Consider a pinball machine, where the main objective is to prevent the pinball from falling back into the machine. I meditate in this way. I’m always attempting to divert my attention from my fictional mind’s eye.
It is as challenging as it seems. Actually, I’ve found it harder to meditate lately simply because I’m not in “meditation” form. Over the course of the summer, I committed myself to it for a time. reserving even a small amount of time each day to meditate. In the summer, my schedule is more flexible, so I could take the time. I thought that by setting aside this time for meditation practise, my increased comfort with it would carry over to my busier days and aid in reducing my tension and regaining calm focus once fall arrived.
But I’ve come to feel distant from the practise of mindfulness. My recent engagement, changes in my living situation, and new professional opportunities have all served as valid justifications for skipping meditation. Ironically, now is the best time for meditation. My worry, self-doubt, overreactions, and underreactions are all much reduced when I meditate. It also improves my thinking and sleep. Only during meditation can we totally control our thoughts; even while we are asleep, our dreams constantly veer us in different directions. In a very genuine sense, meditation is empowering.
I attempted to meditate last night as I had learned to do so, but it was exceedingly challenging. Thoughts continued to enter my field of view. The moment I believed I had arrived at my destination, another thought—and then another—came into focus.
I’m now back where I started. Because I’ve neglected the practise for so long and because I’m an absolute beginner, it’s quite simple for me to try to meditate for a moment and then give up. I’ve created a brief introduction to meditation for beginners to assist you and I in returning to the garden of our minds.
There isn’t one online if you search for a definition of meditation. However, there are many views and explanations of what it is that are available online. This is due to the fact that meditation is a practise that crosses many different civilizations. The phrase “meditation” used to terrify me. I compared it to Tibetan monks, whose standards I could never reach. I believed that those who could meditate must possess greater grace and attention than I ever could (especially with an official diagnosis of ADHD under my belt). I now see my error. Those who meditate regularly are regular meditation practitioners. Meditation may be practised, refined, and self-taught, just like any other talent.
Advice on How to Master the Art of Meditation
Materials:
a convenient area to unwind your mind, a timer
TIME. Be kind with yourself. Learning how to meditate takes TIME. We aren’t used to sitting still and doing “nothing” for sporadic periods of time that could be spent cooking, sending emails, working, etc., which is why it can be difficult. Start off literally by setting a one-minute timer. Expecting to be able to meditate for 30 minutes right away is unrealistic. It takes effort to blow thoughts away. Start off slowly to avoid becoming overwhelmed or demoralised.
PLACE. Pick a location for meditation that is preferable away from potential media or communications noises. It will take some time and probably some design to find the ideal location. I first started meditating while trying to fall asleep in my bed. My primary issue with falling asleep is constant thinking. So I practised meditation before going to bed. My porch or the couch in the living room are now my preferred locations for doing it. If you have a passion for interior design and styling, it might even turn into a lucrative hobby. How are you going to set up your meditation area? Which candle scent helps you unwind the most? For me, using incense while practising meditation is incredibly effective.
The location you pick for meditation is entirely up to you. It can be outside in a garden, on the beach, in a meadow, by a pond, or if you’d rather stay inside, in a comfortable area of your home. Sometimes I do my meditation in the bathtub!
Silence or SOUND. It can be tempting to put on some music while meditating. Then again, listening to music is not meditation. However, many of us find stillness to be oppressive, which is ironic. For those of us who are not yet able to meditate in complete stillness, I advise going outside, opening a window, or using music that features nature sounds. The sounds of dogs barking or leaves rustling don’t seem to draw your attention to your surroundings as much as the delights of harmony do. Do not forget that meditation is not listening; it is meditation.
SELF-CARE. Learning to exercise self-care while meditating entails being able to set aside the job that needs to be done “asap,” switch off the phone, even for only five minutes, and notify your spouse that you won’t be available. Ten minutes of meditation may seem like a waste of time in the short term, but over the long run, it will increase your productivity, efficiency, and politeness. In other words, you need to develop the ability to manage your own time for self-care and healing.
CONTROL or FOCUS. This is where I recently failed. Ironically, I took for granted my improved capacity for meditation, and now I find myself starting over from scratch. Ironically, an alarm can be useful for newbies like myself. Every day at 5 o’clock, if you set an alarm, it will remind you to close the laptop, put down the pencil, the remote, the phone, and other distractions, and meditate.
PASSION. You must genuinely want to meditate if you want to do it. If not, it turns into a chore. You are then more inclined to abandon it. Be devoted to meditation and to your mental well-being. You’ll be shocked to learn that meditation might help you establish some form of dependable relationship.
