Meditation: A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness

In today's fast paced and hyper connected world, stress can sometimes get the best of us. Meditation is the answer.

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Meditation: A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness

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  • Meditation: A Beginner's Guide to Mindfulness , practicing meditation, relax and reduce stress

Table of contents :
UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF MEDITATION
THE OBJECTIVE OF MEDITATION
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF MEDITATION
TYPES OF MEDITATION
RULES AND ELEMENTS OF MEDITATION
MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS
HOW TO MEDITATE
CONCLUSION

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Meditation A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness

by

TIMOTHY WILLIAMS

Copyright © 2020 by Scottsdale Book Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed, “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Scottsdale Book Publishing Scottsdale, Arizona Published in the United States of America

TABLE OF CONTENTS UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF MEDITATION THE OBJECTIVE OF MEDITATION ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF MEDITATION TYPES OF MEDITATION RULES AND ELEMENTS OF MEDITATION MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS HOW TO MEDITATE CONCLUSION

I f stress has affected your everyday life and has driven you tense, worried and anxious more than ever; you have come to the right place. For instance, this Meditation book will relieve your anxiety in no time; not only because meditation has been considered as an effective authentic psychological therapeutic technique; but also because it will offer you a serene spiritual experience that will enable you to reconcile with yourself. So if you are feeling anxious, stressed and you feel that you are not able to deal with all your heavy responsibilities and life problems; you should consider trying meditation. Spending even a short time in meditating will surprise you with how much it can restore your inner peace and calm. Besides; anyone may practice meditation and various meditation techniques because it is inexpensive, simple and it doesn’t require the use of any types of special types of equipment. Besides, you can practice meditation wherever you want and wherever you go; whether you are riding the train, the bus, the car, even when you waiting for your turn in the doctor’s office, you are amidst a stressful business meeting and even on a plane. So in a few words, we can say that meditation is like a magic pill that can make relieve any type of anxiety you may encounter in any condition and circumstances. But before diving into the world of meditation, understanding its concept is substantial and very important so that you can move further into learning the different meditating techniques. Meditation has been practiced for ages, we can say that meditation existed thousands of years ago and it was originally meant to help humans deepen understanding the spiritual as well as the mystical powers of forces in our lives. And nowadays, meditation has started to be used for the objective of stress reduction and to relieve anxiety. Meditation is also considered a perfect mind-body medicine par excellence. Meditation produces indeed a very deep aura and status of relaxation as well as a deep tranquility for the mind during the process of meditation. And during the experience of meditation, all you have to do is to focus all your attention and eliminate any jumbled or stream of thoughts that may appear to crowd your mind and cause you anxiety and stress; you can say that it is the process of letting go of everything that is bothering you. Meditation will help enhance your emotional as well as physical well-

being as a whole. So, if you are seeking a fruitful experience and spiritual journey that will help you relieve anxiety; you will find every response you need in this meditation guide. And remember while reading to go beyond the words themselves; as the book title suggests, “Meditation and Beyond”. And whether you are a beginner into the world of mediation or not, this book will help relieve any type of psychological pain you have. You will be able to find authentic human power in surrendering to the powers meditation offers you. So what are you waiting for to get your copy of this easy-to-use and informative meditation guidebook and take advantage of its various emotional as well as physical benefits?

