Meditation & Yoga: How to Meditate, How it helps, the Best time for meditating

Meditation and yoga are spiritual sciences from ancient India. They both affect the body, mind and soul directing the consciousness inwards toward the soul, place beyond the material awareness. Yoga is the practice of physical body movements for attaining wellbeing and rendering it fit for meditation, a practice where you taste spiritual bliss.

Let’s Learn How To Meditate:

The key to developing a meditative faculty lies in knowing the correct way of practicing this traditional science.

• Location:

  Find a palatial location which is peaceful, airy and well-lit. Turn the place into your meditation corner by placing a meditation cushion, ‘zafu,’ adding lavender incense sticks, soothing music and spiritual artifacts, like Buddha statue, inspirational quotes on the wall.

• Posture:

  Using zafu for meditation is great because it helps you maintain an upright posture adding depth to your practice. Sit in a crossed legged posture, such as Lotus Pose, Easy Pose, with a straight back. Either keep the palms on the knees in downward position or fold the hands in Gyan Mudra. Softly gaze at the ground and keep the eyes closed. Sit in a cross-legged pose that you are comfortable for heightened alertness.

• Breathing:

  In the meditative pose, breathe evenly and deeply. If you are practicing Anunlom-Vilom breathing, make sure your exhalations are longer than inhalations. Beginners can practice measured breathing exercise, where you inhale and exhale for the same number count. Breathing through nostril is easier than the mouth.

• Mantra:

  You can also repeat a mantra for relaxation and focus. Slowly chant the sacred, like Om, So Hum. Repetition of the mantra should be effortless.

• Relax and Focus:

  Use the power of breath and mantra to relax. As you continue the process, keep your focus on the mantra and allow the breath to fall away into its own rhythm. Notice the thoughts that occur in your mind, let them pass without judgment and concentrate on the mantra. If you are not chanting a mantra, concentrate on the breathing. Do not force the breathing, let it happen naturally. As you become aware of the physical manifestation of the breathing process, focus your awareness on higher nasal passage and move to the next level.

• Concentration:

  With the eyes closed, concentrate on a point between the eyebrows within your forehead. It is the seat of spiritual consciousness.

• Release:

  When you start experiencing calmness, rub your hands and gently place them over the eyes and all over the face. Open your eyes and embrace the surrounding tranquility.

How Meditation Helps?

This section discusses the benefits of Meditation:

Meditation encourages you to become mindful. As you let go of by focusing on the present act, i.e. breathing, you learn to live in the present moment.

It helps develop concentration. During the entire meditation practice, you try to keep your focus either on the breath or mantra. Eventually, your concentration enhances off the mat, and you are able to concentrate better.

Savor calmness with meditation. Meditation assists in stress reduction and development of happy and healthy hormones, like GABA, endorphins, and more.

Spiritual development: As you concentrate on the third eye chakra (space between the eyebrows within the forehead), you cultivate spirituality.

Form connection with the self. When the mind is quiet, your consciousness gets improved, and you start to feel more connected to the self and the universe.

The Best Time To Meditate:

The beauty of meditation and yoga is that it can be practiced at any time of the day and will benefit you immensely. However, there are four times in a day that is considered highly ideal for meditation.

1. Morning:

   Get up at Brahmamuhurta and practice meditation. It is the morning period from 3.30 am to 5.30 am. At this period of the time, the environment is cool and calm, there is a preponderance of sattva in the atmosphere, and the mind is refreshed after a good sleep. All these factors help you delve in meditation deeply.

2. In Moments of Stress:

   When you feel stressed and overwhelmed, sit for meditation. The practice of focusing on the breath in meditation helps in reducing stress and cultivating peace.

3. During Lunch Hour:

   Take a midday meditation break. Meditation will relax your overworked body and mind allowing you to resume your work with greater productivity.

4. At the End of the Day:

   Unwind your day by meditating. It will really make you feel rejuvenated after a tiring day. If you still find falling asleep a task, meditate an hour before going to bed in order to cease the fluctuations of the mind and to get a restful sleep.

Hope this piece of writing helps you practice the art of meditation the right way at the right time. May there be peace in your life.

Author Bio : Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He provides Yoga Teacher Training In India. He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas.For more https://www.rishikulyogshala.org