When people talk about meditation, they think sitting in a half lotus position with closed eyes for longer period of time is meditation. Most of them say,”I try to meditate but can’t focus, mind wanders a lot.” That’s right because monkey mind is always active. Sitting with closed eyes is not the only meditation method there are many techniques that you can pick from. I am going to mention 5 Easy ways to meditate in this article.

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. Meditation is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that the process of meditation follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified.

In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you. Meditation requires an inner state that is still and one-pointed so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts you, meditation deepens.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation may significantly reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Research is ongoing to better understand the effects of meditation on health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other areas.

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. And these benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional well-being

The emotional benefits of meditation can include:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
• Reducing negative emotions
• Increasing imagination and creativity
• Increasing patience and tolerance
• Soul growth

Meditation and illness

Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress. While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some researchers believe it’s not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation. With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:

• Anxiety
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Depression
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Sleep problems
• Tension headaches

If you have hard time to meditate, here are 5 easy ways to meditate; pick any method that you resonate with and practise.

1. Conscious Breathing: Breath is a life and we breathe all the time but when we breathe consciously for 5 minutes it balances the energies in the physical body and helps to calm the mind. Watch the rhythm of your breath for 2 minutes then inhale and exhale consciously for next 3 minutes. Follow 4X4 pattern. Count 1-4 while inhaling-hold your breath for 4 seconds and again count 1-4 while exhaling. Focus all your attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly.
2. Gratitude meditation: Touch your feet, legs, knees, thighs, stomach, chest, arms, hands, neck, back, head one by one and say thanks to every part, cell, tissues and organ of your body. Becoming aware of your body is a great practice to be grateful for.
3. Nature Meditation: Go out, connect with nature and admire the beauty of beautiful flowers, plants, trees, birds, sky and mother earth etc.
4. Coloring: Coloring helps to reduce the stress, depression and anxiety. Every color has it’s own healing power. When you do colouring for 10-15 minutes, you connect with your innerself.
5. Om chanting: Chant OM for 5 minutes to relax yourself and connect with the source. These techniques would help you to calm your mind. You can find more detailed information about OM chanting in the book Abundant Life-Small Efforts Can Your Life by Jasz Koray

Signs Of Progress

Have patience and do your practice systematically. Every action has a reaction. It is not possible for you to meditate and not receive benefits. You may not notice those benefits now, but slowly and gradually you are storing the samskaras (impressions) in the unconscious mind that will help you later. If you sow a seed today, you don’t reap the fruit tomorrow, but eventually you will. It takes time to see results; be gentle with yourself.

Meditation means gently fathoming all the levels of your being, one level after another. Be honest with yourself. Don’t care what others say about their experiences—keep your mind focused on your goal. It is your own mind that does not allow you to meditate. To work with your mind, you’ll have to be patient; you’ll have to work with yourself gradually.