Hello everyone, my name is Mancil. Lately my life has been a royal hell, so I am thinking about trying meditation to help bring some peace to my life. I have no idea where to start so I thought maybe posting the question on a forum would be a good idea. So, where do I start? What should a noob do? thank you, Mancil
Well, there is tons of information out there on the internet and tons of books about meditation. Basically, the idea is to relax your mind, but also be alert at the same time..kind of a hard concept for a noob to understand. Once you do it, and do it well, you'll understand. I suggest experimenting with meditation in different scenarios....different times of the day, with or without music, light or dark, candles/incense....whatever works best for you. Also, you might not be completely successful the first time...but it takes time and patience. So, if you don't completely clear your mind the first couple times....its ok, it takes practice. Good Luck peace
thank you very much for the post. I guess my next question would be how to start? Do I just sit on the floor and close my eyes? Any recommendation on how to clear my mind? Thanks, Mancil
Sit down in a comfertable place, to begin i would sugest sitting indian style with a small pilow uder your but. once you are comfortable begin to breath. Now this is probally the hardest part, because it is very hard at first to stop you mind from wandering. how I started was by counting to myself with my breathing, I found the best way to do this is to count and breath like this: In through the nose=1 Out the mouth=2 in the nose=3 out the mouth=4, once you get to 4 or 6 start over. This will help you to deciplin your mind. After that my only advice is practice, practice, practice.
I agree, the best way is to sit indian style, back straight, focus on your breathing. However, I do not use my mouth, I concentrate solely on using my nose, which seems to help me more, but to each his own. I agree, EXPERIEMENT, find what works for you..music, no music, candles, light, incencse..I find it I need soft, melancholy music, and a nice light, or a dark room with candles, depending the mood I am in. Meditation is all about focus, discipline, and breathing. For starters, the best thing to do is focus on breathing. Don't get too involved in things that seem too complicated, focus on breathing, and breathing alone. Once you have your breathing down, all else will fall into place. Good luck, any questions feel free to PM me, it always helped me to have someone to go to help for, and check out my post, "Meditating in a few weeks, a few minutes"..it may inspire, good luck on your journeys.
i'd like to disagree, i've found that meditating while in a bad mood makes me feel better, actually. but I suppose that's just me
Well... I do it for religious purposes( Buddhism ) and I have been taught that it is unhealthy to meditate while in such a state
I think you can meditate to transfer to a different state... but it's practically impossible to meditate whilst in a bad mood. Do not meditate so long that you will be reluctant to do so next time. Discipline is usually best approached quietly and slowly, and I think you'd have the best benefit if you were very gentle in your meditation sessions i.e. Be kind to yourself--when your mind wanders, bring it back to the attention of your breath. It will wander again and again, and even the most experienced of yogis rarely have a few moments without a thought. As clouds come and go, let your thoughts come and go. Examine the concept of 'attachment.' If one thought is particularly persistant, perhaps it will help you to have a journal beside you to jot down that thought so you can think about it later without forgetting. Think of the mind as a puppy. When you try to train it, it will run away again and again, distracted by a torrent of fascination. Patiently bring it back to your starting point each time, and, above all, do not train the playfulness out of the puppy! so. loose, comfortable clothing, perch bum on firm cushion, in half lotus position: http://www.nicolewithrow.com/images/meditate.jpg rest your hands on your knees, extend your spine up, not stiffly, but like seaweed in water. focus on your breath. breathe deep down in your belly. at first breathing like that will feel tight and uncomfortable. stick with it. this is a breathing exercise that is absolutely, literally incredible. Inhale for a count of four, hold for seven, and exhale for eight, all steadily and evenly. Do this three times. When you're ready for more of a challenge, increase your your counts, but keep the same ratio of 4:7:8. Another great thing to do when meditating is, instead of inhaling and then exhaling, start with exhaling. Our muscles for exhaling are much stronger, and if you push the air out, don't try to breathe in; the air will naturally come in, and then start exhaling again. Last but most important: Trust Yourself. Namaste Good for you for starting this. Your body will recognize your kindness.
Mancil, What has been bothering you? It might be easier to just go for a 5 mile jog. Then take a warm bath, then start your meditation.
