If you don’t have the get up and go to start a morning mindfulness practice, consider meditating before bed. Meditating in the evening is a great way to unwind after a long day, calm the mind, reflect on what happened during the day, and let go of the day’s stresses and worries. It gives us a chance to clear our minds of any lingering thoughts or feelings that may have been triggered by the day. It also gives us a chance to connect with ourselves, to reflect on what we did well during the day and what we might want to improve upon next time around. Most importantly, meditation before bed helps us fall asleep faster and get better rest. Discovering the top reasons to meditate before bed might give you the motivation you need to establish a mindful evening routine.

1. Better sleep

If you struggle to fall asleep at night, meditating before bed may help you get some much needed rest. Research shows that a regular practice of meditation can improve sleep quality and duration by helping us to relax, destress and unwind. Practicing meditation before bed can improve sleep quality by reducing worry, anxiety and chronic pain.

Several minutes of meditation can induce a relaxation response in the body, which triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness. Melatonin production peaks about an hour before we actually fall asleep, so practicing meditation right before bed can help us fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper, more restful sleep.

2. Soothes away stress

Meditation helps reduce stress and anxiety. When we feel stressed out, our bodies release adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones that prepare us to fight or flee. When we stay stressed out for long periods of time, our body releases even more stress hormones, causing us to feel tired and anxious. An evening meditation practice is perfect for stress management, as we are often the most stressed at the end of the day.

Meditation helps to relieve stress by focusing the mind and calming the nervous system. Studies show that regular meditation decreases cortisol levels (a hormone associated with stress) and increases alpha brain waves (the relaxation state). By reducing stress through meditation, we can calm our nervous system and restore our energy levels. We can also focus more clearly and effectively during stressful situations.

Stress hormones cause us to act quickly and aggressively—sometimes against our own best interests. But meditation teaches us to notice and let go of those feelings before they escalate. When we meditate regularly, we train our brains to recognize when we’re feeling stressed and to help us relax instead of react. We also get the added benefit of reducing our risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other health problems associated with chronic stress.

3. Improves mood

When we’re stressed out, our emotions tend to run hot and fast. We are most likely to feel stressed out at the end of a frantic work day. An evening meditation practice can help clear out the stress of the day and bring you back into balance. Meditation also encourages more empathy, kindness, and compassion towards yourself and others. It helps you see things as they really are, without judgement, and allows you to respond to them with greater wisdom and understanding.

A regular meditation practice can create a kind and compassionate perspective of the outside world. When you meditate regularly, you’re able to control your emotions and respond to stressful situations more effectively. You may find yourself experiencing more positive emotions, such as joy, gratitude, and love, which will naturally lead to more positive interactions with others. In addition, you may notice that you have fewer negative thoughts about yourself and others, and feel better equipped to deal with difficult situations when they arise.

4. Strengthens relationships

Meditation teaches us to live from a place of non-judgment. It helps us to see ourselves as others see us, and to understand that there is no one right way to be. In meditation, we learn to accept ourselves and our experiences, including those that may seem negative or difficult. This acceptance allows us to open our hearts to others and to feel more compassion for them.

Meditation has been shown to better our ability to relate to others, by boosting the ability to identify and express emotions and by the regulation of anger and other negative emotions. It also helps us become more emotionally stable, which makes us less susceptible to being swayed by negative people around us.

Meditation can help you build stronger relationships with those closest to you. When you feel calm and relaxed, you tend to speak up more often and share your feelings. Studies have found that regular meditation can increase oxytocin (the “cuddle” hormone). Oxytocin makes us happier and calmer, and reduces aggression. Since we spend most of our weekday time with our partners in the evening, it is ideal to carve out some meditation time before interacting with your friends and partner at night.

5. Boosts creativity

Creativity is often thought of as a trait that only artists possess. However, research shows that creative thinking can benefit anyone. A study investigated the impact on creativity of two different types of meditation: focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM). They found that OM meditation was associated with enhanced divergent thinking, while FA meditation did not have any significant effects. This suggests that there may be something about the openness of OM meditation that makes it particularly effective for promoting divergent thinking–a type of thinking that allows the creative generation of many new ideas. If you spend weekday nights on creative projects, then consider adding an open monitoring meditation to your evening routine.

6. Relieves pain

Meditation has been used effectively against pain. A large meta-analysis of nearly 3,500 studies found that meditation was associated with lower rates of chronic pain. It also found that people who meditated were better able to cope with pain than those who didn’t. In fact, the researchers found that people who meditate experience less pain overall.

Mindfulness teaches you to step back from thoughts and feelings, which can then influence how you respond to pain. Meditation can help you manage pain through its effects on the mind.

7. Improves memory

Neuroscientists have shown that eight weeks of consistent mediation practice can literally change the brain. As we grow older, an area in the frontal cortex that is associated with memory and decisions shrinks in size. Research has shown that meditation slows down—and can possibly reverse—changes in the brain due to ageing. Researchers believe this is because meditation increases blood flow throughout the body, especially in the hippocampus area of the brain.

8. Encourages self care and insight

Meditation helps us to clear our minds, which allows us to focus on what matters most. It also gives us the opportunity to prioritize and practice self-care. When we meditate regularly, we become better able to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. We can also use meditation as a tool to reduce pain, improve sleep quality, and increase overall well-being. As our awareness increases, we can learn to better take care of ourselves and know what is best for our wellbeing.

Meditation helps us slow down enough to notice what’s happening around us, whether it’s a thought, feeling, or physical sensation. It allows us to pay attention to the present moment without judgment or distraction. This practice gives us the opportunity to observe our thoughts and feelings as they arise, which helps us gain insight into ourselves. An evening meditation practice is perfect to encourage self-reflection and introspection at the end of your day.

9. Enhances willpower and self-discipline

Meditation develops the mental discipline needed to avoid bad habits. It can give you the strength to resist temptations and urges, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, eating junk food, etc. This is especially helpful at the end of your day when you have less energy to resist these unhealthy behaviors. Improved will power means that you are less likely to engage in self-destructive behavior and have the strength to create and maintain new healthy habits.

Meditation helps us to step back from the thoughts that can drive us to act impulsively and stay focused on what matters. It teaches us to become aware of our own impulses and emotions, and to recognize when they arise. It gives us the opportunity to pause before acting, to consider whether we really want to take that action, and to choose instead to do something else.

