On top of personal and spiritual benefits of meditation the physical aspect cannot be dismissed. Meditation balances the body’s systems. Relaxation experienced during mindfulness meditation can lower blood pressure, improve heartbeat, breathing and brain waves; it relax and oxygenate muscles. Regular practice should include complete training of your mind, your senses, and your body.
Meditation is like many other activities that you may have practiced or wish to practice in your life. The time and effort spent on it will determine the result. If you would like to learn to play the piano, or let’s say train gymnastics you would need to find a teacher, you would need to organize lessons, perhaps once a week and also you would need to practice at home, on your own. It is very possible that you could face the difficult stages when you would like to give up, that you would doubt your abilities but if you would stick to the plan and train even harder the chances are that you will master it.
It may seem strange that spiritual practice could be so easily compared to sport activities, but I truly believe it can and it should. It must be practiced the same way. Discipline is one of the most important parts of the practice with commitment (I wrote about commitment before, you can find it here: https://www.themeditationbay.com/post/copy-of-the-first-steps ) and patience. Setting up time, organizing the place where you meditate, taking the correct position – sitting comfortably, with the back straight, it can be on the floor with the legs crossed or on a chair, eyes closed. All of these are important parts of a daily meditation routine, which with time becomes a habit, becomes a part of your life that you cannot imagine a day without, this is the time when you make progress, when the benefits of your training become apparent.
I mentioned teachers - it would be ideal if you could find yours. I was very lucky with my teachers – Mary and Sandra at the start and Dennis now, the amazing people that are sharing their abilities and wisdom with such ease, love and caring. I wish everyone would meet someone like them on their path. I believe that there is a teacher for every student and if you still didn’t find one it is only a matter of time…
If you are planning to start meditation, there is a beautiful breathing exercise (one of pranayama exercises) to incorporate into your routine:
Sit down comfortably with your back straight. To start, exhale all the air from your lungs through your nose. Using the thumb of your right hand, block your right nostril and inhale for 6 seconds through your left nostril only. Be sure to inhale into your belly, not your chest. Seal your left nostril with the ring finger of the same hand and hold your breath for 6 seconds. Then release your thumb and exhale through your right nostril only, again counting to 6. Be sure to exhale fully through the right nostril and pause for 6 seconds before inhaling again through the same side. Seal both nostrils once you have inhaled through right side and exhaled through the left. A complete cycle of breath includes an inhalation and exhalation through both nostrils. If you are just starting out, you can do a four-count inhale, holding your breath for four to eight seconds, then exhale for four counts. Perform up to ten cycles and notice how your body responds…
