Meditation(冥想)is widely recommended as a health-boosting practice. Basic mediation involves sitting in a comfortable position and trying to quiet your mind by thinking of nothing. But a good way to begin is to think of yourself as an "observer of your thoughts," noticing what the narrative voice in your head says but not engaging it.
Here are some methods to start a basic meditation practice.
Focused Meditation
You can concentrate on something visual, like a statue; something auditory, like a recording of ocean waves; something constant, like your own breathing; or a simple concept, like "unconditional compassion." However, the idea is the same—staying in the present moment, avoiding the constant stream of comments from your conscious mind, and allowing yourself to slip into an altered state of consciousness.
Activity-Oriented Meditation
Activity-oriented meditation is a form of mindfulness that combines meditation with activities you may already enjoy, or with new activities that help you focus on the present. Activities like gardening, creating artwork, or practicing yoga can all be effective forms of meditation.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness can be a form of meditation that, like activity-oriented meditation, doesn't really look like meditation. This simply involves staying in the present moment rather than thinking about the future or the past. Focusing on emotions and where you feel them in your body—not examining why you feel them, but just experiencing them as sensations—is another.
Whichever method you choose, keep in mind that a consistent practice—even just quieting the mind for five minutes a day—is more useful than sessions that are longer but infrequent.
A. As thoughts appear in your mind, just let them go.
B. It's not always easy to do if you don't already practice it.
C. Some people find it easier to do this than to focus on nothing.
D. Without practice, many find it difficult to turn off the voice inside their head.
E. Focusing on sensations you feel in your body is one way to stay "in the now."
F. It involves experiencing each moment, letting it go, and then experiencing the next.
G. You join in a repetitive activity or one where you can get "in the zone" and experience "flow."
