Breathing

Learning to pay attention to your breathing, taking slow deep inhales and exhales, is the first step to any meditation method.

The best way to breathe meditatively is the same way a baby breathes. A full breath in and full breath out with no pause. Doing this simple breathing pattern will re-energize your body.

To practice just put your hand on your belly and breathe in deeply then exhale fully and repeat.

Remember to breathe slow and deep. Fast breathing leads to hyperventilation. Slow, deep breathing is often the solution to hyperventilation as it slows down your body’s metabolism.

By following this you will fill your entire lungs. You don’t actually breath into your stomach but expanding your belly as you breath helps fill your lungs. 

Creating Physical and Mental Relaxation for Meditation

Progressive relaxation for relaxing your body

Most people who do not practice meditation or yoga don’t know how to properly relax their body.

The easiest way to relax your body quickly is to tense each muscle group (each part of your body) and then relax it. For example: tense your hand then relax, tense your arm then relax, tense your head then relax, same for your neck all the way down to your toes.

By consciously tensing your muscles and relaxing them you are helping your body relax deeper as you are defining tense and relaxation – and indicating to your body how you want to feel i.e. relaxed.

Do this while following the breathing pattern of deep inhales and exhales.

Creating a peaceful scene for mental relaxation

This is a simple visualization technique that is commonly used in meditation to enhance mental relaxation.

All you have to do is to imagine something that makes you feel calm and relaxed. I like to imagine myself at the beach, a lake or in a beautiful garden. The key to make this technique work for you is to imagine your chosen scene of relaxation in vivid detail. For example: if you choose the beach then imagine how the sun would feel, what the wind and sand would feel like, imagine the smell of the ocean and even the seagulls in the distance. Take your time and imagine that you are actually on the beach i.e. make yourself feel like you are on the beach and surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of  the beach. You could also imagine a peaceful lake as in the picture above.

This technique will help you relax you mind and prepare you to meditate deeply.

Combining the techniques learn’t so far:

Relax your body while breathing deeply.(5 minutes) Continue the deep and slow breathing throughout your practice.

Imagine the peaceful scene.(5 minutes)

That’s it.