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF MEDITATION W e all have a special image that we have already drawn in our minds of what meditation usually looks like. For instance, when we say meditation, it may come to our mind, our hands resting on our knees, our eyes closed and a peaceful state of mind. However, meditation is far more than that; it is a whole philosophy and concept that we can have to understand and look closer at. To start with, we can define meditation as a way that can help train our minds and thoughts to find peace in staying in our present moment. And through meditation, you will be able to let go of the fears of things that frighten you and that happen in the future leading to anxiety and even to panic attacks. Meditation is meant to help you overcome any problems that can lead you to sadness, anger, depression, anger and any sort of negative feelings. In other words, meditation will teach you how to be free your mind of any negative thoughts during the meditation session. So, to recapitulate, we can say that Meditation is a spiritual mindful journey that can empower you both spiritually and physically. Meditation is also considered as a technique that can help your mind rest and that can help you attain a high state and level of consciousness that is very different from the normal ordinary state. Besides, medication is also known for allowing you to experience an inner consciousness and for fathoming all the levels of us. And if you are wondering if meditation is a religion or not, you should now that meditation is not a religion; it is rather a science; which means that the process of meditation has within it a specific order. Meditation also has rules; specific principles and it can lead to clear and effective results. During meditation, our mind becomes clear; we become more relaxed, and inwardly focused. Besides, when you meditate, you become fully awake and alert, but at the same time; your mind won’t be focused on any events that are taking place around you or on the external world. And meditation requires an inner state of silence and inner peace; that no one will distract

you; only then meditation will start to deepen.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION W hen you meditate, you offer your body peace and silence and learning how to meditate will help you acquire the major elements that can help you achieve inner peace. Only through meditation, you can accept the Now; your present moment without any stress or any inner problems. It is thanks to meditation that you will be able to find joy and to embrace yourself where you find joy and can embrace your true self. And it is here that you can discover what the different benefits of Meditation are. For instance, we can categorize the benefits of meditations into: • The emotional benefits of meditation: The emotional benefits of meditation include: • Building various skills that can help you manage anxiety and stress • Gaining a new perspective with which you can deal with stressful situations • Increasing your self-awareness and self-esteem • It helps you focus on the present moment • Meditation can help reduce different negative emotions you may experience • Meditation can help calm your mind • Meditation can also help you concentrate better • Better thinking and clarity • It improves communication • Meditation can help you relax better and can achieve rejuvenation of the body and the mind • Physical health benefits of meditation With meditation, not only we go through an emotional metamorphosis, but our physiology also undergoes a positive change throughout the meditation. Furthermore, every organ and cell in our body benefits from more prana or what is more known as energy. And this results in peace, enthusiasm and joy. And in general, on the physical level, meditation can help:

• Lower the blood pressure: indeed, meditation can help lower the levels of blood lactate, hence it can lower blood pressure • Meditation can help reduce the risk of having anxiety attacks • Meditation can help decrease any types of headaches, tension-related pains, joints, muscle ulcers and insomnia. • Meditation can increase the levels of serotonin in our brain and it can improve behavior and mood. • Meditation improves the immune system. • It can increase the levels of energy in our bodies; indeed; as we meditate; we may gain an inner source of energy. • Mental Benefits of Meditation Meditation can help you bring a brainwave pattern into what is scientifically known as an Alpha state that can help promote healing. The mind will become fresh, beautiful and delicate. Besides; the state of mind meditation achieves, will nourish and cleanse our mind and our soul from within. It will help calm you whenever you feel overwhelmed; emotionally unstable and even emotionally shut down. • Decreases Anxiety • Improves emotional stability • Increases creativity • Increases happiness • Develops intuition • Helps achieve peace and clarity • You will be able to see the problems smaller • Meditation can sharpen your mind by helping you focus better and relax while thinking A sharp mind without an expansion can cause tension, anger and frustration and meditation can resolve this problem for you. Reaching a balance of a high level of consciousness and a sharp mind can bring us to perfection. • Meditation can help you discover that our inner attitude is a major determiner of your happiness. Benefits of meditation for young learners:

• • • •

More clarity and confidence Better general health More energy and mental strength Greater activity and dynamism!

