5 Meditation Techniques You Can Master In No Time
Meditation offers several health benefits, which include stress reduction, improved heart health, concentration, and many more.
A recent UCLA research study found regular practice of meditation helps strengthen thinking skills and help stave off memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease.
However, if you’ve just started meditating, it can be difficult to master the basic tenets of meditation - breathing and relaxation.
In this article, we’ll show you 5 meditation techniques which are ideal for beginners and which you can master in no time.
5 Meditation Techniques for Beginners
1) 5 Minute Breathing Meditation
Here’s a simple meditation technique which just needs 5 minutes of your time. It’ll also help you be more mindful in your daily activities.
Find a comfortable place. Be seated on the floor or cushion. Relax completely and make sure you are comfortable in this position.
Breathe normally. Notice the sensations in your body.
As you are breathing normally, notice the inhalation and exhalation. There will be a brief pause after the inhalation ends and exhalation begins. Notice this pause.
Now start taking deep breaths. As you inhale, count to four. Hold your breath for four seconds and then exhale slowly and completely for six seconds.
As you are meditating, your mind may wander. This is natural. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Whenever this happens, just bring your awareness back to the breath and continue taking deep breaths.
Walking meditation is a popular form of meditation where you put your entire awareness on walking. In other words, walking meditation is practicing meditation while walking.
Walking meditation offers several health benefits, including stress reduction and helping you stay in the present moment.
Find an unobstructed space where you can walk for about ten feet.
Bring your awareness to your feet. Notice the sensations here.
Slowly shift weight from your left leg to your right leg.
Lift your head and look straight ahead and hold your chest high.
Now begin the process of walking. Extend the right leg forward and notice the weight redistribution. As the weight shifts forward, notice how the heel of your left leg begins to lift. Swing the left leg forward and repeat.
As is common with any meditation practice, the mind begins to wander. When we meditate, we focus on our breath and each time our mind wanders, we bring the focus back to the breath.
At the end of the walking path, come to a complete stop and take a deep mindful breath. Now turnaround and walk to the other side following the same practice.
3) Ujjayi Pranayama Breathing Technique
Ujjayi is a simple Pranayama breathing exercise which you can master easily.The Sanskrit word Ujjayi translates to “conqueror’s breath”. As such, Ujjayi pranayama is a meditation technique where the lungs are expanded and chest puffed out like that of a proud conqueror.
Sit in Vajrasana (diamond pose), Padmasana (lotus position) or Sukhasana (cross legged pose). Make sure you are comfortable in this pose.
Keep the back straight and lower the head to the trunk. Rest the chin in the notch between the collar bones just above the breast bone. This process is called Jalandhara Bandha.
Rest your hands on the knees with palms facing upwards. Close your eyes and exhale completely.
Now the Ujjayi method of breathing begins. Take a deep steady breath through both nostrils. The passage of the incoming breath is felt on the roof of the palate and makes a sibilant sound.
Fill the lungs to the brim. As applicable in all Pranayama breathing techniques, make sure that the abdomen is not bloated. The entire abdominal area should be pulled back to the spine.
Hold the breath for two seconds. This retention of breath is called antara kumbhaka.
Now exhale slowly and deeply until the lungs are completely empty. While exhaling, the passage of the outgoing air should be felt on the roof of the palate.
This completes one round of Ujjayi Pranayama.
Wait for a second before beginning the second round. Repeat the round with steps 1 – 7 for 5 to 10 minutes.
Metta meditation or loving kindness meditation is a popular Buddhist meditation technique where you extend gratitude to yourself and others.
These are the four types of people you need to envision during the practice of metta meditation:
someone towards whom you have great affection
someone who you find difficult to deal with
every living being on the planet
Find a comfortable place, sit in sukhasana (cross-legged position) or sit on a chair/couch. Be in this position for a few seconds, make sure you’re comfortable and allow your mind to settle down.
Gently bring your focus to your breath. Take a few deep breaths and then allow the breath to be natural. Make sure your complete awareness is on the breath.
Shift your focus from the breath to yourself. Breathe from your heart center and try to create feelings of warmth towards yourself. Allow feelings of kindness, love, and compassion to flow through your whole body.
Now repeat these sentences of loving kindness in your mind:
Each time you recite these sentences in your mind, bring your complete focus on them. Be mindful of each and every word. Absorb the meaning of these lines.
The next step involves envisioning someone towards whom you have feelings of affection. Recite the same lines, but replace ‘I’ with ‘you’, and envision the person to whom these words are directed at.
So Hum meditation is a simple yet effective technique that uses breath and repetition of the So Hum mantra to achieve mental tranquility and a state of joy and inner peace.
Select a quiet, comfortable place. Sit in sukhasana (crosslegged position). If you’re not comfortable in this position, then sit on a chair or couch. Keep your spine straight, close your eyes, and keep your hands rested on your knees with palms facing upwards.
Take a few deep breaths. Observe the inflow and outflow of breath.
Now take a deep breath and as you inhale, think of the word So.
As you exhale, think of the word Hum.
Continue to observe your breath as you mentally chant the So Hum mantra.
Whenever you get distracted by a thought, quietly bring your mind back to the breath, silently repeating So Hum.
Continue with So Hum meditation for 5-10 minutes.
So these are the 5 basic techniques we recommend for beginners. Have you tried any of them before? Let us know in the comments below.
