Try this for easy: Make sure its quiet, and you are alone. Make sure there wont be any distractions (phones, doorbells, trains etc) Find a place where you will be comfortable sitting, laying down is an option but most people will fall asleep Relax for a few minutes regulate your breathing (slow deep breathes) then try and think of one thing and one thing only. Doesnt matter what it is just try not to let your mind wander. DO this for increasing lengths of time. Start off for ten minutes, then 20, 30 etc. Thats a real simple way to start off.
What if you start falling asleep? I always get tired and start drooling...seriously... Is there a way to stay alert or awake or whatever???
try and meditate at a time of day when you won't be tired, middle morning or something like that. some people meditate to relax at the end of the day after work or before bed have you tried doing it at the start of the day or even in a break at work or at uni and if you can do it out doors it'll probably be harder to fall asleep. my other hint is to make the set up for mediation a ritual in its self. turning the phone off, lighting the incense and candles in that way my mind starts to drift into another wave lengh ready. blessings s
Yes doing at a time when the mind and body is fully awake can pretty much elminate falling asleep. Unless your naracaleptic! If you just cant manage to stay awake perhaps a cup of Tea might help. Also avoid things like Pot and Booze that might make you drowsy.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) made its way into the mainstream by emphasizing its "effortless" technique. That said, chanting is also very easy. Some might say that technically chanting isn't meditation but it is. When one sounds out a string of consecrated words then the vibrations effect all the organs as well as the enviroment, and also the mind. One might find all sorts of different from usual thoughts arising as the gestalt of the person opens up to a new energy. One who criticizes chanting as not a true meditation should understand that at least it's in that direction, as opposed to watching TV or getting wasted. It is still private be-with-oneself time, and as such is a connector with oneself. Some will say that these too are mere props and that simply sitting in seven point posture in a quiet space free of distraction is the true more simple meditation, and yet, for those normally easily distracted simple sitting meditation - shine or shamatha - may allow too much distraction to interfere with the settling processes of the mind and so, as such, some extra technique may be needed to promote the easy feeling. I teach a simple free mantra meditation technique on my webpage for those who are interested. Yes, free at the start, middle, and end.
NAMASTE Focusing on the breath with eyes closed.Try that for tweenty minutes each day.It is only that makes medition hard meditation in itself is easy in any form.It is are mind that causes blocks.
mantra japa helps a lot with meditation. Repeating the mantra is not meditation in itself, but it conditions the mind and discipluines it making meditation a lot easier.
I agree about the mantra japa. Even saying the Rosary, if you're Christian. Just learning to sit still without external distraction is pretty difficult nowadays. I'm curious why more Christians don't say the Rosary more. Because Hindus and Buddhists do japa every single day. Some of the more devout and well trained may do 50,000 reps of a mantra every single day. Myself, I'm lucky if I can do 3,000 reps during a sitting, and 5,000 reps is seriously tough for me. I would recommend for most people buying a mala that they like, preferably made from Rudraksha beads, and then do two-five circles of the mala to start out, and more if possible. There's plenty of talk on mantras here already in this forum.
