“Breathing is a natural object of meditation,” says Andrew Weil, M.D., in his book Natural Health, Natural Medicine. “By putting attention on your breath, you will change your state of consciousness, begin to relax, and detach from ordinary awareness.”
Objects of Meditation
Meditating can be as simple as counting the breath for 10 minutes each day. There need not be any elaborate settings to begin meditating. Find a comfortable chair, or prop up the body with pillows on the bed, or sit on cushions on the floor.
Weil explains that to begin this basic form of meditation, sit comfortably with spine straight and head inclined. Breathe normally, and then begin counting: “one” on an exhale, then “two” on an exhale, up to “five.” Then begin again at “one.”
It will be easy to know if the mind has strayed if the counts get past “five.”
Weil notes that 20 to 30 minutes of meditation is ideal, but starting with just 10 minutes yields positive results.
Richard Hittleman, in his book Yoga 28 Day Exercise Plan, suggests a candle as an object of concentration.
He says to place a lit candle about three feet from you, and gaze directly at the flame for about two minutes. Then close the eyes and press palms against them and concentrate on the image of the flame. Hold the palms against the eyes for one to two minutes, and try to maintain the image of the flame.
Thoughts
For beginners, this could be the act of meditation itself, and it also serves as a way to still the mind and prepare for further meditation, such as breath counting.
It is impossible to stop all thoughts and completely clear your mind. That is not what meditation is about. When the meditator realizes his or her thoughts have strayed, simply bring them back to focusing on the breath.
“The tedious work of meditation is just this constant running after your attention and bringing it back,” Weil says.
Benefits of Meditation
Researchers have proven direct, positive effects on the body from meditation, and many also say it helps calm the mind and can even lead to greater self-awareness and connect the meditator to a higher consciousness. At the very least, meditation helps greatly with relaxation.
- Lowered blood pressure
- Increased blood flow
- Decreased heart and respiratory rates
- Other healing effects, such as benefiting irritable bowel syndrome and depression
- Greater concentration and focus on the present moment
- A free stress buster
- The effects of meditation can last for many hours
In short, meditation is not just for yogis or youngsters, or those interested in Eastern religions. It can be thought of as a healing practice for just about anyone who has time to sit and is interested in how they will feel after 10 minutes of counting their breath.
