.
5. Creativity and creative thinking develop.
6. There is clarity of mind, which makes it easier to perceive difficult situations and obstacles to achieving your goal.
7. The ability to learn and perceive new information increases.

Impact on the emotional state

1. Meditation techniques help increase self-confidence, give inner strength to implement your plans and, accordingly, increase self-esteem.
2. Much less often there is a feeling of anger or anger, irritability and dissatisfaction with life is minimized.
3. It becomes possible to control your emotions, which significantly helps to achieve success in doing business and important negotiations.
4. Depression and depression disappear, vital energy rises, stimulating desires and interest in every day.
5. For those who are actively engaged in self-development, I want to say that thanks to meditation, not only the quality of thinking increases, but also emotional intelligence. That is, awareness of one's feelings, actions, desires and intentions. After all, when success is achieved, it is this type of intelligence that plays a decisive role, and not
6. A meditating person achieves inner balance, his anxieties, doubts and worries disappear. He is more resolute, stable and in harmony not only with himself, but also with the world.
7. Stress resistance increases, which means that it becomes possible to maintain warm and close relationships with others. It also reduces the risk of many diseases that occur when trying to cope with stress, such as stomach ulcers, headaches, heart disease, back problems, throat problems, and many others.
8. A great way to deal with your phobias. Over time, the frequency and depth of experiencing fear is greatly reduced, resulting in a sense of calm in previously traumatic and frightening situations.

In general, why meditation is needed is to improve the quality of your life. After all, people who practice it eventually have a reduced desire to enter into conflicts, they are more efficient and achieve a high level of self-regulation.

During difficult life situations, they can rely on their internal resources without losing self-control and control. In addition, the confidence that everything in your life depends only on you, and you can become what you want, is very motivating to achieve, causing interest and passion for life.

Common traits of people who meditate

When performing techniques, a wide range of emotions and experiences arise, which can sometimes alternate, replacing each other, but in the end leaving joy and peace. For example, a feeling of strong love may appear, which will be replaced by anger, and then a feeling of peace will come. This is a very interesting experience of living, during which a person becomes more conscious, responsible and developed. The action is so effective and inevitable that there are even common features of people who distinguish them from the rest who do not practice this way of self-development:

• Openness to learning something new;
• Interest in your inner world, experience and sensations;
• Increased ability to focus on the necessary things and processes;
• A very significant ability for a person is to accept another as he is, and, accordingly, himself too. With all the flaws and negative personality traits. After all, changes for the better occur when we realize the present and recognize what we have and have, even if we don’t like it.
• A high level of self-control, a meditating person will not allow himself to be led by feelings, allowing himself outbursts of rage or scandals. If only because it is easier to relate to life, not prone to neuroses, and simply practically does not feel such charged emotions as rage.

With meditation, you are essentially working with your subconscious mind. That is why I recommend that you read here with these free video tutorials. In them you will find meditation practices aimed at working with the subconscious.

Conclusion

It is important to remember that the process of self-development is a continuous work on oneself; after doing an exercise just a couple of times, one should not expect instant colossal results. Show perseverance and willpower in the process of achieving your goals. Hone your skills, and over time, your knowledge of yourself will reach a deep level, opening up completely new sides of your inner world.

You will learn how to meditate correctly in the article: "".

As you can see, dear readers, meditation is the main element on the way to achieving harmony with yourself and others. No wonder it has been at the peak of popularity for so many hundreds of years and does not lose its leading position in the list of methods for self-development and improving the quality of life. Harmony and balance to you.

Open the doors of the senses. Feel even the crawling of an ant. Then THIS will come.

(Vijnana Bhairava Tantra)

One of the practices shrouded in a halo of mystery, and therefore seemingly incomprehensible to ordinary people, is meditation. Despite the great attention of the scientific world to it, which is doing more and more research, it has not yet been clarified what and how it affects a person during meditation and from what such fantastic results are obtained.

Meditation, known to people since ancient times, had different names for different nations, but the meaning of these names is the same - it is mental contemplation, concentration. There was a name in Russian thinking or doing smart.