10. Reduces anxiety and depression

Meditation increases your emotional well- being, refocuses your attention, and reduces the negative thinking that can fuel depression and anxiety. Mindfulness practices also improve stress reactivity and coping skills, which can help ease the negative impact of these thoughts.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that meditation may help ease high anxiety. Other research has shown that 8 weeks of mindfulness practice helps reduce anxiety symptoms in people who have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This is important because GAD is often associated with chronic worry and rumination, which can lead to increased anxiety.

11. Improves self-confidence

Through daily practice, you can build a stronger sense of awareness, vitality, and positivity into your life. You can also practice noticing when you’re thinking about something that isn’t serving you well, whether it’s a relationship, a job, or anything else. When you catch yourself doing this, you have the opportunity to pause and ask yourself what you’re really feeling. Then, you can choose to either let those feelings go, or take action to change them.

You may notice that when you feel yourself slipping into negative thoughts about yourself, you can catch yourself before they become ingrained habits. You can also use these moments as opportunities to remind yourself of who you really are—a person who has strengths and qualities that make you unique and valuable.

Meditation builds your resilience by filtering out the negative self- talk that often clouds our true self and reenforces a negative self image. You can experience a greater sense of awareness and vitality in your practice, which will naturally boost your confidence. This boosts your self-esteem and helps you feel better about yourself.

Why evening meditation is important

Meditation has been found to have a wide range of benefits; however, the time at which you choose to meditate has a role to play in how much you benefit. Meditation can be practiced at any time of day, but meditating before bedtime is best for people with busy lives or if you struggle with getting a good night’s rest. You can greatly benefit from dedicating as little as five minutes at the end of your day to quiet your mind and reflect on the stillness this practice brings.

A consistent morning meditation practice calms the mind and allows us to gain greater insight into life’s important lessons. One of the great things about yoga and meditation is that they’re endlessly adaptable to individual needs and lifestyles. There are many different meditation techniques you can explore and implement at the start of your day to boost your sense of wellness, reduce your levels of stress, and increase your energy levels.

It’s important to note that meditation isn’t a quick fix. You need to dedicate time to practicing it regularly. But once you start meditating, you won’t want to stop!

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Obesity is a widespread problem globally. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) study, in 2016, 650 million adults were obese, and 1.9 billion adults were overweight. 

Obesity is a worldwide phenomenon, and it encompasses all age groups. As a result, globally, there is a great focus on losing weight. The two most common ways to lose weight are exercising and dieting. However, there is another, less popular way of losing weight. It is called meditation. Meditation is a rare prescription for losing weight. It is probably because other benefits of meditation are more popular than weight loss. However, if done in the right way, meditation can be very effective in weight loss.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that helps gain a better connection between the mind and the body. It is freeing yourself from the thoughts of the future and the past and about focusing your attention on the present moment. Meditation involves various breathing techniques and chanting of various mantras. It has been in practice for thousands of years for spiritual development. Though all kinds of meditation aim to bring internal peace, there are various specialised forms. These include meditation for mindfulness , spiritual meditation, focused meditation, movement meditation, mantra meditation, transcendental meditation, progressive relaxation, love-kindness meditation, and visualisation meditation.

Meditation and Weight Loss

Meditation can help you lose weight when complemented with the proper diet and exercise. Losing weight is all about how many calories you consume and how many you burn out. Meditation works on your mind. So what you attain is a sense of control over sensory pleasure. Once you have achieved that self control, you crave less. As a result, it limits your caloric intake by decreasing the frequency of binge eating and emotional eating. At the same time, meditation improves the clarity of thought. It means that you are more likely to be conscious of your wellbeing. So meditation indirectly helps you to eat as much as you need. It allows you to attain portion control as a way of life naturally. Hence, it helps lose excess weight.

Meditation the Right Way

The most basic form of meditation focuses on paying attention to your breath. You can do it anywhere, but you first need to keep your mind off all  distractions if you are a beginner. Next, search for a quiet place for meditation. Also, do it at a time when distractions are minimal. Finally, follow a simple process for reflection which will eventually lead to better control over self and weight loss:

1. Take a long,  deep breath. Hold it for 8-10 seconds.
2. Exhale slowly and thoroughly.
3. Repeat the process.
4. While the air goes in through your nostrils, notice the changes. Your lungs fill with air, and your chest and belly move out.
5. If your mind wanders, acknowledge it. As soon as you realise that the mind is wandering, bring your attention back to your breath.
6. Do not tell yourself that you cannot meditate. When thoughts come to you, please accept them as a normal phenomenon. Be gentle with yourself, and do not criticise yourself. 
7. Meditation leads to self-love. Along the way, you learn to read your emotions. You recognise what is good for you and what is excess. Thus, meditation leads to the control of desires and ultimately becomes a medium  for weight loss.  

As a beginner, you should meditate for at least 10 minutes daily. Also, try to meditate at the same place at the same  time daily.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Weight loss is just one of the many benefits that come with meditation. It is the reason for its increased popularity all around the world. Given below are some of these benefits.

Stress Reduction

It is perhaps the most well-known benefit of meditation when done regularly. Cortisol hormone generally causes most of the physical and mental stress. It leads to many problems like fatigue, unclear thinking and, in worse cases, increased blood pressure. Research has shown that meditation helps manage the stress hormone cortisol when practised  regularly. Another study showed that regular meditation also helps improve conditions like irregular bowel movement, fibromyalgia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Reduces Anxiety

Habitual meditation reduces anxiety levels as well. Therefore, it is valid for both curative and preventive purposes. It means that a person with high anxiety levels can practice meditation regularly and see things improving. Not only this, practising meditation reduces the chances of facing anxiety-related issues in the future. One study found that regular meditation is also effective in coping up with  job-related anxiety.   

Improves Mental Health

Meditation also aids people to have more positive thoughts, which lead to an improved outlook on life. For example, a study found that people who practice regular meditation have fewer negative thoughts than people who do not practice meditation regularly.

Increases Self-Awareness

Meditation improves self-awareness. Improved awareness of the self also helps in adjusting to the surroundings. It also enables you to recognise your thoughts and categorise them as positive or negative. A study shows that regular meditation reduces feelings of loneliness among individuals. 

Improves Attention Span

Habitual meditation improves attention span over time. Research found that people who listen to a meditation tape have improved attention span and accuracy while completing a task. Interestingly, you do not  need to meditate for hours for it to work. Also, research shows that people who meditate for just 13 minutes per day have a better  attention span  after eight weeks. 

