Practicing Meditation

Timing

Though many people meditate for long stretches at a time, it may be better to start off with a short 5 minute period and gradually extending it. A ‘quality over quantity’ mentality is what I strive for. 30 minutes of barely sustaining mindfulness is very poor compared to even a minute of a calm mind.

Timing meditation is critical. This way, time spent meditating can be adjusted appropriately. Traditional alarms can be jarring. If an iPhone is available, a timer that puts the device to sleep can be used to stop calming music or a white noise machine (of which there are several available)

Meditation Techniques

Mindfulness Meditation

The first component of mindfulness involves the self-regulation of attention so that it is maintained on immediate experience, thereby allowing for increased recognition of mental events in the present moment. The second component involves adopting a particular orientation toward ones experiences in the present moment, an orientation that is characterized by curiosity, openness, and acceptance.

Focused Meditation

Focus on one single thing. It can be a physical object, but it may be easier to start with a sound such as a ticking clock or a fan. A popular point of focus is ones own breath.

Mental Silence

Trying to silence the mind of the noise of thought. Any worries or other thoughts that pop up during the time of mental silence should be made to float by undisturbed, as if they were leaves on a stream.

Relaxation Based Meditation

Primary focus is on breathing. With each exhalation, allow the muscles to relax. Cycle through all muscles.

Visualization

Think of an object and try to visualize it as clearly as possibly, with all available focus. Choose simple objects to start with.

If you spot an error, please let me know. The primary purpose of this site is for my own continued education, any benefit to you the visitor is purely accidental.