Osho describes the state of meditation as follows:

“This is what Lao Tzu called wei-wu-wei, action through non-action. This is what the Zen Masters used to say: "Sitting silently, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself." Remember, "by itself" - nothing is done. You don't drag the grass up, spring comes and the grass grows by itself. This state - when you let life take its course, when you do not want to direct it, when you do not want to control it in any way, when you do not manipulate it, when you do not impose any discipline on it - this state of pure undisciplined spontaneity is meditation. Meditation is in the present, in the pure present. Meditation is immediacy. You cannot meditate, you can be in meditation. You cannot be in concentration, but you can concentrate. Concentration is human, meditation is divine.”

The first and foremost task of meditation is to calm the mind.

Try to observe what your mind is doing, even if only for a very short time! You will see how he jumps from thought to thought, from object to object, and all the time is in fuss, in disorderly movement. Command your mind to calm down, stop and think of nothing. No matter how! The mind is disobedient and self-willed and your orders do not work on it. Thoughts flicker, get confused and interfere with one another. Yes, and he cannot obey: after all, he orders himself to stop - and this is another thought that begins to get confused with others.

And who to order? Where is our mind? Thoughts are immaterial, they do not have a specific place, storage. They come and go without our will.

Meditation- this is a tool that makes thoughts calm down, calm down, disappear and in the resulting silence allows you to hear and feel the knowledge that is necessary to solve a particular problem, not only in relation to health, but also other unresolved issues.

Why stop thinking? Yes, because the thoughts rushing in our mind do not allow us to live a full life - after all, they are all from the past and about the past! We are always in the past, thanks to the thoughts that disturb our mind. And this prevents us from seeing and feeling what is happening in the present moment. We have ceased to live and see the present moment, we are not here and now, but constantly wandering in the past.

During meditation, our mind focuses on some object or action in a special way, in which we completely merge with what it is directed to. At the same time, all extraneous thoughts themselves, without coercion, leave, giving way to intuition, the subconscious. That is why in the state of meditation problems are solved that in the ordinary state seem to us unsolvable. An example of unconscious meditation can be considered the state of composers, poets, artists - at the time of creating masterpieces, scientists - at the time of their phenomenal discoveries.

But the state of meditation can be entered and completely consciously. And, like any other ability, the ability to enter a state of meditation improves with regular “training”.

It is generally accepted that in order to practice meditation, it is necessary to take the appropriate posture. But it's not. Meditation can be done while doing any ordinary thing: washing dishes, walking in the park, coffee ritual or tea drinking ritual, if everything is done consciously, aware of every movement, can become a wonderful meditation practice.

To do this, you just need to relax and focus your attention on one thing, only one. For example, it can be the process of one's breathing, or the movement of a hand when doing some work, contemplation of a sea wave or a flowering tree, a starry sky, or just a point on a wall, on a prayer or a word. Absolutely anything you choose can be used as an object of meditation. The only condition is it is total concentration on that object.

At first it is very difficult to keep your attention on one chosen object. After all, our undisciplined mind has not yet learned to obey. Extraneous thoughts will invade our contemplation and try in every possible way to distract us. But you need to be persistent and again return your attention to the chosen object.

Every day it will become easier for you to focus on the object, because the mind becomes more disciplined.

Having stopped at one object for a while, you enter that state in which contemplation becomes easy and natural, as the mind stops interfering. And in this state, your essence can manifest itself in full force and the questions that have tormented you for a long time will receive the only correct solution.

Here is how Osho writes about meditation:

The mind is something unnatural, it will never stop, it will never become your natural state. But meditation is a natural state that we have lost. This is a lost paradise, but paradise can be returned.

All that is needed is to return this space again. You already knew it, so the first time you know meditation you will be surprised - because you have a great feeling that you already knew it before.

Do not forget that a person is an indivisible whole. The state of meditation is the only possibility for a person who is immersed in an abundance of various modern information to purify his consciousness and soul, to bring himself into harmony with the Universe. After all, man is part of the universe! The only opportunity to absorb healing vital energy, dissolve, become a part of Nature.

