Stepping into a martial arts dojo for the first time can be a little intimating but before you know it, the instructor has you at ease and ready to give that first class a try. Meditation for beginners can be a little mind boggling at first but with the steps listed below, you will be feeling super relaxed and ready to meditate in quick order.
- Your first time will most likely be a start, then stop and try again situation. If you are distracted by anything external, this first time meditation will be very slow to come. For best success, scout out a quiet location to meditate. You may need to find out what others in the household are up to and perhaps schedule it when you are alone. Noise distractions from the television, computer or kids playing, should be avoided. Set the room at a temperature that is perfect for you. Everyone is different, so you might need a cool space to feel relaxed, while others need the warmth of heater filling the room.
- Positioning is something you can change once you are comfortable with meditating. You can stand, lay down or even kneel to meditate, however for the first few times, go with the traditional idea of sitting. If you are already flexible, it is fine to sit cross legged… other than that, just sit on the floor with your legs in a position that feels right for you. Have a flat pillow under your buttocks, to keep them from getting sore or sit in a straight chair that has a good cushion on it.
After deciding where to sit, place your hands in your lap, one onto of the other. Sit straight but don’t push your shoulders back. You want the spine to be supple and relaxed. Slightly rotate the neck to remove any kinks and then look straight ahead before lowering the chin about one inch. This will take the pressure off the back of your neck. Stretch your jaw and mouth by rotating it around and get all the facial muscles to relax nicely. Once you feel totally comfortable from head to toe, you will start the breathing process.
- Meditation can be described as a form of low self-hypnosis, where you are totally relaxed and open to positive thoughts. This means that unlike breathing techniques for martial arts, yours will be very gentle, without pulling in huge amounts of air. You want your breathing to something you can focus on, to calm your mind and body. Think of it as a very gentle breeze, making a leaf sway very gently back and forth. In your mind’s eye, see your chest rise and fall, rise and fall.
- In your mind’s eye, you saw your chest moving with each breath in and out. Now you will slowly start to focus. If you are meditating with your eyes open, then focus on one spot about five feet away from you. If you prefer closed eyes, focus on closing them gently and getting your eyelids to relax. Up next, is focusing on your gentle breathing to make sure you are like a dandelion in a gentle breeze. As your whole body begins to relax, your mind might start to drift to other thoughts. This is normal but you do not want to think of negative things in your life at this point or even another event such as an upcoming party. Gently swing your focus back to your chest and in your mind’s eye, see it go out and in, like a wave gently lapping at the shore before drifting back out to the sea. This will take practice, so do not get upset if you find that is difficult to focus just on your breathing alone. It will come to you and after your sessions, you will feel totally relaxed.
