Learning how to meditate may seem daunting, confusing, or just plain boring — but the benefits of meditation make it worthwhile for almost anyone. Here find information about why to meditate, as well as brief descriptions of five meditation techniques appropriate for beginners. Then, enhance one’s meditation practice by reading the suggested meditation books.
The Benefits of Meditation
In this busy day and age of multitasking, when do most people ever give themselves permission to just be, instead of being and doing at the same time? Daily meditation practice provides a tremendous opportunity for respite from the hectic pace of daily life. Meditation provides a much-needed time to focus on clearing one’s mind, relaxing, and simply being. As an added bonus, regular daily meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and increase happiness.
Daily Meditation Practices: Meditation for Beginners
Once a person has made the proper preparations for meditation practice, it’s time to adopt a meditation practice. A number of common meditation techniques are relatively easy for beginners to understand and learn. These include:
- Mindfulness meditation, in which one attempts to clear one’s mind of thoughts and remain fully present in the moment. Should thoughts arise, one simply observes them as a detached observer without judgment, labeling them as such and letting them go;
- Breathing meditation, in which one focuses one’s attention totally on the inflow and outflow of one’s breath. Sometimes, counting breaths is used as a way to focus one’s attention on the breath’s coming and going;
- Relaxation meditation, in which one scans one’s body slowly and methodically from feet to head, consciously focusing on relaxing any tense areas, while also breathing calmly and naturally;
- Tonglen or Metta Bhavana, which is the practice of sending good energy to oneself, one’s friends, neutral parties, one’s enemies, and then all humankind and all living beings; and
- Passage meditation, developed by Eknath Easwaran, during which one slowly repeats a memorized, inspirational passage internally to oneself throughout the meditation session.
It is not necessary to adhere to only one particular meditation practice to reap the benefits of meditation, though some instructors or books claim this to be the case. The key to beginning meditation and sticking with it is to find the practice that works for each particular individual. For some, this might involve starting out with one meditation practice, and then adopting another as one’s daily meditation evolves.
Meditation Books for Further Reading
Numerous quality meditation books are available that can enhance and expand one’s practice. The following are particularly recommended for those looking to learn how to meditate:
- Change Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Buddhist Meditation, Paramananda (Windhorse Publications, 2006)
- Passage Meditation: Bringing the Deep Wisdom of the Heart into Daily Life, Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press, 2008)
- Indestructible Truth: The Living Spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism, Reginald Ray (Shambhala, 2002)
- Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chögyam Trungpa (Shambhala, 2007)
- Turning the Mind into an Ally, Sakyong Mipham (Riverhead Trade, 2004)
Anyone Can Learn to Meditate
By learning how to meditate, anyone can discover the myriad benefits of meditation. Several common meditation techniques are relatively easy for beginners to learn and follow. One can choose to use one or more of these meditation techniques in one's meditation practice. Reading the recommended meditation books can enhance and deepen one’s understanding of common meditation practices.
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