The state of meditation has a great healing effect. It has been scientifically proven that meditation affects metabolism, improves brain activity and normalizes blood pressure. Meditation has a great effect on the state of mind, helps to relax, relieve mental stress caused by stress, and relieve physical pain. Just a few minutes of meditation can give your body such a rest that you did not get even after spending your vacation on the sea coast.

If you were interested in the information or want to express your opinion - leave a comment and share with your friends. Thanks for the tweet.

Without a state of meditation, the miracle of balance demonstrated in this video is simply impossible.

What is meditation for?

Many of us still have a poor idea of ​​what meditation is and what it is for. Let's try to clarify this issue.

Meditation (from Latin meditatio - reflection) - a type of exercise for training concentration of attention, used for recreational purposes or for the purposes of self-knowledge and improvement, to develop control over the course of one's thoughts and emotions, or to enter a special state of consciousness.

There are many meditation techniques. During meditation, the practitioner is usually required to take a certain posture, sometimes a rosary and other auxiliary items are used. The object of concentration is usually sensations inside the body, internal images, less often emotions. Sometimes the object of concentration may be an external physical object. Meditation can be combined with breathing exercises. Depending on the goal, special meditation practices are used.

As a rule, meditation is associated with Indian yoga or Buddhism. But in fact, the history of meditation is much richer. Its traces can be found in ancient times, where among the Platonists meditation was a procedure that preceded theoretical thinking and was called "philosophical ecstasy", it was practiced by the Jesuits in the form of "exercise", Sufi Muslims in the teaching "On the Path", Jews in the "Kabbalah" , Christians, including Orthodox Christians, in “smart work”, where the mental prayer of Jesus connects the mind and heart. In the 1960s, hippies, for whom meditation was a means of achieving harmony, made meditation popular not only in the United States, but throughout the world. In Russia, interest in meditation increased dramatically during perestroika times.

Meditation helps to relax, get rid of stress, unnecessary thoughts and experiences, find peace of mind and a state of inner harmony and understand life in its entirety.

To engage in or not to engage in meditation, whether it is useful or harmful - everyone decides for himself. Spiritual practice requires patience and long and hard work, does not promise any material benefits - it only improves the Soul, harmonizes the inner world, helps to move more confidently and efficiently through life.

Experienced instructors of our center will help you to comprehend one of the mysteries and greatest arts in life - meditation. We will teach various techniques and methods, but only the person himself can comprehend this art through his own experience.

So, let's sum it up:

• If you want to return inner comfort and peace of mind - meditate!
• If you want to develop or strengthen your inner reserves and abilities, meditate!
• If you want to restore peace within and around you, meditate!
• If you want to improve your health, meditate!

Today's world has become fussy, always in a hurry somewhere, and people are very angry, cruel and rude. Previously, things were completely different. Apparently, with the advent of new technologies, humanity has already gone completely crazy, forgetting that the world is full of other interesting things: for example, the liberation of consciousness from everyday problems or the complete relaxation of the body. Every day we are haunted by a bad mood and. And if you do not notice that every day they literally devour us, then you can turn into an amoeba man. Now do you understand why meditation is so necessary for the soul, body and mind? After all, only it helps not only to strengthen the body and immunity, but also improves, reveals the potential, as well as trains willpower and protects against depression.

Meditation and its purpose

Meditation is a special exercise for the psyche. Such changeable phases of the state are not subject to all people, but only to those who have known the truth. In other words, not every person will be able to start meditating, this is a very complex process, the path to which is thorny. In general, translated from Latin “meditation” means “concentration”, “thinking”, “thorough thinking”. Many equate this human condition with magic and magic, but this is an erroneous opinion. There are 3 main goals of this practice.

