Meditation: Beginners Step-By-Step Guide To Meditation In Everyday Life: Relieve Stress, Anxiety, Transcendental Meditation, Reclaim Confidence, ... Stress, Depression, ADHD, Yoga, Power Of Now)

30 Pages·2016·0.58 MB·English

by  John Hampton

A Beginner ’ s Step-By-Step Guide
To Meditation
Introduction

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book ‘ A
Beginner ’ s Step-By-Step Guide To Meditation ’ . This Ebook will help you
discover the roots of meditation, giving you a necessary overview of how
meditation came about within western and eastern cultures. It will gently
introduce you to the art of breathing, and how to use breath to cultivate a
meaningful meditation experience. Mindfulness, an increasingly popular concept
within recent years, is thoroughly explored in order to improve various elements
of every day life. Visualisations, the use of colour, sound therapies and mantras
are also investigated and explained, preparing you to sufficiently and safely
experiment with a wide range of options, with a focus on customising the
meditative journey to your own specific needs.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter One – Meditation, A Brief History

Before we begin to explore the process of meditating, it's good to have an
overview of where it comes from, how it has developed within eastern and
western cultures, and the influences behind the practise.
A good way of identifying some early human patterns and behaviours is by
looking at art and wall paintings. In the Indus Valley, archaeologists discovered
painted images portraying meditation dating from as early as 5,000 BC. The
images show people sitting in meditation postures, with crossed legs, closed eyes
and hands resting on their knees. In terms of written documentation on
meditation, Indian scriptures have been found dating back 3000 years that
describe the process and techniques.
As the centuries passed by, many of the world’s main religions began to adopt
the basics of meditation and it has become one of the most important
components within spiritual development.
It is believed that the Hindu’s were the first to fully embrace meditation, but
between 600-500 BC, the practise was recorded in Taoist China and Buddhism
within India. This, over time, spread to other cultures in the West and influenced
religions such as Judaism and, eventually, Christianity.
The word ‘meditate’ actually comes from the Latin word ‘meditatum’, which
means, ‘to ponder’. This really does underpin the soul of meditation and it's
universal purpose across all faiths.
Meditation was introduced to the United States early in the 20th century, and in
the 1960’s there was a significant increase in interest.
In Judaism, Kabala has become hugely popular, and this in a nutshell is a
meditative study. Islam discusses meditation also. The Qur’an refers to it as
“Tafakkur” which is contemplative reflection upon the universe. Buddhism is
likely the largest investor in meditative practise, and can include Zen, Tibetan
and Theravadan approaches in order to achieve enlightenment. Christianity isn't
so commonly associated with the method, yet is actually quite prominent within
the religion. Scholars point out statements in the Old Testament that read, “Be
still and know that I am God.” Many interpret this as the importance of quieting
the mind.
One of the biggest names associated with meditation is the Buddha. The Buddha
is known for his amazing journey, which started in superficiality and riches, and
progressed through fasting, solitude, meditation and inner exploration to achieve
enlightenment. He developed a strong following, focussing on the ‘self’ rather
than a God or supernatural influence. He taught followers to look ‘within’ rather
than outwards.
As the West began to adopt the techniques from a variety of religious sources,
the impact it had on health and wellbeing were widely noted by those in the
medical field, especially in areas where medications were not working, or ideal
for a patient.
In 1979, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program was formed in the
United States, which promoted meditation techniques to help treat patients with
long term, chronic diseases and pain. Within the UK, mindfulness meditations
are commonly prescribed by GP’s to help deal with anxiety, pain or stress. In
2013, a medical journal ‘Frontiers In Human Neuroscience’ published a paper on
the medical evidence supporting a decrease in depression, stress and chronic
pain upon the application of mindfulness meditation exercises.
So, as you can seem it no longer has to be associated with an established religion
or devoted entirely to spiritual enlightenment, but can be adopted by any person
of any faith (or lack of) to maintain a healthy mind and body.
Traditionally, the meditation ‘pose’ is to sit cross legged with palms lightly
relaxing on crossed knees, and the index finger and thumb pressing each other
on each hand. In more recent years, it's common to alter this stance to any
comfortable sitting or lying position.
You can practice meditation in the comfort of your own living room, or join a
community meditation group. Either way, history shows us the benefits and
long-established importance of the tradition for us to work with.
Chapter Two – Breath and Body Awareness

