Meditating is a good practice for those who are constantly stressed out, sleep badly because thoughts are constantly buzzing around in their heads, and those who wish for more inner peace and serenity overall. And one that you can really easily integrate into everyday life if you get involved and bring some discipline. But if you want to learn meditation, you should first know what it is and which method is suitable for you.
Meditation is a practice that man has practiced for centuries. Basically, it is about being able to let go of thoughts, to focus on what is important and to achieve more serenity. Various breathing and mindfulness exercises help. In the first step, however, you should calmly deal with the topic of meditating in order to get an impression of what you are getting yourself into. If you prefer, you can also use various apps or books to get information and to be actively guided.
Meditation is not just meditation. Those who decide to learn them must first distinguish between two types that are slightly different in appearance and mental attitude.
The meditation forms are different in their execution, but the core is the same: It’s about learning concentration and focusing your attention in a targeted manner. This is done using various methods, in which the focus is on breath, thoughts, physical sensations or sounds and scents. This teaches one to focus and calm the mind altogether. By conditioning this approach, one eventually manages to stop the constant flickering in the mind and to focus more specifically on certain thoughts that are important to oneself.
Positive effects of meditation can be a strengthened immune system, a lower stress level, improved memory, balance or better sleep. Learning to meditate and incorporating it into everyday life is definitely worth it — and anyone can start. Namely with these four steps.
As a beginner, it pays to learn passive meditation first. This is because you internalize breathing exercises and the basic steps, which you can then combine with other activities. First you should do the following things:
Once you have found a suitable place and a suitable time for yourself, you can start with the first exercises. You don’t have to sit in the Schneider or Lotus seat for this. You can meditate in any sitting position. At a certain point, you internalize the exercises so much that these fixed rituals are no longer absolutely necessary. They are therefore all the more important for the beginning. For the first exercises you should consider the following things:
It is important for beginners to create a time frame in which to consciously engage in meditation and to increase it step by step. You can set an alarm or a timer for this. And then you should start with the first exercise in your comfortable, quiet environment in an upright position:
This first simple exercise teaches you to recognize how many thoughts are actually going through your head – automatically and unconsciously. But if you are completely with yourself, you will recognize them more and more often and consciously draw your attention away from them.
If you have concentrated on your breathing for about ten minutes at the beginning and have managed to let go of your thoughts again and again when you have wandered off, the first important step has been taken. It is important, however, not to jump up immediately after meditating and to continue with everyday tasks. It is better to take the meditative state of mind with you into the coming actions, to continue to notice the breath and the body feeling and condition. This is how mindfulness arises.
However, if you find it difficult to create new routines on your own or to integrate this time into your everyday life, you can also start with professional support and guidance, for example through an app or an online course.
These are some of the apps that are worthwhile for beginners because they guide you through the techniques step by step:
In the beginning, many different thoughts will certainly be buzzing around uncontrollably in your head when you meditate for the first time. This is completely normal and should not discourage you. Because meditation isn’t about performance, it’s about conditioning yourself to be more conscious of your mind and learning to let go of those thoughts. But this is only possible with regular practice. Important is:
And otherwise: You can’t really do anything wrong, you just have to consciously get involved in meditation – and you’ll notice that it’s definitely good for body and mind. And at least for a few minutes you can escape everyday life.
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