THE OBJECTIVE OF MEDITATION F from our childhood, we have learned that we need to verify things and examine it from the outside, but no one has taught us how to improve our inner selves and how to look from the inside. Therefore, we tend to feel strangers even to ourselves until we manage to build confidence and to accept and embrace ourselves. And the same applies to get to know strangers and others in general; and hereby others mean designate all living creatures. And this lack of general sense of self-understanding remains of the reasons that may hinder our relationships and hat can cause disappointment and confusion in different areas of our lives, including our social life and our work life. And very little of the cultivation of our mind is offered by the Educational system. Meditation targets the part of our mind that dreams and sleeps and the part of unconsciousness; which is considered as a reservoir of different experiences and that will remain the source of the unknown that has never been subject to any type of control. And while it is true that the whole of our human body is in the mind; the whole of our body is not like you expect it to be, that is the body. And except for the method of meditation, there no other method that can truly help you develop control your mind and find inner peace. The main objective of meditation is meant to go far beyond our human mind so that we can experience our basic and transparent nature; which is described as happiness, peace and joy in the tiniest activities and daily routine. But if we come to think; has anyone ever tried to meditate and find it easy since the first attempt? It may be surprising, but the mind itself is considered as a huge obstacle that stands between awareness and us. The human mind is generally undisciplined and it resists any types of attempts to discipline it or to guide it on a particular path. Indeed, we may say that the mind has a mind of its own. Thereby, we find that many people choose to sit for meditation and to experience only daydreams, hallucinations and fantasies; however without knowing the rules of meditation; they can never attain the level of stillness and deep meditation.

So, we can say that while we can be taught various languages and different types of information since you a young age; we are never being taught how to examine our feelings, whether negative or positive. And when we learn to do this through the medium of meditation, we can attain the highest levels of happiness and joy that we, as human beings always yearn to experience. And what meditation seeks is not momentary joy, but rather everlasting and immense joy. And this is not an exaggeration at all; but rather a truth that has been supported by endless experiences. The main objective of meditation is considered as a practical means that serves for calming ourselves of our biases and openly expressing it. It is also a way of training our mind so that we are, by no means distracted and caught up in endless waves of churning. Meditation aims to teach you how to systematically explore all the different levels of your inner dimensions. In other words; it is like a system of commitment more than being a means of commandment. So when you decide to commit to yourself, to your path, and to your objective of getting to know yourself, but at the same time; learning to stay calm shouldn’t become a ceremony or a religious rituality; it is more than that, it is a requirement of our human body.

ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF MEDITATION W e usually talk about meditation as being a unique method that can help us unplug from our tensible world full of problems, negativities and depression to find peace. However, have you ever wondered about the origins and history of meditation and the kick-off of Meditation in humanity? For instance, meditation is a practice that dates back to more than 5,000 years and it has always been known as both a practical and spiritual practice that has helped people throughout every step of their lives. Some historians claim that Vedas of India were recorded as the first written document about meditation about more than 1,500 years BCE. And at the same time; many other forms of meditation were developed in China and it was until later that meditations were developed in Japan. And meditation gained a powerful ground with the Buddhist spiritual practice that took place between the years 500 to 600 BCE, and with the opening of the first meditation hall in Japan in the year 653 BCE; an epic poem known as the Bhagavad Gita, was written to describe the philosophy of meditation, the practice and rules of yoga rand spiritually meditation; about 400BCE. And by the year 20 BCE, many spiritual exercises that involved mindfulness had managed to spread to the west and were recorded and historically documented in Early Greek texts. However; the practice of meditation was not adopted by early Christians even though mediation and prayer share too many similarities. And throughout the entire history of humanity; meditation has been considered as an elevated spiritual practice that belonged to the realm of priests, monks, and other religious figures, including some intellectuals, who were unknown amongst the general population. And if we dig deeper into the history of meditation, we will discover that it is derived from the Latin term that signifies “to ponder”. And through the practice of meditation, we can seek a better connection with our mind and body in our everyday life and to find joy in the moments we often tend to let pass us by. Meditation creates a stronger sense of awareness to help us