Effective in Fighting Addictions

Meditation is all about having control over your thoughts. Addictions are uncontrollable habits performed over and over again. Meditation  helps reduce the urge to engage in addictive habits by giving control over thoughts. This is backed up by research. A study involving 60 people with alcohol addiction found reduced alcohol consumption after three months of practising continuous  meditation.

Makes you Kind

Metta is a specific kind of meditation that makes you feel good about yourself. It does that by giving you positive thoughts about yourself. Kindness for self quickly translates into feelings of compassion and forgiveness towards others, including friends, family and eventually enemies. It is backed by research as well. Studies show that Metta meditation increases compassion in people.

Improves Sleep Quality

Insomnia is a grave problem worldwide. A report claimed that about half of the world’s total population suffers from insomnia at least once in a lifetime. regular meditation gives control over your thoughts. A significant cause of not being able to sleep at night is that your mind is full of unnecessary thoughts. Meditation gives you the capability to drive these thoughts away. A study found that people who do meditation have longer sleeping hours than those who do not. 

Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a major concern of the time. Meditation helps in lowering blood pressure as well. There have been various studies that have stated this. An analysis of 12 previously done studies showed that meditation helps in reducing blood pressure. Further, meditation is more effective in older people than in younger people.

Conclusion

Meditation is becoming popular around the world for various benefits. If done correctly and regularly, it helps one attain better control over oneself. In addition, it reduces stress and anxiety. As a result, one has better control over cravings. Therefore, it can effectively aid in losing weight with a proper  diet and exercise regimen. However, the benefits of meditation are not limited to weight loss. If done correctly, it can prevent and cure a lot of problems. These include high blood pressure, anxiety issues, and high-stress levels. In addition, it is helpful for you as it improves self-awareness and increases attention spans. Interestingly, meditating daily for even 15 minutes can help you achieve all these benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Can we reduce belly fat by meditation?

A. Yes, meditation can help reduce belly fat eventually. However, it would help if you complement it with proper diet and exercise. Losing weight or belly fat is how many calories you take in and how many you burn out. What meditation does is that it limits your calorie intake by decreasing the frequency of binge eating and emotional eating. At the same time, meditation increases the probability that you will have more self-love. It will motivate you to go out and exercise. So meditation indirectly helps you to reduce belly fat.  

Q. Does meditation increase weight?

A. Losing weight or belly fat is just a matter of how many calories you take in and how many you burn out. You burn calories even in basic metabolic activities like breathing, pumping blood and digestion. In addition, meditation makes you keep still for a short span of time. However, the calorie burn is the same as when you are in a restive state.  

Q. Do I lose weight when I poop?

A. Yes, you lose weight when you poop as the body has ejected waste. But this weight loss is temporary. It is because the body is continuously processing food. So the weight lost after pooping will replenish within a few hours. To lose significant weight, you need to be on a calorie deficit. There are only two ways to do that. Either take fewer calories in (eat in moderation) or burn more calories (exercise). 

Q. Can yoga and meditation help lose weight?

A. Yes, yoga and meditation can help lose weight. Yoga creates a stronger connection between your mind and body. It has numerous types, with some focusing on meditation and mindfulness and others helping with strength and endurance. Hence, you can make yoga a part of your daily exercise regimen for weight loss as it can burn many calories.  

Q. Can you lose weight by mindful eating?

A. Mindful eating refers to eating without distraction and being wholly involved in eating. It consists in eating until you are full by recognising hunger cues from the body. As a result of mindful eating, you can distinguish between true hunger and non-hunger. When you are wholly involved in eating, you can understand when you are full. Therefore, it eliminates the chances of binge eating. It further reduces calorie intake and hence helps in weight loss. 

Q. Does sleeping help you lose weight?

A. Sleeping well is essential for losing weight. Lack of sleep is associated with hormones like leptin and ghrelin. These hormones increase cravings for unhealthy foods and contribute to increasing weight. Another way of losing weight while sleeping is to lower  the room’s temperature. It makes the body spend more energy to keep itself warm. It increases the number of calories burnt and hence helps in reducing weight.  

Q. Can you lose weight by walking?

A. Yes, you can lose weight by walking. It is because you are burning calories as you walk. The number of calories you burn while walking depends on your weight and walking distance. For a 180 pound person, 100 calories per mile burn for every mile of walk. For a 120 pound person, 65 calories per mile burn for every mile of walk. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to be mindful of the other side of the equation: calorie intake. To effectively lose weight, you must also eat right and not put excess calories in your body.  

Q. Does drinking water help you lose weight?

A. Yes, water forms up to 60% of your body. Water helps in a variety of ways in reducing your weight. For starters drinking enough water enables you to suppress your diet. It reduces calorie intake. Drinking water helps in stimulating your metabolism and hence burning calories as well. Water helps during exercise as well. The water requirement is to distribute the required electrical energy needed for muscle movement during exercise. Finally, drinking water helps better bowel movement and removes waste from the body.  

Q. Why am I eating healthy and working out but gaining weight?

A. If you are doing right on the eating and exercising front, a possible cause for weight gain may be poor sleep quality. Make it a point to sleep at least 7 hours each night. Another reason is that you might be retaining a lot of water. Therefore, you need to reduce sodium intake and eat food rich in magnesium. 

Q. Does hypnosis work to lose weight?

A. Yes, hypnosis makes you feel relaxed and more susceptible to advice. In addition, it can make it easier for you to build better habits like healthy eating, regular exercise and sufficient sleep. These can help you lose weight effectively. However, it can only cause slight 

weight loss with an average loss of 6 pounds or 2.7 kilograms. You will begin to see these results in 18 months.

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When we think of meditation, we often conjure up the image of someone sitting peacefully still with eyes closed, a blissful smile and legs twisted into a pretzel-like shape. Although Full Lotus pose certainly has benefits, the most essential part of a meditation position is that it facilitates stability and a solid foundation for your practice–a quality not necessarily inherent of a picture-perfect posture. Meditation is about the mind, not the body, so if discomfort is keeping you from committing to (or beginning) a meditation practice, there are six main options you can explore to find a comfortable position.

