No, I am not being rude. Believe it or not, I am giving you the key ingredients to increased happiness, peace, wisdom and insight. Yep, I’m talking about meditation.
Ok, so those things aren’t going to come overnight, but believe me when I tell you, it really doesn’t take long to start feeling the benefits of meditation, and not just while you are doing it.
I can hear you thinking it now. But, I don’t have time for meditation. I’m here to tell you, believe me, you do. Just 5 minutes per day is all you need, and as you get more and more experienced at it, you’ll be able to do it anywhere. It’s all about establishing a habit. Just like exercise, as soon as you start feeling the benefits, you won’t want to stop.
It really can be that simple. Follow these steps and feel the benefits of meditation in no time.
Choose a quiet and uplifted place and sit cross-legged on a meditation cushion, or some pillows or cushions from the couch. Alternatively, sit on a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor. It doesn’t really matter where or how you sit, as long as you are comfortable.
Place your palms hands down on your thighs, and sit with a straight back. I like to think of the posture as relaxed, yet dignified.
Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing (without trying to change it), whilst remaining aware of the environment around you.
Whenever you notice that a thought has taken your attention away from the breath, just say to yourself ‘thinking’ and then return to the breath. You are not judging the thought as good or bad but simply noting it, and then returning to the breath and posture. You may feel like this is all you are doing, but even the most experienced meditators still have to do this.
And that’s it! I challenge you to do it for 5 mins daily for a week and let me know if you notice a change! Even if it’s a subtle change, it’s a beginning to increased happiness, wisdom, insight and peace.