seize the day. And throughout the different stages it passed by through the history of humanity; the practice of meditation has proven to be successful with the majority of people. And the history of meditation has also proven that it is worth exploring and a fascinating itself. Some historians believe that the determination of the history of meditation depends on the definition of the concept itself and to the culture, it existed in. Different research, books, and schools of meditation refer to the ‘ageold tradition’, but as to how long meditation has been around as practice that depends on your definition of the concept. In 2008; Davanger reviewed a section of research that looked at the history of meditation and he speculated that the practice of meditation might be old as humanity with a potential meditative history and practices of Neanderthals. There are also more thoughtful schools that have supposed that the origin of meditation is rather a set of techniques and practices based on references and artefacts of the Eastern countries. The History of Meditation in the West: The history of meditation first started to attract the interest of westerners in the 1700s, when some of the Philosophers of the East. Indeed, many Eastern philosophy texts have contained many references to meditation techniques and ideas and many documents were translated into different languages. And including the documents and books that focused on studying meditation; the Upanishads, which is a collection of philosophical and religious texts from India that was assumed to be written between the centuries 800 and 500 BCE. There was also a Sanskrit scripture, The Bhagavad Gita; that was made of about 700 verses and it is believed that it is a part of the Mahabharata; which is a Hindu epic that details the narrative between Krishna and Pandava Prince Arjuna. And The Buddhist Sutras are known for being the scriptures that are believed to be the oral type of Buddhist teaching. And by the 18th century, meditation started to be seen as a topic that was only to be discussed by intellectuals and philosophers, including Schopenhauer and Voltaire. And it wasn’t until the 20th century that meditation became more known, discussed and prominent yogi, known as Swami Vivekananda, delivered a presentation at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. And that presentation helped create a new surge of interest in Eastern models of spirituality in the West, and influenced many other spiritual teachers from India to migrate to the States including:

• Paramahansa Yogananda from the fellowship of SelfRealization • The Swami Rama from the Himalayan Institute • The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi with the Transcendental Meditation practice Like teachers, spiritual representatives from different meditative thought schools; also started to migrate towards the countries of the West, including people from the Theravada and the Zen schools of thoughts. And every time meditation was introduced into a new place, it was shaped by the culture in which meditation exists in. And with the introduction of meditation to the West, meditative practices started to be more removed from teachings and religious connections of its roots and is started to be taught in a new western way. And by the decades 1960s and 1970s, meditation started to be researched via various scientific studies.

TYPES OF MEDITATION M editation is considered as an umbrella term for a variety of different ways that can help us relax and achieve a state of general peace and a state of relaxation and well being. There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques and different techniques of meditation that all share the same objective, which is to achieve peace and relaxation as well as inner peace in this stressful world. And research suggests that meditation has many types and practising it includes many ways: • Mantra meditation: In this specific type of meditation, you have to silently repeat a certain calming word, phrase or thought. You should prevent any distracting thoughts in this type of meditation • Guided meditation: Sometimes; this type of meditation is called visualization or guided imagery and with this type of meditation; you can try to form certain visualizations or also mental images of your memory. With this type of meditation; you will form images in your mind of some places you love or some places that can help you relax. And with this method of meditation; you are can form as many mental images as you want of situations that can help you relax. You can also try to use all your senses, like the sight, the texture, the sound and the smell. And you may be led through this type of meditation by a teacher or a guide. • Mindfulness meditation: This meditation method is generally, based on having a great awareness or on being mindful and accepting the living condition in the present moment. Very often, you can raise acceptance and awareness by focusing on what you experience usually during the meditation; like the flow of the breath, observing your emotions and thoughts; but letting them pass without any judgmental reactions. With this meditation method, you will also have an opportunity to observe your emotions and thoughts and let them pass without judging yourself.

• Yoga: In Yoga, you can perform several postures, including exercises of controlling your breath and other exercises that can help you promote a calmer mind and a more flexible body. And as you move through different poses that require more concentration and balance; you should focus less on your worries and your busy schedule and just seize the moment. • Qi gon: This meditation practice usually combines relaxation, meditation, breathing and physical movement to maintain balance and restore your energy. And Qi gong or what is also known as • CHEE-gung: Chee-gung makes a core part of traditional Chinese medicine. • Transcendental meditation: In Transcendental meditation; you can use mantra; a certain word; sound or phrases that need to be silently repeated. You use a mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase repeatedly silently, to narrow your conscious awareness and to eliminate all the thoughts from your mind. You can also focus exclusively on your mantra to help achieve a state of perfect consciousness and stillness. • Tai chi: This is a quite gentle type of Chinese martial arts. In this tai chi or what is also spelt as TIE-chee. In Tai Chi, you can perform a series of self-paced movements or postures in a graceful, slow way while you practice deep breathing.