The first step in learning about meditation is to observe your own breath. This
might sound strange initially, after all, we have been breathing since we left the
womb, and yet rarely take notice of it. But interestingly, it's an essential part of
focussed and deep meditation.
At any given moment, our minds are distracted by either the past or the future.
We are thinking about what happened at work yesterday and what we will do on
Monday to address it. We are thinking about the fight we had with our partners
last week and worrying about it happening again one day. Our attention is
always elsewhere, and hardly ever in ‘real time’. So that is one of the purposes
of the breath. By sitting comfortably (not necessarily in the meditative position
but any position that feels right), you can breathe in and out, calmly, and pay
attention to the motion.
This is much harder than it sounds. While the idea of sitting down and breathing
in and out might appear simple, it can be a real effort to continue the motion for
10 minutes. Thoughts will intrusively attempt to barge their way into the
consciousness, but when they do, it's best to acknowledge them, thank them for
attending, and then ask them to leave. Imagine your thoughts as clouds, and as
you breathe out, push the clouds away with your breath.
This is a good starting technique no matter what your religious background is as
it does not align itself with any one particular approach. The breath is something
that anyone can meditate on, it's something that we all own.
The process should not be a strain on the body. The inhale should be slow and
deep, with the exhale being controlled and long. It should not feel uncomfortable
or like you're suffocating, so please alter this method appropriately to fit your
own capacity. If you want, you can play around with different kinds of
breathing.
Meditation takes practice, patience and endurance. Breathing meditation is a
power that can be cultivated, and once it is, it'll help control all manner of
thoughts and feelings that can often overwhelm us. It's important that breathing
meditations are taken seriously, and that interruptions are properly managed.
While meditation experts can practise this technique in any environment, first-
timers will need the space, privacy, silence and warmth to full immerse in the
experience.
So how do we breathe in a meditative way? Firstly, focus on the sensation of
breathing. Can you feel it affecting or changing any particular part of your body?
Our breath allows for oxygen to circulate around the body through our blood,
keeps our heart beating and our organs healthy. You may be particularly drawn
to the sensations in your nose, abdomen, chest, throat or mind. Try to alter your
attention to other parts of the body and see if your breathing technique changes
the feeling in that area. This self awareness is the best first step you can take.
The breath and the body are interconnected. If your breath is slow and calm,
your body will follow. If your breath is fast and erratic, the body will be stressed
and out-of-sync. Furthermore, breath and emotions are also interconnected.
When you're angry or scared, breathing becomes shallow, fast, even difficult.
But when we’re relaxed and happy, our breath is usually controlled and easy. It
works in reverse also. If we take charge of our breath, it'll influence our
emotions. How often have you heard a doctor say to a patient who’s in shock
“Just take a deep breath”, or a parent say to a furious child “Breathe and count
to ten”. This is exactly the same technique as used in meditation. Our breath is
the foundation of our very existence. We could not live without it. So why don't
we pay it more attention? Only when something is wrong, such as experiencing
shortness of breath, do we take notice of it. It's important that we invest an active
interest in our breathing in order to gain awareness of our inner self.
Use this simple meditative technique for 10 minutes every day. Choose a time
that is undisturbed, but first thing in the morning is best as its when you'll likely
have the best concentration. At first, it's tricky. You'll find it hard to concentrate
on just breathing, because your mind will naturally explore other interests to
pass the time. Once a successful 10 minutes is established as a regular routine,
try increasing this by 5 minutes every week. Over time, a full hour’s meditation
will be possible, if not longer. If you do not feel you have much time to dedicate
to meditation, perhaps you're a busy parent or shift-worker, then just keep it at a
manageable time per day.
Once the breathing technique is practised and perfected, focus can be shifted to
other parts of the body. By this stage, it'll be far easier to allow the mind to hone
in on other areas of the body other than the art of breathing.
We told tension in parts of our physiology that we’d never dare imagine. While
meditating, move your consciousness to the sensations in your feet and legs.
Examine how they ‘feel’. Are they heavy? Floppy? Tense? Try to relax any
muscles that feel stiff. Then bring your attention up to the groin, abdomen and
hips. Much of our tension resides in this area, so again, release the tension, with
the assistance of mindful breathing. Eventually we come up to the chest, arms
and neck. Slowly and carefully allow these tense muscles to submit.
A full body scan like this can be hugely beneficial, not to mention affectionate
and loving. Our willingness to be self-interested can often open many physical
and psychological doors. Think about what it's like going to a spa. This often
includes a wonderful facial, pedicure, foot massage, sauna, scalp treatment, not
to mention hundreds of other exotic and indulgent treatments. A full body
meditation is very similar, but lending a hand to each individual aspect of our
physical wellbeing. Often we are stressed and uptight without realising it. By
looking at the body in sections, in a silent and safe environment, at the height of
relaxation, the muscles and energy can be altered, and a sense of wellbeing will
be heightened. Many people find they sleep better after completing this exercise.
Chapter Three – Mindfulness

