How to Meditate Properly
Learning how to meditate properly requires an experienced meditation teacher plus intention on your part.
In today’s information driven world, we “know” so many things. We know what’s current in the news; we are aware of trends in fashion, foods and music; what books to read and which band is in town. There is so much that we are “aware” of, but we can’t explore them all. Out of necessity, we become selective, making the choices to try out or take up those things that speak to us. We invest in the things that we hope will improve us in one some way, fulfill us and make us happy. One of the choices we can make is to try meditation.
Meditation is an activity about which there is so much interest but knowing about it is not the same as doing it. There are so many ways to experience it for yourself and there are almost as many methods and approaches as there are different forms of exercise. To know if meditation “speaks to you”, it helps to be introduced to the basic foundations of meditation practice so that you can meditate properly.
Knowing your Intention for Meditating
One of the first things to become aware of is motivation. Ask yourself, “Why would I want to start meditating?”, “What am I looking for?”. Then take your first response and ask yourself, “Why is that important to me?”. The answer may surprise you! This is the first step in beginning to meditate. Of all the many documented benefits of meditation, self-discovery is by far the most interesting, profound, and valuable. “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
The first step to meditating properly is to ask yourself, “Why would I want to start meditating?”
Instruction for Meditating Properly
As your exploration of meditation deepens, you may find that you gravitate to a particular branch of practice. There are many forms of yoga for example that emphasize different spiritual approaches such as posture, breath work, sound, silence, service work, devotion and so forth. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Wherever your meditation journey takes you, having a foundation in the practices of mindfulness will always be of benefit. Instruction from a competent practitioner is best and there are many ways to find good instruction. Live meditation classes are an excellent way to start because you have an instructor, a conducive environment, and the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback.
If a live class is difficult, there are many good videos, books, and guided meditations. There are limitations to these, but if you are disciplined there is no doubt that you will learn some important basics and whether or not meditation is “right” for you.
We offer free live meditation classes plus guided meditations to help you learn how to meditate properly.