RULES AND ELEMENTS OF MEDITATION W hen anyone of us decides to explore the world of meditation, practising it may be overwhelming, especially if you are a newbie and you don’t know anything about the different rules of meditation. And the fact that there are various types of meditation and meditation styles can make it even more complicated to us. So if you are new to meditation, you should step back from all of the side details and focus more on the basic rules. The rules you are about to discover will help you answer all the common questions that many people have about meditation and will help you start out meditating: • Feel more comfortable Sitting in dress pants, cross-legged in your tight jeans or wearing a short skirt wouldn’t make you help you stay put for a long time. Indeed, in meditation, all you need to focus your mind and to remove any sort of distractions. However, when you feel cold, sitting in an uncomfortable place, or overdressed may also be distracting for you. Therefore, to help you feel more comfortable, you should wear loose clothes; sit over a pillow or a cushion and find a place where the temperature is neither too cold nor too hot. • Find a Quiet and peaceful space Meditation doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have Buddhists statues everywhere around you as well as perfumed candles; although it can help you focus. All you need to do to meditate is to have a quiet corner in your house or in a room; you can meditate in your backyard or even in a park where you can sit without distractions. And if you don’t want any interruptions or any noise; you should consider it as a perfect opportunity to practice meditation with more concentration and in peace, and you will be able to dive deeper into this spiritual experience. • Be Alert To be able to alert while meditating doesn’t mean that you have to drink a power drink before you start meditating, but to make sure that you are rested and in a peaceful state of mind. Be alert means just to be able to

meditate without falling asleep during your meditation session. Being alert will help your meditation being more effective. The posture you take is also important for you to stay alert, if you are sitting in an upright position, you will make sure to stay more alert and if you don’t feel comfortable, just choose any position in which you feel comfortable. • Don’t Clear Your Mind It can be confusing for you to see a rule saying “Don’t clear your mind”; and it has always been a misunderstood myth of meditation. The main objective of meditation is not to clear your mind, because that is absolutely impossible for our human nature. But the main objective of meditation is to calm, relax and feel quiet in this noisy world. Focusing your mind is amongst the most important objectives of meditation. • Turn Off Your Phone: To turn off your phone is considered very important in practising meditation and it should be considered as a rule number one. So before you start meditating, either turn off your phone or put on aeroplane mode or just silence it, but never put it on vibration mode. There is nothing that can distract you more than hearing a vibration buzz indicating that you have a text, a message or anything similar and it can ruin all your meditation experience. • Be as patient as you can: Practising meditation needs patient; don’t expect to reach the highest level of enlightenment in just one meditation session. So, one of the most important values that meditation teaches us is how to be patient. So unless you keep your patience, you won’t be able to benefit from meditation. • Be consistent and persistent It doesn’t matter at all how small you can start with meditation, the most important thing is that you maintain the practice. It is ideal to make meditation a habitual action for you every day. Consistency is an important key that can help you perfect meditation. Ideally, consistency is very important than anything else, even for ten minutes every day than once per week. • Don’t judge yourself With meditation, go easy on yourself; don’t over judge yourself by saying words like, my mind keeps wandering vert much; instead, once you are done, try to avoid any negative thoughts or by saying things that may affect your energy and your willingness to meditate. You should rather encourage