1. Harmony with yourself. That very calmness, spiritual comfort and the state of friendship with the body is called harmony. Since most people live in a terrible frantic rhythm, not knowing what communication with their own body is, then meditation is simply necessary for them. We are full of negativity when something falls out of hand, does not work out, does not fit into the deadline. We want to quit everything as soon as possible, just not to see some people in the eye. Practice in this case helps a person to concentrate on what is most important - harmony, calmness and renunciation of one's own Self from all the problems that have fallen on the shoulders.
2. Healing. Few people can believe that proper meditation can heal the human body in the same way that a doctor does. Scientists claim that 80% of health problems are related to nerves, because of them we start to get very sick - and only she can save us. Of course, at the same time, not all diseases are treated, but most of them are for sure. That is why one of the main goals of meditation is to heal yourself by entering a state of calm and complete peace.
3. Independent development. Initially, it may seem that self-development is nothing but inner harmony, but there was already a record about it a little higher. Self-control is harmony, the ability to control oneself, but self-development is completely different. In other words, meditation helps a person to understand himself, fill his body with invisible energy and delve into the world of perception. As a rule, in this state the soul feels as comfortable as possible, it feels very good, and no one wants to leave the phase of self-development. They say that being at the stage of self-development, one can learn the true path of mankind and its entire history, but such serious things are inherent in already experienced people who have been friends with meditation for more than a day and make conscious exits, filling their body with incredible powerful energy.

Preparing for Meditation

You can't just take and sit in the lotus position without preparing for meditation. There are some rules that are important to follow and not deviate from.

1. Don't eat for an hour. Meditation does not mean eating your fill. It should be easy in the stomach. It is recommended to eat either a light salad or drink tea before the process. Very often people want to sleep after a heavy meal. This state should always be avoided, otherwise you will simply be overcome by yawning and sleep during meditation. And also, if you overeat, then you can sit in an uncomfortable position, it will be difficult not to move and to be motionless in one place for 20-30 minutes.
2. Washing ritual. It is recommended to take a shower before meditation. Thus, you will cleanse your body of daytime troubles, wash your bad mood, refresh yourself, breathe purity into yourself. Such a ritual has a great effect on mood and desire to start meditating. Therefore, do not be afraid to pour hot water into the bathroom and relax before a responsible process. Let your body feel real bliss by accustoming it to meditation.
3. Place. The idea that now you need to hang amulets in the room, light incense and lay out mantras in the corners is complete nonsense. Any space you have in your home is great for meditation, whether it be a spacious kitchen or a sofa where you can easily fit in. Most importantly, all windows must be tightly closed, the phone must be turned off. In general, isolate the room from any noise so that it does not interfere. Or, be sure to abstract from all the sound interference that may be.
4. Time. The best practice is the morning from 5 to 10. It is believed that this period of time is the most fruitful. They say that while nature sleeps and people do not go out, meditation in the morning is the most necessary, as it fills the body with incredible energy and gives strength. You can, of course, try to meditate in the evening, but this will not be an effective exercise. Moreover, many, coming home from work after 6 o'clock, are very tired, they are no longer enough for meditation, because you want to bury yourself in a pillow and fall asleep so that the body physically rests.
5. Pose. In fact, there are many ways to sit while meditating, but the most common position is the lotus. The fact is that, sitting in such an unusual position, a person, as it were, closes the energy inside his own body and does not allow it to leave. Very often, beginners in this position have back and joint pain, as they are not used to sitting in the lotus. But, over time, any long practice turns into a favorite thing - and the lotus position becomes one of the most frequent that the body takes.

All meditation methods

There are a lot of techniques, the most effective meditation methods that help people draw energy and “negotiate” with their own bodies will be touched upon here. If some technique does not work, then there is no need to get upset - go to the second, third, and so on until you find the perfect technique for yourself.

1. Conscious breathing. It is a concentration aimed at controlling all the senses. In breathing, it is important to feel how the air enters through the lungs when inhaling, as well as how it exits. You should not worry about anything at all, except for your own proper breathing. Very often, in such a calm state, thoughts of a different nature begin to crawl into the head, sometimes even indecent phrases. They need to be discarded immediately. Only breathing, only inhaling-exhaling and tracking sensations after conscious meditation.
2. Mantras. One of the best methods that is used in meditation. It can be either an ordinary syllable or a word, or a whole complex phrase, which is also important to say at a certain pace. This is the same as prayer for Christians, only the singing of unfamiliar words. You have probably heard such a famous mantra as "Om", "Amen". So, while holding your breath, you need to chant the mantra so that all the sound comes out on the exhale, there should not be the slightest hint of air inside the body. It is as if you are pushing all the accumulated air out of your body with the help of singing, and you want to charge it with new and pure oxygen. Many do not like mantras, they are embarrassed to pronounce them. By the way, you can read them to yourself, but it will be much more difficult to exhale.
3. This is the ability to represent an object or a living being with exactly the same details that are in reality. As a rule, visualization is given to beginners much faster and easier than mantras. Only here there is a rule: in no case do not invent new nuances and details of objects. Imagine everything exactly as it really is, otherwise meditation will be a waste of time. Visualization can be done in another way: for example, not to look at the object, but simply close your eyes and imagine in your head a place that can really be in the world. For some, hours fly by to get out of the state of meditation, as visualization is very addictive and does not spare time.

