Meditation trains the mind to focus and focus. By slowing down the incessant chatter of the mind, we can learn to direct our attention to what is happening to us here and now, come to greater awareness, and become kinder to ourselves and others.
Before starting meditation, turn off the TV, phone and music, stay in silence. This will help you calm the nervous system, relax the body and mind. Sit on a cushion or meditation bench, or just a straight-backed chair, with your feet comfortably on the floor. Try to sit with a straight back so that the chi energy flows freely, without tension. Place your hands on your knees so that the back of your right hand rests in your left palm and your thumbs touch each other. Relax, but don’t slip. Let the belly be soft. Relax your jaw and face.
Start with a few deep breaths: inhale through your nose and exhale tension through your mouth. Take a few breaths to release the trapped qi. Now let the breath become smooth and quiet, do not control the flow. Either close your eyes or leave them half-open with a distracted look.
- Meditation at work? Easy!
Meditation «Five-Eight»
A very simple exercise for those who find it difficult to meditate. It relieves stress well and is suitable for those who are familiar with hypertension, who have digestive problems or have chronic diseases. You can meditate at any time of the day or in times of stress. Exercise perfectly relaxes in an airplane, car, before a public performance.
Take a few deep breaths and expel all tension from yourself by releasing it through your mouth. Deep breathing helps relieve repressed stress. Then begin your meditation by inhaling gently through your nose and slowly counting to five. Exhale through your nose for a count of eight. An extended exhalation removes the reaction caused by fear, calms the nervous system, and deeply relaxes. Continue this quiet breathing, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for eight. Concentrate on the rhythm of your breath, letting your thoughts flow freely: ignore them. Continue meditation for 10-20 minutes.
sea meditation
Helps to get rid of anxiety. It can be recommended to creative individuals and emotionally sensitive people. Assume a meditative pose and take a few deep, calming breaths. Close your eyes and imagine rolling waves of the sea. Slowly listen to the calming rhythm of the ocean. If you live by the sea, sit back and listen to the waves, letting the incessant, monotonous sound of the surf become your mantra.
You can also start this meditation by thinking about the qualities of the ocean. In a Chinese tale, the goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin, attained enlightenment by listening to the sea. Comparing the excitement of the ocean and life’s difficulties, she realized that in life, as in the sea, there is always calmness under the waves. The mind is the same: it has the unshakable essence of our true «I», which is not touched by the waves of life. Dive under the surface of life and relax, finding deep inner peace in the midst of all this rumble of everyday life.
- 5 meditations for the senses
Dunhuang Meditation
Dunhuang is a purification meditation. By banishing negativity, it cleanses the body of tension and calms the mind. This is especially helpful if we feel overwhelmed or that we have absorbed other people’s energy and problems.
- Sit on a hard chair with your legs crossed at the ankles, or stand with one leg crossed over the other.
- Slightly spread your arms to the sides, elbows out, hands about 20 cm from the body.
- Make an open ring with your thumb and forefinger (as if you are holding an egg), and spread and bend the other fingers like claws.
- The space between your thumb and forefinger should be facing down so that negative energy flows out of your body and into the ground. Tighten your fingers, relax your hands, maintaining this position. Sit or stand in this position for 5-10 minutes, breathe through the Dan Tien (belly).
For more details, see D. Davies «Qigong for women’s health and longevity» (Sofia, 2012).