yourself instead of discouraging it. And if you find your mind overactive and over-thinking; that doesn’t mean you should scold yourself harshly. After all, you are only human, so you’d rather stop judging yourself. • Make sure to use a Timer Using a timer while you meditate is very important in meditation; you can use a simple timer on your Smartphone or you can also try any timing application. So all you have to do is to set your Smartphone; then try setting your alarm to soft chime or to a piece of gentle music. • Main a focused attention: Maintaining a high level of attention and focusing is considered as one of the most important elements and rules of attention. For instance, focusing your attention can help us free our mind from the many distractions that can cause worry and stress. You can also focus your attention on a specific image; a mantra or anything that can help you focus better. • Learn to relax and breathe: This relaxation technique involves even-paced and deep breathing relying on your diaphragm muscle to help expand your lungs. The main purpose here is to slow down your breathing; to take in more oxygen and to reduce the function of your neck, shoulder and your upper chest muscles while breathing.

MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS M indfulness is considered as an important element that goes hand in hand with meditation. Indeed, mindfulness has been increasingly featured in countless meditation sites, and mindfulness has been recommended by coaches and psychology therapists. So what does mindfulness exactly mean? How can we use mindfulness in meditation? Mindfulness has become incredibly popular in the West together with the practice of meditation and this concept has its roots in Buddhism and the Far East. But this doesn’t mean that meditation and mindfulness have exotic origins or it is difficult to understand. Mindfulness can be simply described as the act of paying great attention to the present moment without labelling or judging it. Or, in other words, we can say that mindfulness is the full awareness that even better: it’s the pure awareness. Usually, you can practice mindfulness by the simple observation of your surroundings without trying to over-think or analyse it. And when your thoughts judgements appear; simply observe your own thinking and try to stay calm and impartial. And the state of mindfulness, or of pure awareness without over-thinking, can put us immediately in touch with the outside world and with all our senses, instead of trying to perceive all things around us through our mind and our own judgments. With mindfulness, you will be able to see things as they truly are; alive, vibrant and full of variety and richness. After you try mindfulness; everything will look better, food will taste better, music will sound better and everything will become interesting and colourful to you. Not only attaining mindful state will help you sharpen your senses and mind, but it can also help you free yourself of all types of negative senses. With the help of mindfulness, you will be able to overcome anxiety. You may wonder if you how often you have to stay in a state of mindfulness to reach a state of inner peace and the answer to that is very

simple; you don’t have to practice mindfulness and meditation every day. And you don’t have to be a Buddhist to practice mindfulness. And if you are wondering how to start practising mindfulness, here are some of the most important ways that help you incorporate mindfulness to your everyday life: •

Wake Up Mindfully.

You can practice mindfulness anytime you want; anywhere you are, however, it is important for you to practice mindfulness during the morning or even in the dawn. The way you start your day can set the tone for everything that comes after it. So make sure to always get started on the right foot. You can also practice mindfulness as soon as you open your eyes and even before you turn off your alarm. All you have to do is to bring your full awareness to the present moment. And if you hear the sound of the alarm; all you have to do is to ignore it and do the same when you hear the air conditioner and any sound that comes out of your surroundings. Try to feel everything in your body, even the heaviness of your eyelids and the tension in your legs and your back. Try to take your time in giving your muscles a gentle, long stretch. Try to notice even the tiniest sensations and subtle details.



You can practice in the Shower.

Even if you go into the shower, you can take mindfulness with you inside, or as you prepare yourself for your day. Indeed, the shower is a perfect place where you can practice mindfulness and meditation. You should also pay attention to the temperature of the water over your skin. Also try to feel the water as it cascades down your body, and try to be aware of the scents of shampoos, lotion and everything around you. Try to feel the softness of your robe and feel even the towel and the way your hair clings over your back. And keep in mind that the same general principle applies to any type of routine or habit you have. You can also use even the most mindless habit as an opportunity to wake up, to be aware so that you can practice mindfulness.



Mindful Eating.

