Day 6 Meditation

Today I attempted meditation as outlined in Day 6 of the SEP. I felt very calm as I meditated however I do still require some practice as I am relatively new to meditation. Does anybody have any suggestions that may help me in the process of meditation? Thank you in advance.

 

There are different ways you can meditate. I don’t meditate much but when I do I like to just settle in and begin by focusing on my breath or heartbeat. You’ll see your brain will shift to a thought. I then gently guide it back to my anchor. Try not to judge any feeling or thought that comes up.

There are some guided meditations I like too. I have an Insight Timer app on my phone and the ones I gravitate toward are Inner Child Healing. Those, in my opinion, are one of the best in connecting with yourself on a deep level and finding that self-compassion.

I’m sure others will weigh in too!

 

I second the comments by @HealingMe. For many years I was intimidated by the thought of meditation and didn't do any. A few years ago I was recommended to try box breathing, which is a roughly a 4 count breathe in, hold 4 seconds, exhale 4 seconds and hold 4 seconds, then repeat. I was amazed to notice an immediate benefit and calmness that last for hours afterwards. Combined with focussinhg on the breath or heartbeat, that's now my go to. There's also a bunch of ups that I have signed up to, like Waking Up, Freeme and Curable. I really like Freeme.

 

Thanks again Mando, I will give the box breathing a shot.

 

Hi, @RonnieG
Years ago, I had severe anxiety with panic attacks. It was so bad I was housebound. I don’t know what came over me, but I started meditating for the first time. I knew nothing about it. I just made it up as I went along. At first, I tried emptying my mind of all thoughts. But that didn’t work. So then I tried meditating on a peaceful scene. When thoughts came in (which they do!), I gently pushed them out. I started with 20 minutes a day, always sitting in the same chair. Over time, I increased to 30 minutes a day. And after a year, I liked it so much, I was at 30 minutes morning and evening. It took months and months for me to slowly calm down. But over time, I noticed my whole body relax as my mind let go. I noticed myself becoming much more calm. At the end of a year, my panic was gone. That’s my experience with meditating. I never focused on my breath. But for some people that works. I did use the same visualization scene every time. (I should really start meditating again!) Good luck!

 

Thank you!!

 

Hi Ronnie

I've taught meditation in a range of secular and Buddhists contexts for about ten years.

My top five tips:

1. approach meditation with playful curiosity and kindness

2. let go of expecting a certain outcome or experience - do the practice as best u can in the moment. Allow that to be enough.

3. explore different practices but then decide to stick with one or two and get familiar over time. if you jump around too much u can sacrifice the depth that comes with familiarity.

4. be aware of unwanted side effects of meditation and arising of unexpected emotions. Stop if it becomes too much or unpleasant. Seek guidance from a teacher.

5. remember that mind and body are not separate from each other. Meditation is a deeply embodied practice - you're not a head on a stick! Include body scanning/movement practices like tai chi if u have trouble accessing body sensations.

Have fun!

with love

Grateful x