9 ways to make meditation easier

Zen has a long association with Buddhism and, more recently, "new age" beliefs. Essentially, meditation is simply controlled breathing. Meditation can be done anywhere by anyone with the ability to concentrate even a little. With meditation, either approach will work, you don't need to do so much research that you'll never actually do any beneficial exercise. Here are 9 ways to make meditation easier.

While meditation isn't a cure-all, it can certainly provide some much-needed space in your life. Sometimes, that's all it takes to make better choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And the most important tools you can bring with you when you practice meditation are a little patience, a little self-kindness, and a comfortable seat.
When we meditate, we gain far-reaching and lasting benefits. And you don't need any additional equipment or spend money to exercise.
Here are five reasons to meditate:
Understand your pain Reduce stress and boost immunity Better connections Increase focus Reduce brain stress Many of us may have heard that meditation and Mindfulness can be beneficial for your physical and mental health. But often we are not sure where to start... how to reach the highest realm of meditation.
The key to learning how to meditate and developing a successful meditation practice is finding the right type of meditation for you. There are many different types of meditation to choose from – guided, unguided, understanding (Vipassana), focused attention, loving kindness (metta), and more. To find out which form of meditation works best for you, try a few different types of meditation and note which meditation feels most comfortable and can be done. As a quick introduction to meditation, you can follow these 6 easy steps to start a type of meditation technique and easily meditate effectively:

A mantra is a word or phrase that you silently repeat to yourself during meditation. The purpose of the mantra is to give the meditator something to focus his thoughts on. The meditators can use any phrase they like. Some people like to use words like "Peace" or "Love". Or maybe want to use the So Hum mantra, a commonly used Sanskrit mantra that means "I am." Many people prefer to use the So Hum mantra because it is not a familiar language and does not trigger associative thoughts.

It's best to find a quiet location where you won't be disturbed. It is not necessary to sit cross-legged on the floor unless that makes you comfortable. You can sit on a chair or sofa or on the floor, with your back against the wall. Or you can also support yourself with a cushion, pillow, or blanket. The goal is to sit as straight as possible while remaining comfortable. We all have different anatomy and we want our meditation practice experience to be enjoyable, so make comfort a priority. Sleeping on your back is generally not recommended as most people sleep in this position, but you can also try it if the sitting position isn't comfortable for you. Meditation can be practiced anywhere, as long as you feel comfortable.

Try breathing gently by slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. After a few cleansing breaths, continue breathing at a normal relaxing rate through your nose and gently close your lips.

After getting used to this type of meditation, the meditator can repeat his mantra softly, silently, and at ease. No need to force it. The mantra need not be correlated with the breath, although some people prefer to do so. For example, if using So Hum as a mantra, meditators can repeat the So when inhaling and Hum on the exhale. As you continue to meditate, allow the breath to fall into its own rhythm. Repeating the spell is almost effortless. Sometimes it helps if we imagine that instead of repeating the mantra to ourselves, we are actually listening to it being whispered in our ears.

As you continue with this meditative process, many people will no doubt find themselves drifting away under the spells. It is human nature and is normal for people who practice meditation. Don't try and stop thinking or get it all out of your mind. Whenever you become aware that your attention has moved away from your mantra to thoughts or any other distraction during meditation, simply return to silently repeating the mantra. .

After about 20 to 30 minutes, you can stop repeating your mantra and continue sitting down with your eyes closed. Be sure to take a few minutes to relax with your eyes closed before resuming the activity. You can use the timer with very gentle sound, low volume. Many people use their cell phone as a meditation timer. You can also download a meditation timer app on your smartphone or choose soothing sounds on your phone's built-in timer. Remember to turn the volume down very low as you don't want to be startled while meditating. If you find that 20 to 30 minutes is too long for you, start with whatever length of time you can and slowly work your way up until you can meditate for 20 to 30 minutes. Even a few minutes of daily meditation is beneficial.
The benefits of meditation are greatest when practiced daily. Ideally, meditation can be done first thing in the morning after waking up and then repeated at the end of the day, preferably before dinner.

Many people think of meditation as a way for us to empty our minds. While this idea is often associated with meditation, it is actually considered the ultimate outcome of practice in most traditional exercises, not the practice itself.

Visualization is a way to work with the imagination during meditation. This is especially great for people with rich imaginations and daydreams, since that's what our minds do. Visualization takes many forms. We can visualize specific colors arising in our bodies or see ourselves in a peaceful, natural setting. Or we might even picture ourselves as a hero, important figure, or god to whom we feel a special connection.

Meditation is not necessarily silent. Sayings or chants have been used since time immemorial and we do not need to learn Sanskrit or Tibetan to use them. They have also gained attention in recent years for their positive benefits for mental and emotional health. Start in a sitting meditation position. Inhale deeply into your abdomen and chest. Start mumbling familiar words

Some of us prefer something more structured in our meditation. This is where the count comes in. All you have to do to use this technique is count each breath from 1 to 10. Then repeat. This can be a pretty fun exercise to measure and improve your focus.

Classical meditation poses are not the only way to meditate. One of my favorite ways to meditate is to lie down during meditation. This is called yoga nidra. The simplest way to practice yoga nidra is to follow along with a repeated word or phrase. Once we are really comfortable with it, we can lead ourselves through yoga nidra without recording.

One of my favorite meditations is focusing on my own body. Especially for those who have to spend a lot of time sitting at the computer desk. When sitting or standing in front of the computer, the practitioner tries to be aware of his posture. This little awareness alone is considered a gentle meditation practice. This type of meditative practice can help us connect more deeply with our bodies and find acceptance towards them, especially if we will sometimes feel fearful or anxious about the sensations that arise. .

Moving meditation is a great option for those who have trouble sitting still. It can also be a great option if we're feeling sluggish and think a traditional posture meditation might make us drowsy and doze off. There are also plenty of movement meditation options, such as walking, tai chi, or qigong.

Our meditation doesn't have to be long to be effective. Sometimes, meditating for short periods of time can be much more beneficial and focused than meditating for a long time. Short meditation sessions are also much more practical. Sometimes, just pausing work to take a few deep breaths can help us feel refreshed and at ease

Meditation is a way to relieve stress, so don't let this method add to your pressure. Teachers often instruct their yoga and meditation students to balance exercise effort with a sense of relaxation. This is the optimal place to get the most benefit from their practice.
We don't have to force our mind to be completely still. In fact, that is also not possible. The mind is quite like a toddler. It will do what it will do. The best way to work with it is to redirect it to more active activities until it learns to stabilize itself. If you feel that meditation increases stress rather than relaxation, you are most likely trying too hard. Go back to the time you're spending meditating and try to approach it with a cheerful attitude.
Meditation has many great benefits for managing stress and anxiety. One of the most valuable aspects of meditation is that it can build resilience over time, but it can also help us feel less stressed in minutes if used as A tool to relax your body and mind. Meditation can be practiced in many ways, so there must be a set of techniques that are appropriate for each individual, and for each person's situation. For example, if you are a bath person, meditation in the tub could be the perfect thing for your next bath; Chocolate lovers might enjoy a chocolate meditation session or those who are on the go might enjoy walking meditation.

Reference sources: medium.com, healthline.com