Benefits of a comfortable posture during meditation

Regardless of the type of meditation you wish to practice, if you do not sit comfortably you will not maximize the mental and health benefits of meditation. A comfortable correct posture will eliminate or reduce pain during meditation. A posture with a long and erect spine will encourage your chakras or energy centers to be open and balanced. It is especially helpful for your heart center to be open to encourage a compassionate and loving flow of energy in your chest.  In addition, by maintaining proper alignment throughout your entire body, you will feel more energized, focused and relaxed.

The 3 Best Seated Meditation Positions

1. Cross-legged Meditation position

   Cross-legged position: Meditating cross-legged is an excellent option for those with open hips and no joint problems. Sitting with crossed legs is symmetrical, secure, feels grounding, and allows for an unrestricted flow of prana throughout the body. There are several different variations of crossed-legged positions to suit different body types. For additional lower back support, consider leaning against a wall or a cushion, or extending your legs out in front of you; while this can be regarded as disrespectful toward a teacher or deity in some cultures, it’s perfectly acceptable in your own practice.

2. 

   kneeling meditation position

   Kneeling position: If you prefer to sit on the ground, but crossed legs are causing discomfort, kneeling in Hero pose is another possibility for a grounding meditation seat that lengthens the spine. Either sit back on your heels or add cushions underneath your sit bones to help alleviate weight-bearing stress on your lower body. You can also find a kneeling posture using a yoga block, bolster, meditation pillow or meditation bench.

3. Chair position: Many people find that it’s most comfortable to meditate while sitting on a chair. A chair should facilitate stability and an upright torso, so although it’s tempting, don’t run for the cushy sofa or your favorite recliner. If possible, sit near the edge of the chair, with a straight spine, relaxed shoulders, hands in your lap and your feet flat on the floor. If your feet don’t reach the floor, find a cushion or prop to ground them. For additional lower back support, gently lean against a pillow.

The 3 Best Non-Seated Meditation Positions

1. 

   Standing Meditation Position

   Standing position: Although it might not coincide with our idea of meditation postures, it’s also possible to meditate while standing (and common to do so in Qi Gong, various martial arts and Korean Zen practices). For a basic stable standing posture, ground yourself with your legs about hips distance apart and feet facing forward or slightly outward. Relax your upper body, find a slight bend in your knees and let your hands rest gently on your belly. Those accustomed to seated meditation might discover that it feels powerful to stand during a meditation session and that it’s easier to keep the mind alert and focused, but actively standing is more physically demanding than you might suspect. Begin your practice in moderation, standing for a few minutes and increasing time as you feel more confident with your posture.

2. 

   Lying down meditation position

   Lying down position: I’ve been taught that lying down is an advanced meditation position; this is because in a supine position, your body expects to sleep! However, if you keep an alert mind and overcome the urge to drift off, lying in the floor, either flat on your back or with props under your head and knees, can be a fantastic way to calm your mind, alleviate stress and restore your body during meditation, concentration or visualization exercises.

3. 

   Walking meditation position

   Walking position: Walking meditation is just as common as seated meditation in many Buddhist traditions. Like the other categories listed, there are many different variations of walking (and other movement-based) meditation practices. By focusing your attention on the sensations underneath your feet, the earth in front of you, your breath, or anything else that manifests as you slowly move your body through space, walking meditation can easily lead us toward applying this sense of awareness towards other parts of our lives.

Finding the best posture during meditation

If you’re struggling to find comfort on your meditation cushion, the best thing you can do is experiment and try out all of the common meditation postures we’ve discussed. A consistent meditation practice is essential to fine tuning your posture and discovering what best standing or seated position best supports you during your entire meditation session. Find something to enjoy about the process and trust that while we don’t always see results during a single session, “progress” is something we can track in our approach to our day-to-day lives.

Do you have an ideal position for meditation? Please feel free to share your wisdom in the comment section below.

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Full moon meditation is one of the most powerful practices you can participate in. Since the lunar cycle brings the full moon only once every 29 to 30 days, you have plenty of time to plan your meditation in advance. Many people structure their full moon meditation on their intentions from the last lunar cycle. Other people format their practice based on insight from destiny psychic readings. Use the practices that many find successful and learn which five tools are the best to bring to your full moon meditation.

How To Meditate On A Full Moon 

Before you decide which tools you need to bring, you need to figure out what it is that you’re actually doing. Essentially, a full moon meditation is a focused practice in which you use the heightened awareness that the power of the full moon brings to reflect on your intentions from the last cycle and plan your intentions for the next. You can expect this practice to be both energizing and exhausting. You are using significant energy from the moon and combining it with your own for more meaningful insight and discovery. To meditate on a full moon, simply focus on the following:

• Full moon energy
• Purposeful breathing
• Reflections on past
• Intentions for future
• Creating space for energy

5 Best Tools To Use During A Full Moon Meditation

While focusing on just a few actionable items for your full moon meditation seems easy enough, there are also ways to deepen your practice for more specific results. No rule book says you have to bring any items if they do not work for you. However, almost anything is worth trying once, and several people tout the powerful benefits of bringing these tools.

Photos

Use the powerful energy of the full moon to create a stronger connection to the past. Use photos to create a stronger relationship with someone in the present or the future. Images provide a specific visual focal point for your meditation.

Money

Bringing money to a full moon meditation can be effective for those who meditate on improving their financial circumstances. Scheduling a money psychic reading can further your focus. Many believe that the power of the lunar rays will work to energize the money to be more bountiful.

Heirlooms

Heirlooms can help ground people by reconnecting them to memories. Heirlooms can be used as foci to build a stronger connection to lost energies like those being searched for by missing persons psychic detectives. Heirlooms also work to remind of the child within.

Crystals

Trek these along to full moon meditations not for practice but for recharging by the lunar rays. If the evening is clouded, your crystals won’t gain quite as much juice but will still benefit from the energy in the air.

Anything That Represents Your Focus To You

You know you best. Choose whatever you think will best support purposeful reflection and the creation of intentions for the next cycle, and use that as a tool to focus your thoughts.

Check the calendar and pack your bag full of tools to prepare for a powerful full moon meditation.

*collaborative post

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By Dr. Kaiya Ansorge

What is a koan?

A koan is a phrase or word that is used in meditation to train the mind. Usually, the koan is somewhat puzzling in order to invite the mind to open in unusual ways. In fact, the term is often translated as “riddle.”

