Meditation: getting started
November 30, 2009
In my international circle of friends there are many people who want to start meditating, but there are unfortunately only few who actually try to get started. I think here hides the main obstacle to enjoyable meditation: it is very difficult to believe that you can do it if you never tried it before. But if you do not give it a try, you will never know that you are able to be good at it…
People tend to perceive meditation as a sort of complicated, mystical activity, which can be performed only by specially trained individuals. Meditation is, indeed, special in many ways. But meditation is not a pleasure reserved for the lucky few. I encourage everyone to accept the fact that meditation could be as natural as breathing and sleeping. Meditation is a state of mind – like, for example, relaxation, happiness, enthusiasm.Meditation brings you back to your inner self. It helps you to re-connect with the Universe that gives you life. And what could be possibly more natural than being in touch with yourself and the world around you?
So how to get started with meditation? There is only one advice that works: “just do it”.
- ask someone who already has some experience in meditation to give you tips or even to conduct a guided meditation session with you
- read some simple meditation guide (avoid complex books for the beginning, keep it simple, do not overload yourself with information) – I find the one drafted by Peace Revolution very easy to understand and follow – you can view it here
- be persistent in your efforts. Firstly, do not give up if you fail at the initial stages. Secondly, do not be to demanding and thank yourself for every achievement. Thirdly, start with short sessions. Finally, do not hesitate to ask questions and discuss your experience.
And once again: meditation is not a priviledge, it is a necessity, a natural condition and a gift that everyone in this world has access to. It is here for us to take – we just need to make some effort and reach for it.
How did I start meditating?
As with many things that are meaningful to me, I do not remember the exact details of my first meditation exercises. Now it seems so natural and so indespensable for my daily routine that I can hardly imagine the time when I did not know meditation existed. However, I remember reading a book about yoga. I found it in my home library, it belonged to my father. I guess I was around 15 at that time. I started trying out some techniques from the book, and it worked. I did not practice every day. There were periods in my life when I did not do any meditation or yoga or other spiritual exercises for weeks…but somehow life always brought me back to them. Now I am practicing almost every day. Be that a 40 minutes long session or just a moment of silence, I believe that meditation has become a refreshment for my soul and a haven for my concerns. I avoid making a big deal out of it, I do not aspire to force everyone whom I know to meditate. I am also far from being a specialist and I know I have to go a long way before I will be a really good teacher. Nevertheless, I have made the first step – I accepted meditation. I allowed myself to feel it as a natural way to perceive myself, and I am satisfied with the outcomes I get.
So please thank yourself for your interest in meditation and celebrate your own personal moment of silence and peace. Silence is inspiring. Freedom is close. Peace is inside you.
