There are numerous known ways to meditate. While most of these ways are quite effective, we oftentimes find ourselves not achieving our purpose for meditating. The mind is truly powerful and I know it won’t be wrong to say it’s the most powerful thing about humans. It holds the power to a cage or unlocks us from any situation with its limitless potential. Hence, meditation is quite important as it holds the key to knowing our mind and also unlocking some of its mysteries. However, meditation requires more than just sitting somewhere and clearing your mind, as doing just that might be your major roadblock to proper meditation. There are certain things to consider before, during, and after meditation to make the act a successful one. So, if you are wondering how to meditate better, here are seven effective ways to improve your meditation.
1. Frequent meditation
I know we have a couple of things going on in our lives that need our attention. But to really make the time you meditate count, you need to show that meditation matters to you. The best way to do this is by making it a daily practice to meditate. Regardless of what you do, make sure you find a specific time in which you engage in meditation, as that would get you easily committed to it. Although it is often advised to meditate early in the morning or just before sleeping, as you will be less distracted, it doesn’t mean it’s mandatory. The essential thing is for you to pick a time that would not only be convenient but a time when you will be at peace with no distractions on your mind.
2. Location and position
Yes! You are right to have thought this point was coming. Our emotions and mind can sometimes be tied to a particular place. It’s the reason you find it hard to get things done easily in an unfamiliar place. The same can also be likened to your meditation. Get a specific spot where you meditate as that will make it easier for you to start your meditation. Unlike what you might be thinking, the place doesn’t have to be elaborate or extravagant, it only has to be a place you will be less distracted. It could be a chair or mat in the corner of your room, or even in your garden surrounded by lovely flowers. Also, you can as well play clam sounds that can help you relax and concentrate better. Another is incense, as it’s also known to help achieve focus. Furthermore, the way you position yourself matters as much as the place you are meditating. The last thing you want is to have a backache or strained muscles during or after your mediation. Do you? Although your position during meditation sometimes depends majorly on the form of meditation, you can do well to make sure your back is straightened and none of your muscles are tightened in order not to hurt you in the long run.
3. Self-talk
Meditation is done to achieve a purpose. In order for you to find the purpose to which you want to sit down or strike a pose for a few minutes trying to connect with your inner mind, you need to talk about it with yourself. Now when you talk to your mind, do not bring up the day-to-day issues, as they can be resolved when working or brainstorming. What you do when you have dialogue with yourself is to talk about the things you least pay attention to. One of the questions to start this self-conversation is asking yourself “What do I want?” It might not seem like much now but when you actually ask yourself this question you gain a better perspective about yourself and also get more acquainted with your mind. This question will allow you to discover the little things that really matter to you and how they can affect your life. The main purpose of this is to create a positive relationship between you and your inner self. That way, it can advise, proffer solution, and even help you see the bigger picture of any circumstance. Like any other thing, the mind can also be wrong so there is always a place of you looking before you leap. Another advantage of having conversations with your inner mind is that you will get to understand which of your desires, wants, and needs are not going to be good for you in the long run. This act will prepare you for meditation, as this on its own is a very useful form of introspection. I have heard people stopping this act after doing it a couple of times. Why? They don’t like what they discovered. Well, you shouldn’t be scared of this, and to be very transparent with you, you might not enjoy the first couple of days. But if you keep at this and you take the lessons learned, then your meditation will improve drastically.
4. Allow your mind to float
I know this sounds like a line from a Chinese movie but what better way to make a point than this? Oftentimes when we start meditating, we can only free our minds of thoughts for a while before we automatically linger on one. This is often common among those that have not really built themselves with respect to their inner mind. Your mind starts daydreaming or painting superficial pictures of something and before you know it, you have succumbed to the fantasy created by your mind. Some of us that have noticed this try to combat it by clearing out the mind and ridding it of thoughts, but here is the newsflash: Clearing your mind of thoughts is an impossible feat to achieve! The mind doesn’t stop working and as powerful as it is, it can easily get itself distracted. However, instead of trying to control something you obviously don’t have total control over, there is a better way that you might find surprising. Allow the thoughts to come, but instead of fighting them or getting yourself distracted by them, you simply allow them to float till they go away without identity or going too deep into it. If you find a thought very stubborn, do well to put it down on a sheet beside you and continue with your meditation.
5. The empty stomach works better
How do you feel when you have eaten? Tired, I guess. So why would you want to engage in such a spiritual and physiological task as meditation with your tummy filled up? When we eat most of our energy is going to be expended on digestion, leaving little energy to be shared by other functions. It’s the reason we become slow or even want to sleep after eating. This will not only give room for distraction when you meditate but the thinking process will also be low and slow. To better optimize your meditation, it’s advisable to do it on an empty stomach, when you are very active with lots of mental energy and also fewer functions for your body to perform. In case you are hungry before you commence your meditation, you can eat something light that won’t take much of your energy to digest.
6. Practice the act of breathing
As mundane as this may sound, inhaling and exhaling are know to help one focus as it sooths the mind. The usefulness of breathing is more pronounced when meditating, as it determines the ease of concentration. According to research, if air from the left nostril is predominant, then you will be able to concentrate more when meditating. You can easily get which nostril is giving out more air by closing one after the other. If by chance your right nostril is predominant, you can change it by laying on your right side while placing your head on your right arm. This is a very good way to change your nostril’s airflow.
7. Don’t judge yourself
There is no wrong way to meditate. The goal is to achieve oneness with you and your inner mind. Suspend all thoughts of you not doing it right, and actually do it. This thought of doubt could bring bad energy and that can hinder the effectiveness of your meditation. Also, if you judge yourself even before starting, just do it and if you feel it didn’t give you the result you wanted, make a mental note or even write down the things you think went wrong.
There you have it! Meditation has never been this easy. Keep learning as you meditate and don’t rush. Just breathe and enjoy the process of oneness with your body.