Main advantages

1. Finding complete happiness. During meditation, a person opens his soul, removes the barrier - thus everyone can fully feel that he is happy, because he lives in this world.
2. Complete peace of mind. We are all in a hurry somewhere, we want to have time to do several things at the same time, but this is impossible. It is meditation that helps a person to escape from the hustle and bustle, restoring a close connection with the body and mind. There is nothing more divine than to feel that there is nowhere else to rush, you can live measuredly and do whatever you want.
3. Health promotion. The energy that fills the human body is really capable of healing. A person is always in good shape, he is very collected. As a rule, those people who often meditate are not subject to jumps in pressure.
4. Getting rid of burdens. The true values ​​of life are very clearly visible. Meditation helps a person free his body from problems, frequent stupid questions and sets the mind for the best, instilling hope and faith in a bright, unshakable future.
5. Removing the shackles of the past. Many people are held back by past moments of life, because it is difficult to forget about them. Often nostalgia can rush in, which is difficult to refuse and not think about. That is why this practice is necessary to prevent a return to the past and to appreciate the present moments right here and now.
6. Respect for people. To accept loved ones and friends as they are, only meditation is needed. We are all not perfect, each of us has our own shortcomings, a person cannot be changed for one or two. That is why it is best to love others - an important point. And no matter what the person is, the main thing is to treat him with kindness and respect.
7. Answers to all questions. The more you meditate, the clearer the path to the future will open up. As they say, you will know the true path, you will find answers to all the questions that have previously disturbed you. In the end, an insight comes to everyone, which, as it were, breathes new life and directs them on the right path.

How to Meditate Properly

In general, there are a lot of techniques for meditation. Here is the most common and popular method for those who have just begun to “flow” into a calm state of mind and body. Take an ordinary chair with a back, sit on it, lean well. Close your eyes and do not open them until the end of the meditation. Put your hands on your knees. So, you have taken the initial position, with which you need to proceed further.

1. Breathe deeply, listen to how you exhale the air, do it rhythmically, smoothly. The chest should rise and fall at the same frequency - about 6 seconds to rise and fall. This is called correct breathing during meditation.
2. Now, try breathing differently, changing the 6 seconds of lifting during inhalation to 8, and exhaling, on the contrary, do less - 4 seconds. Turn off any thoughts that pop into your head. Before you should be a state of complete devastation, purification, as if there is nothing in your head, and problems are somewhere behind the door.
3. While continuing to breathe at the same frequency, try to focus your attention on any part of the body, relaxing it as much as possible, but at the same time, feeling and feeling every joint. Start with your fingers or toes.
4. Visualize in your head that there is energy within you, a bright glow that is rolling in and about to burst out. Under no circumstances should it be released. On the contrary, try to make this glow ignite every cell inside, feel how pleasant tingling and warmth envelops your entire body from head to toe.
5. As soon as you imagine that the light has filled your entire body and has already reached the very top of your head, open your eyes and look intently at the point that fell into the field of vision. Do not be distracted by extraneous sounds, do not let them into your world.
6. Inhaling clean air with a full chest, try to sing the following vowels on the exhale: O, U, A, E. Sing until the air runs out. Each sound implies a separate breath, but take your time, do it slowly, loudly and clearly, which rang in your ears from the purity of singing.
7. As soon as all the sounds are sung, you can stop holding concentration. Sit for about 5 minutes without thinking in your head, relaxing. And only then you can "come to your senses" after a 30-minute meditation.

