Few years back, I constantly used to feel that I am living in a world
that is outgrowing me as a person. I constantly found myself in situations
where I was either running towards or running away from one thing or the other.
I constantly dealt with high-pressure situations capable of crushing me to the
core, both in the personal and professional front.
Thoughts, we usually have around 60000 in a day. I believe I had more
than that. I used to worry about myself, family, friends, strangers and the
world coming to an end. Imagine someone who is an overthinker, constantly
thinking about a missing plane. Yes, that was me. It was a chaos inside my mind,
trust me. And there are many people out there like me who are overthinkers and
over worriers.
As overthinkers, our thoughts reflect on what is happening outside of
our world and vice versa. And considering how much negativity and stress we
have in the world, thoughts in our mind amplify that stress. These thoughts
increase the burden of what we have been carrying around and we end up feeling
nothing else but tired.
Tackling chaotic lives, we have been creating for ourselves, is easier
said than done. To manage our thoughts, we definitely can’t stop thinking, can
we? Nor can we control our outer world? So, what will work for us? How can we
find the calm in our thoughts?
Following quotes from Dr. Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra
very rightly and thankfully answered that for me.
In one way or the other, we all know the importance of meditation. But
how many of us actually practice it. At least, I didn’t, till the moment I
reached the edge. When I initially started, meditation for me was like a task I
must finish on a weekend. It was like a homework given to a child during summer
vacations. It felt forced and I had zero willingness to incorporate it in my
lifestyle. But deep down, I knew I had to convince my mind to do it. So, I
started it small and began with 1 minute meditation. I deliberately started
investing 1 minute every day in meditating. With persistent practice, I was
able to meditate effortlessly. Today, after months of practicing, I can
affirmatively say that I my stress levels have lowered, I do not overthink I
used to earlier, I can feel my renewed focus and I feel intuitively stronger. I
witness effortless synchronicities happening around me and it just feels
amazing. Meditation helped me find the positive in every situation. It took me to that side where the grass always looked greener!!!
While I was
sharing the impact, meditation had on me, to some of my friends, I was guided to write the basics one
can follow towards meditating your way to a blissful state. I still call myself
a naïve yet to guide someone on meditation and am still learning, but for a
beginner who is completely new to meditation, this would really be helpful. I
recommend you take care of the following when you begin to meditate. And I hope
you will make meditation part of your life and lifestyle.
1. Start small: Begin with a
one-minute meditation routine every day. In the initial phase of making
meditation a habit, as a beginner and a naïve, it becomes very difficult to
contain our thoughts. Hence, it is recommended to start with small time
periods. Esther Hicks (Abraham Hicks) recommends to begin with a meditation
routine of 68 seconds to begin with and gradually increase the time. Once you
start doing it regularly, it will become easier and increasing the time will
become effortless.
2. Start with music and then switch to guided
meditation: As a beginner, it will not be easy to do an unguided
meditation hence one must begin by doing meditation with their favorite piece
of calm music playing in the background. Sounds like water, rain or subtle
thunderstorms are also very effective in creating a calming environment for
meditation. Once you find this effortless, start with guided meditation (e.g.
chakra meditation, alpha-level meditation etc.). Once you master calming your
chaos during guided meditations, you can easily start with meditation without
any aids.
3. Choose the right place: Choose
one constant place for doing your meditation. The room or place chosen should
be quieter and away from the doors and windows to prevent any kind of noise
distraction. If possible, try to meditate in locked rooms so there are no
distractions from people.
4. Be consistent with it: Make
meditation part of your daily routine. Be as consistent and persistent as
possible. Consistency and persistence in meditation shows unimaginable and
extraordinary effects.
5. Create a favorable environment: Create
a favorable environment to do the meditation. You can shut down the external
noise and create environment that can be favorable for all the five senses e.g.
dimming the lights in the room will be comforting for the eyes, sprinkling room
freshener will be heighten your smell. Some people burn fragrant incense sticks
and I also find it very effective but I leave it to your discretion because not
everyone feels comfortable with the incense sticks. The idea is to make your environment
favorable, calm and complementary.
6. Shut off all kinds of distractions: Turn
off all kinds of technical and technological disturbances and distractions
including your mobile phone, TV, Laptop. Turn off everything that can disturb
you while in the process. You definitely do not want to go into a beautiful
trance only to be shaken up back to a reality by your phone ringtone.
I sincerely keep recommending
my friends to make meditation integral to their routine. And the amazing effects of meditation that I have felt in my
life have made me believe that everyone should make it part of their lives.
Kids should be taught meditation in schools. And if meditation becomes part of their
lives as adults, we will witness the ascension of an entire generation and of
the planet.
*Image Credits: Google Images & Shutterstock
To know more about the blogger Niharika Chaturvedi, visit www.niharikachaturvedi.com.
