What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice aimed at calming the mind, relaxing the body, and focusing inward. It has existed across various cultures throughout history. In traditional Eastern systems of cultivation and wellness, such as breathing exercises and Qigong, meditation is often regarded as the first step or an advanced method of practice.
Why Meditate?
The purpose of meditation is to settle the body and mind, helping individuals become aware of their inner state. Through regular practice, meditation can help relieve stress, reduce anxiety and restlessness, enhance concentration and awareness, and support emotional balance and restful sleep. It also stimulates brain function and strengthens self-awareness, enabling better emotional regulation and a more balanced state of being. Over time, meditation can enrich daily life, fostering confidence, ease, and resilience in facing life’s challenges.
How to Begin Meditation
To start meditating, first prepare your body and mind, and focus on your breathing and thoughts. Meditation involves harmonizing body posture, breathing, mental focus, energy, and spirit.
You can follow these steps for preparation, posture, and breathing/mental focus:
1.Preparation
Environment:
Choose a quiet room with good ventilation. Keep windows slightly open but avoid drafts. Ensure no one will interrupt.
Cushion:
Prepare a soft, thick, comfortable cushion or mat to sit on.
Clothing:
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Loosen belts or ties to avoid constriction.
Body alignment:
Keep the spine upright and straight.
Ending:
At the end of the session, slowly open your eyes.
2. Sitting Posture
Cross-legged sitting:
You can use full lotus, half lotus, or simple cross-legged sitting.
Beginners may start with simple cross-legged posture.
Knees should rest low, and the spine should remain straight.
Hips:
Slightly tilt the pelvis forward to allow the lower abdomen to relax naturally inward.
Hands:
Gently rest the hands together, with thumbs lightly touching, placed on the lap or in front of the abdomen.
Head and neck:
Keep the head and neck upright, facing forward.
Ears:
Relax as if not listening to external sounds.
Eyes:
Gently close the eyes, leaving a thin slit of light—neither fully closed nor fully open.
Tongue:
Lightly place the tip of the tongue on the upper palate and swallow gently.
3. Breathing and Mental Focus
Relax the body:
At the start, release tension from the entire body, especially chest, abdomen, back, head/neck, and limbs.
Breathing:
In the beginning, use natural abdominal breathing: exhale as the abdomen expands, inhale as it contracts.
Breathing should be even, long, and fine.
Initially, you may consciously guide the breath to be deep, but with practice it should become effortless and natural.
Focus:
Let the mind rest on the breath, without clinging to distracting thoughts. Allow thoughts to flow naturally without chasing or forcing them.
Posture and Methods of Meditation
Meditation usually involves the following aspects:
Posture:
The head should be upright, facing forward. Eyes gently closed, ears relaxed as if hearing nothing. The tongue rests lightly on the palate, hands placed naturally or gently interlocked, without tension in the fingertips.
Breath and focus:
In early stages, focus on breathing. In some Qigong methods, practitioners focus their mind on certain movements or body points to connect form and spirit. Different traditions have different instructions on the use of intention during meditation.
Relaxation and settling:
The body should be relaxed, and the mind clear and calm.
Whole-body cultivation:
Meditation is a comprehensive practice involving regulation of the body, breath, mind, energy, and spirit.
When to Meditate
Meditation can be flexible, but consistency and regularity are key. You can choose from these suggested times:
1. Daily Routine
Once per day: Ideally meditate at least once every day.
Before bed:
Meditating before sleep can be beneficial.
Morning is best:
If you only have time once a day, morning is recommended.
Short morning session:
Even 5–20 minutes in the morning can be helpful.
2. Duration
Basic length:
Each session should be at least 30 minutes.
Extend gradually:
As you progress, extend sessions to 1 hour or longer.
3. Structured practice for dedicated learners
Early morning long session: For example, sitting from 3–4 a.m. until 7–8 a.m.
Fixed daily routine: For example, sit in the early morning, then do reading, walking, or other activities during the day, sit again at 6 p.m., and go to bed at 10 p.m.
After sleep: Another method is to sleep at 10 p.m., then wake at 6 a.m. to meditate.
In summary: meditate at least once daily, starting with 30 minutes. The best time is when your mind is calm, often early morning or before bed.
Where to Meditate
Choose a location that is quiet, well-ventilated, and free from disturbance.
Indoor:
Ideally, have a dedicated meditation room. If not, use your bedroom. Ensure airflow by opening a window and keep others from entering during practice.
Outdoor:
You may also practice in nature, such as a clean, open-air environment, which supports deep breathing.
Where and When Not to Meditate
1. Unsuitable Locations
Noisy or easily disturbed places: Avoid public spaces or busy home areas where you can be interrupted.
Poorly ventilated areas: Avoid airless, enclosed spaces. Meditation requires fresh airflow.
2. Unsuitable Times
There are no “forbidden” times, but meditation emphasizes consistency and persistence.
It’s best to build a routine—such as once a day for 30–40 minutes—and gradually extend the duration.
Choose times that align with your personal daily schedule and mental state.