Koan literature involves enigmatic sayings or questions that, when meditated upon continuously, are meant to resolve in specific ways that indicate the path of insight for the initiate. On the other hand, other traditions assert that koans are not meant to be resolved but are instead ways to open us to a contemplative relationship with ephemera in the mind—rather than rational, problem-solving approaches.

The history and development of koan meditation is complex and reaches back to ancient China. However, this form of meditation can be modified to help those of us who are not planning to become Buddhist monks or scholars. We can use koans in their original formulations, or we can develop forms inspired by that practice but that are applicable and relevant to modern life, such as video meditations.

Why practice koan meditation?

The main reason to practice koan meditation is because we all practice it every day without awareness that we are doing so. All of us have thoughts—even if we think in images. These thoughts function in much the same way as a koan. Whether we consciously choose our thoughts or we unconsciously do so, we are in a continual process of training our minds. The stories and thoughts that we tell ourselves are the ones that we increasingly believe. Koan meditation brings our awareness to this process and invites us to explore further. Koan meditation slowly teaches us how to choose, question, and transform our perception of the world. However, this is not hypnosis: rather than putting us to sleep, koan practice wakes us up to a larger, more beautiful reality.

Some traditions assign a lifelong koan. The cognate of this for non-monastics is that each of us is “assigned” a specific dilemma or approach to life at birth or through early trauma/socialization. Most of us will have more than one koan that has arrived and situated itself in our preconscious mind. These range from “you are not good enough,” “you are too much,” even “I hate you,” or “you shouldn’t have been born” all the way to “freedom,” “love,” “joy,” or “you are made of love.” These voices within our mind can be explored and dismantled if they are detrimental and then replaced by ones that are natural to the divine nature within each of us. The degrading messages are always from an early hurt. The messages that feel freeing—or like a peaceful home—are the ones that are true to our nature.

How can you incorporate koan meditation into your practice?

Steps for koan meditation

1. Choose how you would like to practice. Would you like to do a seated, lying down, or walking meditation? You may even choose a non-traditionally Buddhist practice such as swimming or writing meditation. Many Buddhists use koans as a continual contemplation throughout their regular daily activities.

2. Choose a koan. You may use a traditional koan such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Or you may want to try koans you discover via a source such as Moti Media’s video series on koan meditation. Or you may choose a poem or a phrase that you want to move from your mind to your entire being. Affirmations and prayers are potent with this practice.

Here is a list of koan sources and ideas:

– Traditional sources are the “Blue Cliff Record” (Pi-yen lu) and “The Gateless Gate” (Wu-men kuan).

– Poems by Mary Oliver are especially helpful for those who practice in nature.

– Choose prayers from your religious background or, even better, from another religion in order to expand your consciousness and challenge it in a way that mystify you and open you to new vistas.

– A new way to engage koan meditation is through short exploratory videos such as “What’s There?” “Pursuit of Heavens,” and “Cycle.”

3. Gently rest your mind on your chosen koan as you meditate.

4. When you notice your mind drifting from the koan, you may follow the thoughts but with awareness, or you may return your thoughts gently to the koan. I find it helpful to mix these two approaches: as my mind explores the trajectories of the koan I watch, but if I find myself wandering off-topic or toward judgmental trajectories, I acknowledge the stray thoughts, thank them, and return to the koan.

5. As you watch your thoughts around the koan, allow yourself to notice those thoughts while cultivating interest and releasing judgment. Rhythmic, gentle breathing helps us transition our judgmental or anxious thoughts into a pattern of calming embrace and release.

6. As you close your session, offer gratitude or love to the koan, to your mind, and finally to your body for this session.

Life is made of koans. These koans come to us in the form of personal, interpersonal, and cultural tensions and puzzles. By learning how to work with koans in meditation, we begin to translate our approach to the challenges of our own lives through this lens. Koan practice also trains our minds to be flexible and creative, thus imparting flexibility and creativity towards our lives as challenges arise. This type of mindfulness-training delivers us into an unexpected curiosity, freedom, and joy in the midst of life’s dilemmas and challenges: in other words, we become riddled with wonder.

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Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Dr. Kaiya Ansorge. Kaiya is academically trained in psychology, philosophical theology, and religion. She teaches at the University of South Dakota. Because Kaiya loves to explore the spirituality of place, she has lived, studied, written, and traveled her way through 24 countries, spread across 5 continents. Her previous works include The Nature of Miracle, The Relationship between the Word and the Thing, “How to Use the 7 Chakras to Get in Touch with Personal Vitality,” and “Ascension: a Different Kind of Gravity.” Kaiya has appeared in Theology Today, Healyourhealthyourself, Your Motivational High 5, and on Sunny 93.3, South Dakota Public Radio, and KELO-TV. You can find her through her website or through Facebook.

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Meditation is an incredibly powerful tool that can be difficult and frustrating to learn. When you first start practicing, you discover how easy it is to be distracted by all the other thoughts and emotions that swirl around in your mind. You also discover how much practice and determination to learn how to meditate, especially to practice regularly and consistently in your daily life. The key to meditating effectively is an ancient yogic technique called dharana—the sustained practice of focused concentration. Learning and practicing this mental skill can make your meditation easier, more effective, and much less agonizing.

The journey to stillness

As many who have tried meditation probably know, the journey to stillness requires a lot of patience. The scriptures of yoga describe a process to meditation that looks, on paper, to be rather linear. For example, Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga outline a step-by-step guide to reaching enlightenment in a way that almost reads as easy.

But how many times have you sat down to meditate only to observe a mind full of rapid thoughts moving in all directions? If this has happened on your cushion, you are in the majority. Let’s first recognize that even the master yogis were human. Remember—the very reason the eight limbs and other guidelines were created was so that we would have handrails to hold when the mind’s winds of change threatened to knock us over.

Patanjali intentionally decoupled concentration and focus from the practice of meditation. He realized you can’t meditate without a basic amount of sustained attention—this must be established first. Practicing one-pointed concentration for a period of time naturally leads to the seventh limb, dhyana or meditation.

What is Dharana?

Dharana in Sanskrit means concentration or single focus. “Dha” means “holding, carrying, or maintaining”, and “ana” means “other, or something else.” It is the sixth limb in the eight-limbed path of Ashtanga Yoga as described in the Yoga Sutras. It is the initial step in attaining a state of meditation.

