You may have been seeking to learn meditation to enhance your life in some way. Sometimes the word meditation brings up a block for people. You want to learn how to meditate properly, but are not sure exactly how to start and what is important for you to know. Literally to meditate means to contemplate, to reflect. So remember it is not a secret practice limited to Buddhist monks, sitting cross legged in isolation for hours!

The Power Of Breathe

How we breathe has a dramatic effect on how we feel. Most people have adopted shallow breathing habits that do not promote relaxation. In fact shallow breathing can make us feel stressed.

To meditate properly we need to breathe deeply and from the stomach. The best way to practice this initially is lying down. If you are shallow breathing, as you inhale your stomach goes in and your shoulders rise. With deep breathing we look to achieve the opposite, so it takes time for the brain to adjust

• Lie down flat on your back in a comfortable position

• Maintain a relaxed shoulder position throughout

• Breathe in slowly through your nose

• Place your hand on your stomach

• As you breathe imagine your stomach is a balloon that expands as you fill it with air

• Feel the air push your stomach out

• As you reach the end of the inhalation

• Notice the air rise into your chest and travel to your back

Awareness

Learning how to meditate properly is about a journey with self. It is an opportunity for you to learn about who you really are, with no distractions. Notice your thoughts, notice the feelings you have, initially as you do this you may experience resistance with this or feel the need to make judgements about what you discover, but remember it is just a process. Awareness is the key to change, if you feel it is necessary to do so.

Create the Right Environment

Meditation should be enjoyable and with practice it becomes really easy. To maximise the benefits of your practice it is important to set the scene. Choose a place that you can relax without any interruptions. To encourage a feeling of peace you may want to burn incense, light candles and listen to relaxing sounds or meditation music that will aid the process, if you prefer silence you may find it beneficial to wear earplugs to block out the noise.

Meditation Resources

There are a variety of books, blogs, dvds, videos and classes about meditation. Classes are great when you are starting out and is a great way to meet people. As you learn more, you will find there are many schools of thought and you just have to find the right meditation technique for you. I hope this brief outline on how to meditate properly has been useful and sets you on your path.