Those who do this every day are very calm, happy and lucky people. The state of complete silence helps to focus. You can’t even imagine that you can feel bliss from which you don’t want to leave.

How often should you meditate

From the first time, you are unlikely to get a perfect meditation, which takes no more than 15 minutes from professionals. Therefore, tune in to long work, hear your body, understand what it wants - and only then it will be successful, short, but effective. To begin with, devote 15-20 minutes a day to classes for complete relaxation. It is best to relax early in the morning and in the evening. A strict rule for everyone: withdraw into yourself and free your mind every day, this is extremely important. They say that if you do something every day at the same time, it will become a habit. Are you used to brushing your teeth twice a day? It should be the same here: start practicing 2 times to finally get used to this lifestyle. Then, when meditation is tightly integrated into your rhythm, 10 minutes a day is enough to relax and “catch” a state of calm, protect yourself from all pressing problems and find harmony.

Sound Meditation

Great practice for those who love the sounds of nature. If you can’t tune in silence, then perhaps concentration with sound accompaniment will be useful for you. As a rule, it can be the sound of a waterfall or surf, the singing of birds, the rustling of leaves. Of course, it will be great if there is a living field or forest right behind the house, where you can come and meditate with peace of mind. But if this is not possible, then why not include a disc with the same sounds? The main thing is that there is no interference during playback. You can do the same meditation with breath and glow.

1. Don't relax before bed. It's great, of course, if you empty your body of all problems, but meditation is not designed to fall asleep after it. The fact is that after the session the body will be full of vivacity, incredible energy, after which it is very difficult to start sleeping. That is why people recommend meditating early in the morning so that the body gains strength so that those who do not get enough sleep can turn on vigor for the rest of the day.
2. Compare days with and without meditation. If you draw a parallel and compare all the days, you can see the effect. So, for example, if you forgot to do it or for some reason it didn’t work out, then the person will feel bad, he will be lethargic, boring, as if all the juice had been squeezed out of him. A day with classes gives the body self-confidence, the state will not be relaxed: on the contrary, you will want to work hard and add goals.
3. Do not fall asleep during practice. It is enough just to keep your back straight, not to slouch in order to put a barrier in front of you and sleep. Meditation is relaxation and distraction from all problems, but not sound sleep. Yes, at the first stage you will really want to dive, but stop yourself, develop endurance.
4. Do not eat heavily before and after. Meditation slows down the metabolism, which is why it is not recommended to eat heavily. The digestion of any food becomes very slow. It is best to eat an apple and drink a glass of water early in the morning before the session, and after 1.5 hours allow yourself to eat well, rather than eat to satiety. Assimilation of food in the body is also a powerful waste of energy. Remember that you should have only one goal in front of you - to feel harmony, which takes a lot of energy, three times more than digesting food.
5. It might get worse. But don't worry, it will be in the early stages. Then, after about 5-6 meditation sessions, the condition will improve. All this applies to those who often have panic attacks. People who are in perpetual stressful conditions and suffering from depression are easily prone to anxiety. And during a tense moment, you see, it is very difficult to take a calm pose and not think about anything - that's why it can get worse. First, all the negativity will come out, and then the soul will be filled with incredible positive energy, which the soul lacked so much.

Useful sources

Now there are a lot of books that you just need to read before you sit in the lotus position and close your eyes. Let this short list be the best bibliography for beginners and advanced alike.

1. Danny Penman How to Find Harmony in a Crazy World.
2. Vitaly Gibert "Model of the future, modeling".
3. Yongey Rinpoche Brain, Buddha and Happiness.
4. Osho Meditation is the first and last freedom.

Life passes very imperceptibly, especially when people are constantly in a hurry somewhere. Do you think happiness lies in having time to do all your business and earn as much money as possible? Of course, finances and well-being are an unknown happiness. But even higher is peace and harmony with your body. It is a pity that many still do not understand that the meaning of life is to know the truth, to understand why people exist at all. Those who have joined meditation have already realized their path. And things move much faster for them, even though she does everything slowly. Someone runs after fame and money, and at this time, meditators already have all this. It seems that it is time for humanity to think.