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Knowing & Experiencing Meditation: 10 simple tells for beginners

Meditation is a process of training the mind in the same way fitness is to train the body. We meditate to achieve mindfulness and set ourselves free from any distractions. In simpler words, meditation is understanding the mind and its state. But the most difficult thing which makes it hard for anyone to start doing it is to not be able to figure out how to actually do it when you have never ever actually experienced it? With countless meditation techniques available all over the internet, it actually becomes difficult to find out what really is the best technique suited for beginners. But don’t you worry. We got your back with our 10 tips on how to do Meditation in the most beginner-friendly way.

10 Meditation Tips for the Beginners

1. Understanding the motive for Meditation.

Doing anything aimlessly won’t take you anywhere and the same goes with meditation too. Before starting to practice meditation it is important you know what you want to achieve through it? There are a variety of reasons people bring meditation into their lives. Find yours instead of just following the trend aimlessly. There can be many reasons for doing meditation such as improving creativity, visualizing a goal, or simply experiencing a relaxing state of mind and forgetting about all the anxieties of life.

2. Creating an ecosystem.

As meditation is something to be practiced every day so it is important to create an ecosystem that makes it easier to practice it regularly. An ecosystem involves committing to a regular and consistent practice, a peaceful environment, comfy wear which makes you feel in comfort, a convenient time, and other little things that create a huge impact.

3. Clearing all the Myths.

As much as it is important to know what to do it is equally important to understand what not to do. There are some myths that always surround those who think of starting meditation. These are more of a kind of stereotype than myths, such as it is inherently religious, you need to sit cross-legged, and many more. So don’t fall for these traps as meditation is a skill and you can also learn it through the right practice.

4. Focus on Breathing.

Meditation is not about stopping the thoughts but learning to focus. So start it simple, by focusing all your concentration on inhalation and exhalation. There are many ways to concentrate on your breathing. One of the ways is to focus on contraction and expansion of the lungs while you breathe while the other way is to think about how the air passes through your nose in the process of breathing. You can even try to focus on the sound of your breathing.

5. Sit for at least 2 minutes daily.

When beginning to learn something new we should do it progressively. Like a big task can be easily done by dividing it into smaller segments, the same principle can be applied in learning meditation. Try to sit and focus on your breathing for almost 2 minutes in the starting days and when you get the hang of it, gradually increase the time. Step by step, reach the greater depth as meditation is about depth rather than height.

6. Don’t quit. Resume.

Your mind will take you away from your meditation state for certain. Don’t worry it is common. All you need to do is to get back again to the process of meditation, i.e. to concentrate on your breathing. You can also try counting your breath up to 10 and then start again. Remember if you get lost don’t quit just try again.

7. Worry less, Practice more.

It is a common thing among the beginners in meditation to think they are doing it wrong and their mind just gets stuck in this thought. It’s okay if you are doing it wrong cause we can learn through our mistakes. You should feel elated just by the thought of involving yourself in this mindful process. Just keep practicing consistently.

8. Meditation can be practiced anywhere.

It is often a misconception that you need to practice meditation in a fixed place and by sitting in a fixed position. But that’s wrong. These are all just wrong interpretations by people to which the beginners often fall prey. Remember we also mentioned creating an ecosystem but it is just a tip to help you in the process. You can do meditation at any place and at any time.

9. Breath in a natural pattern.

Before the process of concentrating is interpreted wrongly we are here to remind you that there is no need to change the pattern of breathing. Just breathe naturally and count it. Don’t make any alterations in breathing. You have to only notice the sensation that is caused by breathing such as expansion and contraction of lungs. Meditation is not about changing things but observing things.

10. Notice the Changes.

Don’t try to judge each meditation as to which one was better or which wasn’t. However, after each meditation, you should try to notice how you feel emotionally, mentally, and physically? Do you feel lighter, more clear? Are you more focused? And that’s all you need to keep in mind before starting to meditate.

We hope these tips will help you in the long run of your meditation journey. You can even start to meditate after finishing reading this. All the best from our side and keep meditating.

Unlocking the Power of Karma Yoga in daily life

‘Yoga’ is an integrated system that heals our body, mind & soul. Yoga is not only about practicing asana or different postures that figure out our bodies. But, it further means to know the ‘True Nature’ of itself, i.e. ‘who we truly are. Yoga also guides us to the spiritual paths of ‘action’, ‘devotion’, ‘knowledge’ & ‘meditation. In Veda’s, these ethical paths are illustrated into four paths of Yoga- ‘Karma Yoga’- ‘action’, ‘Bhakti Yoga’- ‘devotion’, ‘Jnana Yoga’- ‘knowledge’ & ‘Raja Yoga’- ‘meditation’.