You're likely to have heard of Mindfulness whether or not you've ever practised
meditation. It's recently exploded in Western culture, especially among
celebrities, and is growing in popularity within everyday life.
Mindfulness, in general, is altering the state of consciousness and bringing focus
to the ‘present’, with an interest in what is happening here and now rather than
yesterday or tomorrow. Much in the same way breathing meditation keeps us
focussed on ourselves, mindfulness meditation similarly helps us stay ‘present’
and not allow external influences to alter our thoughts.
Mindfulness meditation is unique because instead of using techniques to take us
to a particular place or achieve a desired outcome, it simply lets us ‘be’ as we
already are. How often do you actually allow yourself to just ‘be’? We are
frequently concerned with a number of interconnecting tasks, such as trying to
look a certain way, trying to ‘fit in’ or busying our minds with shopping lists and
money matters. Mindfulness meditation takes away those heavy burdens and
encourages us to ‘sit with’ whatever it is we ‘are’.
Mindfulness meditation can be especially helpful in times of grief or pain. When
we are in pain, we do whatever possible (as an instinct) to relieve the pain in
some way. This could be through prescription pills, alcohol, talking to friends,
becoming angry, inviting denial or ignoring it altogether. When we grieve (and
everyone grieves at some stage), we cope by making excuses, trivialising,
withdrawing, distracting or blaming, in order to make some sense of the loss.
It was Buddha who initially paved the way for mindfulness practise. He realised
that materials and riches did not cause happiness. He believed attachment to the
superficial only increased misery and disappointment. It was only when he lived
day to day, with limited resources and only his own inner self for company that
he managed to achieve enlightenment.
Mindfulness meditation encourages us to sit with the feelings we have. Instead
of trying to make the feelings into something else, it enables us to sit with the
raw helplessness of the situation. You may be wondering what good that does.
Surely we want to suffer less, not more? But only when we allow ourselves to
feel the present moment can true acceptance be cultivated.
It's not just in times of extreme difficulty that mindfulness is helpful. It can be of
assistance to everyday life. Have you ever had an argument with a friend or
loved-one that started at point A and quickly escalated to point Z? Neither of you
may have any awareness as to why that happens. But when mindfulness is
introduced, all of the influencing thoughts and feelings about that person can be
heard, accepted and forgiven. In day to day life we hold onto memories that can
impact on the way we treat one another, and by living in the ‘now’ rather than in
the past, there will be more open ground for growth.
This style of meditation is not dissimilar to breathing meditation. It can be
incorporated with the breathing techniques learnt in the previous chapter.
Again, a quiet, undisturbed room with warmth and safety is the best place to sit.
This meditation can be quite powerful and often overwhelms less practised
sitters, so it's good to start with small doses. Some people like to set up a
particular space where pictures and objects can be pinned to a wall or placed in
front of them. These pictures or objects should be symbolic of whatever is
happening in the present moment.
A good tip to get started is: Try not to judge yourself. As you sit in mindfulness,
there may be some difficult and challenging feelings that arise from the session.
Don't squash these or judge them for being there. By giving our feelings non-
judgemental attention, it'll become easier for healing and accepting ones self.
Mindfulness can be applied to anything. The way we communicate, the words
we choose, our presentation, the friends we keep, the relationships we nurture,
our health, our spending, our parenting techniques – everything has the potential
to be improved through mindfulness. But remember that being mindful is not a
substitute for actually participating in the real world. No form of meditation or
spiritual practise should ever remove the participant from reality or make it
difficult to engage in normal social situations. In fact, the outcome should be, the
more mindful we are, the more compassionate and thoughtful our actions
become.
This wonderful thought-selection will allow you to feel more in control,
accepting, proportionate and loving