They always say that breakfast is considered as the most important meal of the day and this makes it an important time to practice mindfulness too. So, mindfulness can start right from the kitchen. Be mindful of your own food selection of food and always listen to what your body needs and craves for. Always, be mindful of what you cook for your meals every day and give full attention to the food you prepare and have for your meals. And, while eating, try to be mindful with the way you eat, and to that, eat slowly and it is recommended to chew slowly and to pause between mouthfuls. •

Be Mindful with the way you drive:

Do you remember many times in which you have gotten into your car and you started the engine? Have you ever felt lost in thoughts, or you ever felt like daydreaming that you can’t even pay attention to the road. If any of these things happen to you, it is always alright, because this can happen to all of us. But today with the practice of mindfulness; all you have to do is to turn off the stereo in your car for a day; you don’t really need a talk radio or any music at all while you are driving. Just stay calm and pay attention to the road; and be aware of placing your hand on peddles; the roar of the wind around you and the hum of the engine. Let the same mental monologue go on in your mind, but try not to get wrapped up in this daily habit. Stay present, at the moment.

HOW TO MEDITATE M ost of the people who try to start meditating for the first time have a specific objective, which is to reduce the level of their stress and there is nothing better than meditation to overcome relieve stress. And once you get used to meditation, you will never stop meditating; because you will notice how much you will feel better, more balanced and more satisfied with everything around you. Meditation will help you become more compassionate with yourself and with others. If you are a beginner to the world of meditation; you can start by learning a

simple technique and to try to practice it every day. But if you don’t know where to start at all, here is the best way you can do it: • Sit comfortably on a chair or cushion: Choose what to use whether a cushion or a chair; but your back doesn’t have to be fixed into a ramrod straight position. And to make it easier for you, you can sit against a wall to help support your back. Don't slouch, but your back doesn't need to be ramrod-straight either. At first, you may want to try sitting against a wall to support your back. You can also use some extra pillows to place under your knees or just place it anywhere else where you can feel comfortable. You can also try to lie down if sitting is not appealing to you. Lying on the floor is indeed highly recommended with your feet and calves resting a chair seat. • Put on meditation music: If meditation can help you feel calmer before starting it, don’t hesitate to put on calm music and you can just turn if once you begin. • Set your timer: Once you start meditating, you should set a digital non-ticking timer. You can start with five to ten minutes; then you can eventually increase the time to twenty minutes. It will take weeks for you to lengthen the time you need for practising meditation. • Watch your breath: When you start meditation, try to breathe normally the way always do through your nose and with your mouth closed. Your can; either keep your eyes open or closed. All you need to do is to focus on your breath moving in; then out of your nostrils; or you can also focus on the fall or the rise of your belly. And when you notice your mind starting to wander, bring back to the breath. But always be careful not to drift off because it can be tempting; especially when you are in a lying down position. And while keeping your mind shut is not the main objective of meditation; neither judging your mind and everything around you. And no matter what type of thoughts or feelings come to your mind; you should only focus on the process of breathing again and again. And with anything new you try, once you try meditation, you will find some difficulties, but you will get over it in no time. And if you are wondering what are the main difficulties you can find when you meditate

for the first time, here are some of the most important hardships you will have to deal with: • If you find that your mind is overactive and it is flitting from a thought to the other; don’t freak out and don’t get discouraged. Just stay relaxed and there is no need to go harsh on yourself, you are only human and it is normal for any one of us to go through this. Reaching a perfect state of relaxation will be possible with practice and consistency. Therefore, you should stop judging yourself for being human. • Everyday methods to practice meditation Don't let the idea and concept of meditation stress you. You can attend meditation classes led by professional meditation coaches and trained teachers. Yet, you can also practise meditation easily on your own. And you can also make meditation the way that best suits you, whether formal or informal based on your lifestyle and conditions. Some people choose to make meditation an essential part of their daily routine. For example, you can start and end each of your days with an hour of meditation. They can start to build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and end each day with an hour of meditation. But all that you need is no more than a few minutes and here are some effective ways that you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation. Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose: • Read and reflect: Many people have reported that they benefit so much from reading sacred texts, poems that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning. You also can listen to sacred music, spoken words or any type of music that you find inspiring and relaxing. You may also want to write down your reflections in a journal or just discuss it with a friend or a spiritual leader you trust. • Focus more on gratitude and love: Focus your love and gratitude; in this type of meditation, you will have to focus more your attention on sacred things and objects; like feelings and thoughts of gratitude. And in this type of meditation, you should focus

