I want to start meditating because my thought processes are hard to stop and I want to learn to regulate the negative thoughts in my head and to turn them around. I need a way to focus without thinking about all the things that stress me out and hurt me more by thinking about them. I was wondering what is the best way to begin meditation? What can I do when i am not meditating to help me through the process? Thank you so much.
I would advise you to go to a Buddhist temple or monastery. They often have beginner’s retreats or events that will help you get started right. Plus it’s a lot easier to do it with other people than it is at home alone.
I tried meditating several times on my own but it never clicked for me. I always felt distracted and wondered what the point was. Then I went to a Zen monastery for a weekend retreat, and now I’ve been doing it ever since.
It is good you are interested in meditation, but before you begin, a few clarifications are needed.
In meditation, you do not try to stop your thought processes. You simply watch them. You sit and notice, “ah, thoughts are passing through the mind. Interesting.” You watch, not trying to slow them, stop them, change them, or fix them.
Also — you do not regulate the negative thoughts. You notice them. Hmm–I am thinking an angry thought. Interesting. And please, do not judge so-called negative thoughts as negative. They are just thoughts. A very important thing to learn at the beginning is not to judge things as good or bad. They just are.
Focusing and meditating are two different things. Focusing is a mental activity — you use the mind to focus your mental energy on a particular task. Meditation is about removing energy from the mind, and bringing it to a soft awareness which lies beyond the mind.
If you are still interested, I have a meditation technique which is helpful in releasing stress.
It is called gibberish. Make all kinds of sounds, as long as they are not a real language. Pretend you are talking in a language no one knows. Make loud sounds, soft sounds, angry sounds, sad sounds, just create any non-word sounds you like. Really get into it! And move your body around too.
After five or ten minutes, stop, and sit silently for five minutes, becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, or sensations. Just watch. Do not try to change or fix anything. Do not try to stop the mind. Love yourself, and accept whatever happens from your heart.
You”ve already received some fine answers. When practicing Mindfulness Meditation-start with 15 min.a day-to get started; then after a couple months, you may wish to add on another 5 – 10 min. to your meditation session. Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation is intended to purify the mind. It cleanses the thought process of what can be called psychic irritants, things like anger/hatred, delusion, greed, and anxiety, things that keep us snarled up in emotional bondage. It brings the mind to a state of tranquility and awareness, to a state of concentration and insight. When one practices mindfulness meditation, he meditates on anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering), and anatta (non-self), using the breath as an anchor. Will share with you – the basics of mindfulness meditation-which will help you get started. ‘Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on a cushion on the floor with your head, neck and back straight but not stiff. Put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present moment. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different. ‘Observation-without attachment-is an important key to mindfulness meditation’. In mindfulness meditation one is ‘an observer’ of thoughts and emotions that arise in the mind during meditation. These thoughts are not to be analyzed nor harshly judged-but are to be recognized as they simply are: thoughts and feelings. They are not to be clinged (attached) to, for clinging (attachment) causes suffering. We use the breath as an anchor. What does this mean? When a thought/feeling arises in the mind, we observe it-making a mental note of it, then gently return to the breath. If you’re observing your thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them, then your on the right track. Remember not to be hard on yourself when thoughts pop-up and when your thoughts wander; be patient and gentle with the mind, and simply return to the breath. *Learned Mindfulness Meditation from “Mindfulnesss in Plain English” By: Henepola Gunaratana and “Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness” By: Andrew Weiss. ‘Mindfulness in Plain English’ covers what meditation is, what it isn’t, attitude, the practice, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, structuring your meditation, set-up exercises, dealing with problems, dealing with distractions, sati or mindfulness, mindfulness vs. concentration and mindfulness in everyday life. *Andrew Weiss-has an excellent beginner’s book on the practice of Mindfulness Meditation called “Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness” which teaches Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Lovingkindness Meditation and Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
Best Wishes to you in your meditation practice.
Hi
i have found personally and with many meditation students – the first step is reflecting on the benefits of meditation and starting to cultivate an intention to practice – this doesn’t necessarily mean jumping into a practice!
Once the intention is established the rest will naturally follow.
Get the mind right first.