Dharana is the sustained practice of focused concentration on a single object. This focus is usually the breath, but it can also be the repetition of a mantra, the visualization of a deity, or the contemplation of a deep truth. It’s not so important what this object is that we are focusing on; the purpose is to quiet the mind with this total concentration.

Dharana vs. dhyana

The difference between dharana and dhyana can be a bit confusing. Dharana is the active focusing and concentration on one point. Dhyana is a state of mind where one’s focus is maintained or absorbed in the point of focus. Dharana is like focusing the lens of a camera on a moving object and dhyana is when the object remains still and the camera’s focus is locked on to the object.

Are you ready to practice?

Classical yoga texts tell us that the last three of Patanjali’s limbs—dharana (deep concentration), dhyana (awareness of existence) and samadhi (oneness or enlightenment)—are to be practiced once we have a foundational understanding of yoga’s powers of illumination. According to B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, we are ready to practice dharana once “the body has been tempered by asanas, when the mind has been refined by the fire of pranayama, and when the senses have been brought under control by pratyahara.”

The other stages in the eight-fold path also provide a strong foundation for practice. The Yamas and Niyamas are the ethical and moral standards that support a yogic lifestyle. Having a comfortable seated position, one that doesn’t take too much effort to stay in, will be essential. A slow deep calming yogic breath will also be helpful to calm and steady the mind.

Four types of concentration

There are four stages of concentration that use different levels of objects, from the most physical to the most subtle, to increase concentration. The more subtle the object, the harder it will be to concentrate and create the absorption of mind on the particular object. These are considered progressive stages to challenge and deepen your power of concentration.

1. Vitarka (dense) concentration focuses on a solid or tangible object. This would include objects such as the breath, the senses, visualizations, mantras, or thoughts.
2. Vichara (subtle) concentration focuses on energy (prana, chakras, vayus), aspects of the mind, and spiritual and philosophical qualities.
3. Ananda (enjoyment) concentration focuses on the joy and bliss found in deep states of meditation.
4. Asmita (individuality) concentration focuses on the detached sense of self that is the witness of all of your experiences.

Dharana in practice

In dharana, the aim of the practice is to build the capacity to regain your focus when the mind wanders away from the object of your concentration. An essential aspect of this practice is building the awareness of when your attention wanders away towards other thoughts.

So what does it mean to practice dharana? Rolf Sovik, author of Moving Inward: The Journey to Meditation, says that we can think of dhyana as “meditation proper,” and that our experience of dhyana is made possible by a sustained practice of dharana. If we were to think of dharana—our commitment to focus the mind on one breath, mantra, or sensation—as taking notice of every drop of water as it drips from a faucet, then dhyana is a stream of water droplets, flowing without pause. In other words, once we train the mind to return its focus to the present moment over and over again, eventually there is no pause between these moments and we experience pure, present awareness, or meditation.

An example of how yogis use dharana to move into dhyana is with mala beads, or mantra meditation. When meditating, close your eyes and touch each bead. With every touch, repeat a mantra to yourself or refocus your awareness on your breath. At first, you will have to re-harness your awareness with every bead; between every touch you’ll observe the brain’s habitual desire to chase another thought, memory, emotion or idea. But with continued practice, dharana’s duration will last for two beads, then three, then for an entire mala until you are seated in a steady stream of pure awareness. If you are using a mantra, it will begin to flow effortlessly without the exertion of the mind, and you will begin to experience a level of awareness that is distinct from the influence of any thoughts. It is here, yogis say, that we begin to learn and discover our true nature.

Benefits of dharana

Many people who practice dharana believe it helps them improve their memory and helps clear their minds of worry and negative thoughts. It can help you improve your yoga practice by bringing more attention and focus to the breath and alignment of the yoga asanas. Lastly, if you can learn to be focused in the midst of everyday life, you’ll find yourself more productive, relaxed, and able to deal with stress more effectively.

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If you have trouble finding energy and enthusiasm in the morning, you can use a guided meditation to wake you up and get you motivated for the day ahead. A good guided morning meditation can also help you start your day on a positive note and help you get in the right mindset to tackle the tasks ahead. If you want to start your day with positive energy, there are many free morning guided meditations on YouTube that you can try. We’ve rounded up some of the best free morning guided meditations to start your day. If you want an even better way to start your day, you can also add a bit of morning yoga to your routine!

Guided Morning Meditation To Start Every Day Perfectly by Boho Beautiful Yoga

Cultivate a deep internal connection and find the mental clarity to “set your day on the perfect track for success and fulfillment” in this mindfulness and affirmation based meditation. This 10 minute morning guided meditation focuses on breathing, body sensations and feeling gratitude and other positive emotions. In the middle of the practice you are encouraged to focus and repeat the phrase “I am exactly where I need to be. I open myself to the universe and trust in the unfolding of my life.”

Morning Guided Meditation for Positive Energy and Motivation by Caren Baginski

You’ll be in good company with this video if you are a big believer in morning meditation. Caren’s intention for her 10-minute morning guided meditation is to create positive energy and motivation and to “set yourself up for your day in a way that’s intentional and aligned with your spirit.” The practice begins with a focus on the breath, feeling positive emotions. The primary focus in this practice is a body scan with visualization. For each body part, you are instructed to imagine it being filled with aliveness and positive energy.

Meditation to Start Your Day by Yoga With Adriene

Use this simple and sweet all-levels mindful meditation to start your day with a calm mind and a positive intention for the day. This 7-minute meditation begins with some basic info to get set up for the practice and then some deep breathing with gentle neck stretches. The rest of the practice continues the focus on the sound and feeling of diaphragmatic breathing to effect your mood and posture.

Morning Guided Meditation for Bliss & Mindfulness by Jessica Richburg

This 10-Minute practice begins with concentrating on the breath, and then moves into a mindful body scan that incorporates a sunrise visualization. The intention of this energizing meditation is to “help you wake up in the morning, connect with your body and start your day off on a positive note.”

Morning Meditation To Set Your Intention by Yoga with Kassandra

This meditation incorporates using a hand mudra and a “3 word intention setting” method. The video begins with several minutes of cleansing and mindful breathing, body awareness and letting go. The 10-minute practice then shifts into guiding you into setting a three word intention based on what kind of day you wish to have physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Energizing, Grounding, and Centering Morning Meditation by YOGATX

This simple and beginner friendly morning meditation is designed to help you wake up while feeling grounded and centered. The 10-minute practice begins by focusing on the breath move up and down your spine and then continues to refine and deepen your mindfulness on the sensations of the body and breath.