your attention on a sacred being or object. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at any representations of the objective. • Breathe slowly and deeply: This breathing technique is very good for beginners, mainly because breathing is considered as a natural function. You should focus all your attention on breathing. Concentrate on listening to your breath as it goes in and out through your nostrils. Just focus on listening as you inhale and exhale breath, and try to take your time doing this breathing deeply and slowly. • Repeat a specific mantra: You should create your own mantra and whether it is secular or religious, it doesn’t matter; all that matters is to create your own mantra. There are many examples of religious mantras, including the holy name of God in Judaism, Jesus Pray in Christianity; the mantra in Hinduism and Buddhism. • Learn to scan your body: When you use this technique; concentrate your attention on various parts of the body; become aware of your body’s various sensations, whether you feel tension, warmth, pain or relaxation. And learn to combine your body scanning hand in hand with the breathing exercises. All you have to do is to imagine relaxation into the different parts of your body. • Walk and meditate at the same time: Combining a walk with meditation is a healthy and efficient way that can help you relax. You can also use this technique anywhere, whether in a forest or on a sidewalk. But when you use this method; try to slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each of the movements of your feet. And try not to focus on a specific destination; just repeat action words in your mind, like lifting or moving. • You can engage in a certain prayer: Prayer in meditation is one of the best and most popular examples of practising meditation. You can use some praying words written by others. You can talk to a priest, pastor or to any other spiritual leader about the resources you can use. • Building your meditation skills step by step Never try to judge your meditation skills, because it can increase your stress. Meditation takes time to learn it and it needs so much practice. And keep in mind that you can still feel distracted no matter how long you have

been meditating. And to be completely satisfied with meditation; experiment is the best thing you can do. You will slowly learn what the type of meditation that will suit you the most is.

CONCLUSION Meditation is an easy practice that is available for all people anywhere and anytime. And through meditation, people can improve clarity, relieve stress and can promote your happiness. Learning how to meditate is very simple and straightforward and the benefits of meditation will come shortly. And through meditation; you will find joy and you will learn how to be happy and find joy. Meditation without a master may seem quite challenging to you, but with the help of this book; you will be able to learn to effectively meditate on your own. And while meditating can be quite challenging for some, it can also be more rewarding and it can be very easy for people with busy schedules. So, if you are getting ready to start meditating; you will need a specific plan. And while there are various meditative approaches; you can choose whatever suits you the most, like mindfulness, deep breathing and walking meditation; which make great choices that can help you ease the practice of meditation without a master. For some people, the main objective of meditation is to calm the mind and to relieve anxiety. While for others, the main goal is to increase the positivity and the general state of well being. And no matter what your goal for practicing meditation is, this guide book has included everything and helpful information you need to know about meditation. Your meditative journey here will be deeper than you have ever imagined it and one of the most impressive aspects of meditation. And in meditation, the longer you practice, the deeper you will go in meditation. And if you wonder if there are any boundaries or limits for meditation, there are no actual limits for meditation and for how far you can expand your meditative mesmerizing journey. Embarking on the practice of meditation is not only a journey of a lifetime, but it is a journey that transcends your lifetime and connects you with something far more beneficial for your mind and soul. This meditative practice will make your life better and more positive. And while there are hundreds of meditative available applications, you can also rely on this guidebook to learn everything you need to know about meditation; its origins and history. Or you can download a meditation

application that can help you hand in hand with this book to learn the basics of meditation and instruct you to master practising meditation. Last, but not least, meditating on your own will train you to remember that you don’t need any type of support; you can learn how to meditate on your own with the help of this meditation book.