The Skeptics Guide to Meditation

On one level meditation has helped me to let go of fear and anxiety while opening to deeper levels of calmness and joy. On another level it has helped to find my life’s purpose, get in touch with my spirit, and live a life that I absolutely love to wake up to each and every day.

If you are a bit skeptical that something so apparently simple as meditation could do these things, then don’t be concerned because I was the biggest skeptic of all when I got started. There’s nothing wrong with having doubts about anything as it just means that you have a questioning mind – and that’s always a good thing.

When it comes to meditation I always recommend that you trust your own instincts. Be skeptical if you need to be, but don’t let that stop you from exploring the possibility that there may be something in it for you.

So what exactly is meditation and how does it work?

I call meditation the art of doing nothing. By this I mean for some of us sitting silently and doing nothing is incredibly hard to do. I know this was true for me in the beginning because I had places to be and things to do, so being able to relax and enjoy being here now was not so easy.

That’s why I call it an art. Because like anything, if we really want to master it, then we need to practice it until it becomes second nature. The more silent you can be in your mind and body, the deeper your meditations will be.

Meditation is what happens when you have finished a meditation technique
and a deep sense of calmness and peace settles into every cell of your body.

In other words, we first need to ‘do’ something with our mind or body by using an active or passive meditation technique to prepare us for meditation to happen.

That’s why meditation techniques were created; to help you to quiet your mind, so that your body can relax and you can be comfortable just ‘being’ for a few moments. After all, we are human beings and we tend to forget to honor the ‘being’ part of us as we get lost in the never ending treadmill of doing.

The other upside of meditation is that it’s free to do, requires no special equipment or skills, and can be done by anyone, anywhere, and at any time.

Here a simple meditation techniques that you can try right now to give you a taste of how meditation can work for you. Never treat meditation seriously as it is meant to be playful. The more fun you have learning it and doing it, then you will be surprised how your meditation will grow in leaps and bounds.

A Simple Breathing Meditation Technique

This is one of the simplest and most effective techniques to get started with. It just takes a few minutes and can be done almost anywhere and at any time. It’s great for clearing your mind, bringing you fully into the present moment, and giving your energy levels an instant spike.

The technique is simple. Just be conscious of breathing in and breathing out. If you are visual then as you breathe in imagine that you are watching your breath come into your body and all the way town to your belly.

Then as your breathe out, watch it move back up through your body and out through your mouth. If you are not visual, then try and imagine or feel the movement of your breath in and out.

When we are tense or anxious our breathing becomes shallow, which disconnects us from our body and causes tension and stress to build up in our muscles and joints.

The simple act of conscious breathing allows you to connect to your body, get you out of your head, and bring you into the present. It is without a doubt the quickest way to dissolve tension and relax your mind and body.

Practice this technique daily, anytime that you become aware that you are feeling tired, drained, tense, or flustered. It will instantly connect you to your body and help get rid of stress and tension.

This is also a great way to start the day so that you are centered and relaxed and especially to end the day so you can clear out your mind and body from the events of the day.

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Meditation Dojo is free to get started and gives you instant access to our Focus-5 program. It’s ideal for those looking for simple meditation techniques to give their mind and body time-out for their busy and hectic lives. Why not give it a try today.