Yoga’s four paths are generally described for the crucial developments of our body, mind & self (soul). In reality, we don’t tend to know what is favorable for us, which emotion can influence us, which action can transform our life or etc. The path of Yoga helps us to get the solution for all these queries.

We all have a tendency to have correspondences in our senses. Our feelings & energy regulate the body & mind in which we live in. Yoga teaches us how to live a life of happiness, joy & freedom.

Karma Yoga (Action)

Each one of us has a specific nature where one savors a certain type of work. Karma yoga refers to the spiritual practices of “selfless action performed for the advantage of others”. Karma yoga is a passage to attain moksha (spiritual liberation) through your action. It is about taking appropriate action without being dangled to fruits or being exploited by what the results might be, a commitment to one’s obligation, and trying one’s best while being detached to rewards or consequences such as success or failure. Karma yoga is prescribed for those who are involved in doing things according to their nature.

Karma indicates ‘action’, the action of our biological body & the action of our minds thought. Without thinking of the outcome, Karma Yoga is performed. It also provides the path of selfless service (Seva). According to Veda, it is said that in one’s body, mind & consciousness, there is an opposing reaction for an action. It implies that the reaction of action totally depends on our karma (action). If we do good actions then the reaction will also be good, & if we do any bad actions then the reaction will also be bad.

Karma Yoga says- ‘to do the right things’, as it has the power to strengthen our moral powers. It purifies our mind & helps in ignoring the inclination of bad karma. It also counsels us to pursue the statute of karma Yoga i.e. accepting whatever is coming instead of anticipating more.

Keys for Karma Yoga

Privilege attitude- Work as a worshiper – have an attitude of offering, humility and selflessness.
Privilege motive- It is not what you do, but it matters what your real motive is.
Do your duty according to your special situation.
Do your best: You should not back down from fear of necessary effort or fear of criticism.
Leave the result: You are not the doer. You are the only means. Separating from the results means freedom.
Serve God and yourself in everyone. Love your neighbor.
Follow the discipline of the job. Every work experience has something to enlighten you.
Qualification of Karma Yogi: Free from anger, ego, greed. Need to be generous, friendly, loving, sociable nature, humble, free from hatred, harshness, judgment.

Advantages of practising Karma Yoga

1. Assemble and comprehend new skills

2. Help individuality growth and fulfillment

3. Thin out the ego as well as remove selfishness

4. Endure likes and dislikes

5. Abolish prejudgments

6. Purify the heart, Feel the unity

7. Become more loving

8. Have a more creative mind and forgiving attitude

9. Extend your opinion on life

10. Spiritualize your actions

Power of Karma Yoga

Karma yoga, seva, or voluntarily changes life without giving reservation and with pure bliss, whether it is money, free, intelligent words, or free community yoga classes, is the most powerful way to feel grace in your life. Voluntarily is the right way to relate your soul, temperament, and your essence. Karma Yoga cultivates pure thoughts: By serving others you are serving God. And, therefore, you are living your mission. You can see that you are already enough and your effort is divine, your work is blessed.

If external circumstances have created a temporary rift between you and your self (soul), then there is no better way to bridge it through surrender, and you will see the illusion of divergence for what it is – just an illusion. It is important to get the right support and have a spiritual mindset during any selfless work. If you see the symbol of the perfect Karma Yogi, it will be the Sun. It shines, whether you see it or not. It feeds your life, whether you accept it or not. It makes your life bright and happy at no charge! Its grandeur is free!

How can you perform Karma Yoga in your life?

There are several aspects to adopting Karma Yoga in your life. Whether it is supporting a neighbor or visiting abroad to engage in global service, the opportunities are endless. Whatever you want to do, it is important to practice Karma Yoga to make Seva a regular part of your life. We recommend making a weekly commitment to engage with a local charity, giving their time and talent to support the work that they do. Another possibility is to make global service an annual tradition. Or both!

When it comes to karma yoga, it is important that service comes from a selfless place. It is about giving those people to the needy, sharing love, and spreading light. Some ways to encourage this mindset are to practice keeping mental spells. Something that reminds you of the purpose of your service and keeps you out of your ego.

Another useful practice is to know the people you are serving. Instead of thinking about service in the abstract, get on the ground, and communicate with the people you serve. Allow yourself to be humble with your knowledge and experience. Make meaningful connections and allow yourself to be touched by your life and stories. In this manner, karma yoga can evolve more than just a practice. It can become a way of life.