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Morning meditation is a great way to start your day off bright and refreshed. But not everyone is a morning person, and many people find it difficult to find the time or motivation to start their morning with meditation. Many successful people find it essential to start their mornings with a few minutes of breathing and silence to kick start their day with a clear mind and a productive attitude. If you have been struggling to start a morning meditation routine, we’ve gathered some great tips and expert advice to help beginners get started.

Why meditate in the Morning?

There are many benefits of meditation in general, but there are several benefits for practicing your meditation sessions first thing in the morning. Numerous studies have suggested that meditation has various health benefits–most notably, reducing stress. Meditation gives the mind a break, offering an opportunity to detach from the chaos of our lives and seek shelter in silence and stillness. A morning practice will set the tone for your day and help you be more energized, focused, content, and optimistic. Here are a few other great benefits:

• Boosts your enthusiasm and energy levels.
• Helps you be more positive and improves overall mental health.
• Increases your focus and concentration so you can be more engaged in your work.
• Encourages you to clear your mind of negative thought patterns and let go of emotional baggage.
• Reduces your overall worry and anxiety levels throughout the day.
• Creates a balanced perspective for engaging with your co-workers.

If the idea of sitting down to meditate for several minutes every morning doesn’t appeal to you, you can find opportunities in ordinary moments to meditate. Just a few moments of mindfulness in your routine can bring you greater energy, focus, and calm.

When should you meditate in the morning

Many practitioners find morning to be the easiest time to practice, whether they’re choosing mindfulness, mantra meditation, visualization, or another technique. You can practice at any time of the day or night, but most people agree that the ideal time to meditate is first thing in the morning. The traditional time is at sunrise or an hour and a half before, which is called Brahma Muhurt—the time of Brahman.

While this is considered the best and most auspicious time for spiritual practices, it can be challenging for most people to commit to. It is much more important to have a set routine that works for your practice and morning schedule. Creating a set morning routine means you don’t have to think about or decide what you’re going to do as soon as you wake up. This will make your morning practice a habit and an automatic part of your day.

How to start a morning meditation practice

The hardest part of starting a meditation routine is the first step! You may be unsure of how to do it, or how to stick with it; you may see the benefits of meditation but feel you don’t have the time, or simply be too busy to spare 15 minutes a day to sit still. You can make it as complicated or simple as you want it to be: lie down, sit, or stand; you can focus on your breath, your body, your mantra, or just observe your thoughts. The secret to getting started is to make it as simple as possible, and to start slowly. We recommend beginners try the following:

• Set aside a specific time to practice. 15 minutes is the recommended length of time.
• Decide on a length and commit to sitting the entire time.
• Choose a technique or style that works best with your personality.
• It’s best to use a seated meditation pose. Find a comfortable chair, a spot on the sofa, or a cushion in a spot on the floor. You can even sit in your car before or after your commute!
• Find a nice, quiet, comfortable space that supports your practice.
• Set a timer.
• Support your body to minimize distracting aches. Use pillows, yoga props, blankets or whatever is most accessible. If you are committed to your practice, using a proper meditation cushion is recommended. There are plenty of shapes and sizes to order online.
• Maintain good posture.
• Close or soften your eyes.
• Take slow, deep breaths.

Tips for starting an early morning meditation routine

When you’re starting out with a brand new morning meditation, it’s important to experiment with the different types and techniques. But don’t forget, whichever type of practice you eventually decide to stick with, you can always explore other traditions later on. If you’re not yet ready to call a full meditation practice your own, start looking for meditative moments during otherwise mundane events. For example, you can take a 1-minute walking meditation to your car or practice mindfulness while preparing your morning coffee. Here are other tips to consider when you are starting out:

• Get rid of any unnecessary noises or distractions, like TV and smart phones.
• Avoid coffee before your practice, to prevent the caffeine from over stimulating your mind.
• To help wake up, try splashing warm or cold water on your face.
• Make it easy! If you need to, start with 5-10 minutes and work your way up.
• Find a local class or group. While there are great resources for learning meditation online, it’s always best to find a local teacher to help you get started.
• Don’t be discouraged—find inspiration and community support to keep you motivated.
• Set realistic goals and expectations. Meditation is a challenging practice but it will get easier over time. It can take up to three months to notice a difference in how you feel.
• Schedule it! Regardless of how or when you meditate, the key is doing it consistently every morning.
• Listen to a guided meditation or use one of the many mindfulness apps to get you started.
• Wear comfortable clothing that does not tug or pull against your body.
• When you realize your thoughts are drifting, return your attention back to your point of focus without judgement or criticism.
• Find fun and creative ways to infuse your meditations with inspiration.

How do I know if morning is right for me?

Everyone has their own unique approach to meditation, and it’s important to keep in mind that the impact of any practice depends on the individual. For many, the morning is the best time to take a few moments to breathe deeply, quiet the mind, and simply be with yourself. But if you aren’t able to stick with it, don’t give up—it may not be the right time for you.

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By Shanti Kaur Khalsa

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world far more uncertain. It’s impacted our work and finances, our relationships, and of course, our physical and mental health. Finding the sense of surety we all crave is almost impossible, which leads to stress, anxiety, and powerlessness that drains us emotionally. These feelings of helplessness can be traumatic, putting our body and mind in a constant “flight or fight” state. Staying in this tense state for too long not only hurts our quality of life but makes our immune systems more vulnerable. 

It’s important to recognize that this stress is a natural response to what’s happening in the world. After being gentle with ourselves, we also need to find a self-care routine that treats both the body and the mind, helping us to break the cycle of endless “what-ifs” about tomorrow’s challenges. 

There are plenty of ways to cope with anxiety from uncertainty. Exercise, meditation, and breathing techniques have all been proven to mitigate stress. Recently however, health care professionals, researchers, and practitioners are finding consensus around an activity that combines these three techniques into a powerful tool for regulating emotions and managing stress – Kundalini Yoga. 

How Kundalini Yoga Can Help

Kundalini Yoga is an ancient practice that incorporates movement, dynamic breathing techniques, meditation, and mantras to channel your body’s energy. While most forms of exercise produce the endorphins that make you feel better, Kundalini Yoga also releases the tension and anxiety that builds up over time in your body’s glands and nerves. It resets your stress response so that you can achieve an internal biochemistry of calm, balance, and depth of self.

