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Author:
Pieter Heydenrych

"MEDITATE"

.. focus one's mind for a time for relaxation or spiritual purposes / think carefully about...



As I suspect you already know, this is easier said than done. However once mastered this will make for a most amazing pasttime, and remains without a doubt a worthy pursuit. It is with this in mind that I have decided to create this meditation course, which will step by step show you how to meditate and with the help of some exercises and aids.

To this end you will also find that this course has been developed to enable beginners (and advanced as refresher / and perhaps a slightly different perspective) without much effort to start almost instantly enjoying the benefits of meditation, which could be numerous including :

* Better physical health * Better mental health and abilities * Less stress

* Better sleeping habits

* And of course could also include personal spiritual growth, even if not philosophically associated.

* And many more not mentioned here....

Step 1

So as a start I would suggest that we begin with a fairly important aspect of meditation. An aspect which will have an impact on your meditations in the future :

SEATING ARRANGEMENTS

Whilst most teachers will insist that you take up a lotus position, I have found that there is very little limitation to potential positions which are suitable for meditation at this level. Essentially three things to consider :

* It must be a position in which you would be able to sit (or stand) for at least 5-10 minutes, and with reasonable comfort, ensuring that you reduce discomfort, and following fidgeting to a minimum.



* It must be in a place where you will not be disturbed for the duration of your meditation. {there is little as unpleasant as being rudely awakened in the middle of a meditation session.}



* It must be a comfortable position, but a position which is not conducive to sleep. eg. trying to meditate lying down on your bed, is the easiest way to fall asleep rather than meditate.

For the sake of ease, I have found that simply sitting fairly upright in a normal chair is fairly suitable. It is OK for the chair to have armrests and soft cushioning as this will likely increase the comfort level by just enough to keep you going. If the chair has no armrests of course you could simply rest your hands in your lap.

Of course you are welcome to attempt a lotus position, as this will likely eventually prove to be a suitable position, however I have found that not only is it a difficult position to take for normal folk, but unless you are a seasoned meditator, you are likely to find that you get distracting aches in places which will force you to fidget

To avoid this I have found that a partial lotus (only crossing one foot over your leg, and the other underneath, or one foot accross and the other not totally underneath) with back support makes for a comfortable position for most meditations.

Again I must state that it remains unimportant whether or not your are able to sit in this position or not, and at this stage I would suggest that you can give up perfection for comfort, as this will have very little (if any) impact on the success of your meditations...

Oh.. and do not be afraid to stop reading to try find a comfortable position right now...

For more please visit our resources...

About the author:

Pieter Heydenrych is a Reiki master , who has developed a resource for guided meditations and meditation course material which is not tied to any specific religious philosophy, making it more accessible to all who wishes to practice meditation. The resources is also focussed on offering substantial benefit from meditation in minutes, and is growing continuously at http://www.letsmeditate.net

| Article Keywords: Meditation

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Meditation... Benefits of Meditation Benefits of Meditation for Individuals and for Society as a Whole Robert Elias Najemy How is Meditation Used Today? People from all walks of life, in all the countries of the world belonging to all the possible religions, meditate for a wide variety of reasons. The same technique offers something different to each according to his needs and motives. Some of the motives for which people meditate today are: 1. To relax the body, mind and rejuvenate one?s flow of energy in order to more effectively face the responsibilities of one?s demanding and active life. 2. To heal illnesses (especially psychosomatic ones). 3. To overcome emotional problems. 4. To develop a more relaxed and positive view towards life. 5. To develop a peaceful and more clearly functioning mind. 6. For greater ability to penetrate into the core of problems and find inspirational solutions. This has been found especially useful by scientists and businessmen. 7. To tune into a creative inspirations for artistic expression. 8. For freeing oneself from addictions such as cigarettes, alcohol, narcotics and tranquilizers. 9. To purify one?s character. 10. To develop will-power. 11. As a method of self-observation and self-discovery. 12. To develop the latent powers of the mind. 13. To create a relationship with God. 14. To develop an inner relationship with the Divine. 15. For spiritual growth, self-knowledge or enlightenment. 16. To transcend the identification with the body and mind, and experience spiritual realities. 17. For the ecstasy of union with the Universal Spirit, which is the essential reality of the universe. Scientific Research on the Effects of Meditation on the Body and Personality Numerous scientific experiments on people who meditate and similar control groups...