Keen state of Mindfullness: 10 keys to be present

Mindfulness is a state of fully being in the present, totally aware of your thoughts and feelings. The awareness has to be in such a way that you are not left caught up in your thoughts and feelings. It is an ability that we all possess naturally but is not readily available. Like many other skills mindfulness is also a skill that can be acquired and polished to get better results in our everyday life.

But the question arises why is mindfulness important and how can we use it more efficiently?

To be fully aware of the present and be completely engrossed in it, a great amount of focus is required and when you achieve it you get numerous benefits. The benefits include the rise in the level of focus and happiness which ultimately leads to decreased stress and sadness.

Mindfulness helps in living in the present rather than being held in the thoughts and feelings. So in simple terms mindfulness helps in acquiring better control over the way we react to the situations in our life which indeed is a must to have skill.

Here are 10 things to remember before practicing Mindfulness if you are a Beginner.

1. Mindfulness is a continuous process.

Unlike meditation which is practiced for a specific amount of time in a day, mindfulness is an ongoing process of being active in the present. Mindfulness is more of a way of living than a practice. You can start learning mindfulness by starting to practice mindfulness meditation but this doesn’t mean it is the only way you can do it. Mindfulness can be applied to most of the things we do in our day-to-day life.

2. Mindfulness is not about stopping the thoughts.

As it may sound but it is not. Mindfulness is not at all about blocking the thoughts to be in present. Our thoughts are also part of our present moment. We just need to be aware of them instead of clinging on them and lose our attention from what’s going on in the present.

3. Don’t be judgemental. Keep open acceptance.

When you practice Mindfulness the thoughts will always be there in front of you. All you have to do is to try to observe them and let them go without indulging in them in any way. You don’t even have to judge them and label them as positive or negative. Just observe and let them pass with the moment.

4. Find a strong motive.

A motive or a goal to do something keeps us engaged in it. So it is important to find a motive for practicing Mindfulness consistently. There can be many places where Mindfulness can help in your daily life be it in studies, relationships, self-love, and whatnot. Find your motive and keep on practicing until you get better at it and start noticing the result.

In short, make it an important part of your life. Make mindfulness a way of your living style and an indispensable part of your life.

5. It takes time to get it in Habit.

Like Rome was not built in a day so can’t be a good habit. It takes small baby steps to reach a greater distance. Start by practicing Mindfulness for about three to four times in a week and then gradually scale it. Consistency is all it requires along with a strong motive.

6. Multitasking is a myth.

Believe it or not but the fact which we hear most of the time about Humans being able to multi-task is nothing more than a myth. In the latest research scientists say that we humans are not as good as we think we are at switching from one task to another.

When you practice Mindfulness you try to stick to a single task at a time which in turn is the same as being in the present and not oscillating from one task to another. This not only increases our focus on a single work but also enhances the quality of work. This may feel unrealistic but you will notice how realistic it is once you start practicing it.

7. Create mindfulness promoting environment.

Our environment affects us at a deeper level than we know or realise. Every process requires an environment to achieve the best result. The same goes for Mindfulness. Beginners can make the process of learning mindfulness easy by surrounding them with an environment that is best suitable for practicing it. It may include a designated practice place, using special sound/music, and many other things.

The less distraction, the easier it becomes to practice.

8. Start with a simple activity.

There are many places where Mindfulness can be applied but to start the process it can begin from as simple as being aware of our breathing process. This is the basic step one can try to do. It can be done anywhere and at any time. You just have to concentrate on your breathing process. You have to be aware of the changes that your body goes through on each inhale and exhale.

9. Distraction will be there.

Distractions will always be there. You will find it so hard to get rid of them and concentrate. But do not let this stop you. This is something that is fundamental and happens to everyone. Slowly and slowly try to ignore the distractions as they will always be there around you, you just have to get them out of your mind.

Many times your mind will be filled with thoughts and feelings that are so bad and negative, but always remember you are not your thoughts so let them go and don’t get yourself tangled in them.

10. Enjoy the process.

This is the part that always feels like it is easier said than done but it is true. You may find it hard to enjoy the process in the initial stage but a time will come when you’ll do and when you will start doing it your drive to practice the process will certainly increase. And this is applicable to every process and activity. So is the mindfulness.

We hope now you find yourself ready to practice Mindfulness. And when you do just remember these points and keep continuing no matter what. All the best!

atho khalvahuh kamamaya evayam purusa iti |
sa yathakamo bhavati tatkraturbhavati |
yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute |
yatkarma kurute tadabhisampadyate ||

A person is made of their contemplations & the thoughts they desire deep down.
As is the desire they harbour, so is the resolve they carry.
As is the resolve they carry, so is the deed or the karma they perform.
Whatever deed they perform, such is the destiny they attain.

Contemplations of the Mind