This is supported by a growing body of evidence indicating that contemplative practices such as yoga and meditation are effective at treating anxiety. In one recent study, researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston University and the Sundari Satnam Kundalini Yoga Center compared Kundalini Yoga with common cognitive treatments in reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Those who were treated with yoga had lower relative levels of anxiety and had a decrease in physical symptoms compared to traditional treatments (Visit JAMA Psychiatry to read the study).

Start Your Practice at Home

One of the many beautiful aspects of yoga is that it requires no special equipment – though a yoga mat is helpful — so there’s nothing to stop you from practicing Kundalini Yoga in your living room. Training with a qualified Kundalini instructor will eventually be necessary to learn proper form, but there are plenty of techniques you can easily perform on your own that will help to cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic. 

Try this Kundalini mediation at home whenever you feel worried or anxious. Choose a peaceful surrounding, inside or outside.  You can have soft music playing to enhance your sense of peace.

1. Sit in Easy Pose.
   • Sit on the floor. You can use a pillow or cushion for comfort.
   • Cross your legs in front of you in a comfortable and relaxed way.
   • If you are uncomfortable sitting on floor you can sit in a chair with your legs uncrossed and your feet flat on the ground.
   • Place your hands on your knees, palms down, close your eyes and observe the sensations of your body and mind.
2. Place your hands on the center of your chest at heart level. 
   • Begin by resting the back of your left hand in the palm of your right hand. 
   • Gently grab your left hand with your right, so that your right thumb is nestled in your left palm.
   • Cross your left thumb over your right. 
   • Curve the fingers of your right hand around the outside of your left hand and hold it gently with the four fingers of the left hand remaining straight. 
   • Bring your hands to your heart center, resting them against your chest. 
3. With eyes closed, inhale deeply and relax. Breath slowly for 10–30 minutes. 
   • In daily life we typically breathe 15 times a minute. Try slowing down to 4 breaths per minute by inhaling to the count of 10 and exhaling to the count of 10.  A slow breath will slow your heartbeat, reduce your stress response, and give you a peaceful, secure feeling. 
   • Your mind will begin with a lot of “chatter” and anxiety.  That is normal!  Don’t try to suppress your thoughts, let them come and go until your mind is peaceful.  If you have a particularly persistent thought, try naming it.  Say to yourself, “This is my worry about my son,” for example.  And let it go.
   • It is difficult at first, but if you do this breathing technique regularly you will find that your mind will welcome the silence and will start to relax. Soon, you will build the habit and the capacity to keep your mind calm in challenging environments.

For more ways to reduce stress through Kundalini Yoga, visit: https://www.3ho.org/

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Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Shanti Kaur Khalsa, a yoga teacher and business consultant who brings spiritual values to every aspect of life.  She is an engaging Sikh teacher and her involvement with Sikh youth has led to mentoring young people around the world. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher who has traveled widely teaching and giving inspirational kirtan and lecture programs.  Shanti is a published historian and regularly contributes articles on both current events and Sikh history.  

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Sitting down to meditate might be one of the most challenging things for you to do. To help you be more successful at meditation we have created a list of the ten essential things to do to prepare for your practice. Practicing this list will also create a pre-meditation ritual that will prime your mind to more easily shift into a state of mental focus and concentration. These tips will help with any type of meditation to create the best meditative experience possible.

What to do before meditation

1. Prepare your space.
   The first thing to do before you sit and meditate is to prepare your space. If you don’t have a dedicated meditation space, you’ll need to set up your space. You want to tidy and clean up and light candles and incense. Gather any other meditation tools you use like japa mala beads, a shawl, or a Tibetan singing bowl or meditation chime.
2. Prepare your body.
   The second thing to do to prep for meditation is to prepare your body. Before you sit, you want to feel clean and fresh so take a bath, wash your face, brush your teeth, or any other way to cleanse your body. Make sure that you’re not feeling hungry or thirsty, or that you are feeling too full. Make sure your clothing will be comfortable for sitting in meditation. Take care of any other bodily issues so that you will be able to focus on your meditation.
3. Remove distractions.
   The third thing to do is to remove any distractions from the room from the space. Silence your phone feed the pets, go to the bathroom, and take care of any other nagging issues or chores or anything else that might distract or bother you during your meditation.
4. Release tension.
   Optionally, you may want to do some yoga stretches, or some other types of movements to release tension that you’re holding in your body. The parts of your body that get achy and sore during your sitting time are the places that you want to focus your stretches.
5. Set your seat.
   The fifth thing to prepare for meditation is to get any supports for your seated position. If you need blocks or blankets or cushions, make sure those are all handy and nearby. Make sure that you have more than you might possibly need so that you don’t need to get up in the middle of your practice to grab something
6. Gather your intentions.
   A powerful way to encourage success in meditation is to remind yourself of your intention or to set a new intention for your practice. This intention is the main focus and goal of what you wish to achieve in your meditation. Reminding yourself of this right before you meditate will deepen your focus and your resolve.
7. Fully commit to your practice and decide on the length of time.
   It will be helpful to completely dedicate and commit yourself to the practice. It will also be important to decide the length of time for your sit. How long you are going to sit committing to the specific duration of time is very important. It is easy to end your meditation early or get just. It is easy to. If you don’t set a specific time, it will be easy to end early or get find an excuse to get up in the middle. diligence
8. Set a timer.
   To help with your commitment to a length of time, using a timer is recommended. Before you sit, find your timer, and set it to a specific time. Consider giving yourself an extra minute or two to get settled into your practice.
9. Refine your posture.
   As you sit for your meditation take a few moments to let yourself settle into your seated position. Make any adjustments to your posture so that your spine is long and tall, and that your body is supported with the least amount of muscular tension. A comfortable position is vital for a successful meditation practice.
10. Adjust your breath.
    Lastly, allow yourself to settle into the experience of your breath. Take a few moments to refine the breath and encourage it to slow and deepen. If pranayama is part of your practice you may want to use specific breathing techniques to help either calm or energize your body and mind.

If you are a meditation beginner, try not to tackle everything on this list all at once. You may also wish to experiment with each one to gauge the individual effects on your meditation session. If you forget any of these steps, allow yourself kindness, compassion, and patience to grow into the practice. Hopefully creating more of a pre-meditation ritual will encourage your mind to wander less and for you to be more focused on the present moment.

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