A Beginner's Guide To Meditation, Because We All Need To Calm Down

We live hectic lives. There is always some stress of the other and it eats us up, as most of the time we don't realise it. But that is to be expected, right? With work pressure, having to maintain a social life, personal life, family, friends, relationship, eating well, and just simply making sure you don't crack under the pressure of it all is - well, it is work, and I don't think I am acing it. Nowhere close.

But, oh well. At least now we embrace the fact that relaxation is as important for us as working and maintaining a life is. And therefore as a generation we take more care to leave work on time, and do things that make us more wholesome.

A lot of people gym and that is really great. But what is also not given enough credit, I feel, is meditating. Contrary to (the ridiculous) belief, meditation is not necessarily about chants and prayers all the time. You don't go into a trance. Nor do you have visions of your past life. Meditation is of several types. It can be simply the act of emptying your mind, mindfully. It can be the act of attaining peace and calm by silencing the many thoughts that crowd our mind. It can also be mindfully acknowledging every thought that crosses one's head. Or it can be concentrating on a single point. And it is not as simple as sitting in a yogic pose and keeping mum.

Of course thoughts pop up even when you are focusing on not focusing on them. It is the gap between those thoughts where you find your peace and connect with your soul.

And if you are a beginner who wants to try meditating, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

1. Mind a peaceful place. It can be a garden, a park, or your empty room. The idea is to be in a calm place and not an altogether silent place. No you don't need ear plugs, but don't be in a noisy area either.

2. Turn off the distractions. Find or make time where you know you won't be distracted by calls, messages, TV, etc.

3. When you are ready, decide the amount of time you want to meditate for. And it is advised to keep the meditation time fixed for each day. Also, wear comfy clothes.

4. Don't expect anything, and don't expect great results right off the bat. Like every good thing, this also takes time.

5. Before you sit in the meditation position, stretch your body out a bit. Loosen it up, relax. Open the muscles up.

When you are ready, remember these pointers to begin the mediation.

1. Sit in a comfortable position. It can be on a cushion, the floor; park bench...the idea is for you to be comfortable. Don't slump. You can keep your hands on your lap, on your side or on your knees. Relax your body starting with your toes and move upwards.

2. Close your eyes. If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you keep the eyes closed. The kind of medication where you focus on a single point is a little more advanced.

3. Just focus on your breathing. Just breathe normally and be mindful of the rise and fall of your chest. Don't think about your breaths and the act of breathing. Just, simply, breathe.

4. Try and clear your mind out. Don't think about things actively and know that as a beginner, thoughts will come. If it is hard, then try and focus on a mantra (om) or a visual object (such as a candle, or a light).

5. To send your body into a calm state, you can also try visualization - merely think of yourself in a different setting, maybe a beach with waves crashing or a forest with birds chirping. Your call.

Meditation, apart from making your life more stress free and calm, also has a lot of health benefits. It also betters your quality of living, and we all know the times call for it.

Also, it is good be mindful in your everyday life as well. Like, even during the rush of the day, we should try and find moments where we breathe easy, calm ourselves down, and clear our heads. Also arms us in tough and hectic situations.

Peace out!