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The most basic and universal of all meditation techniques, breathing meditation, is a great place to start your practice. Pick a spot above your navel and focus on that spot with your mind. Become aware of the rising and falling of your abdomen as you breathe in and out. Don't make a conscious effort to change your breathing patterns. Just breathe normally. Try to focus on your breathing and only your breathing. Don't think about your breathing or pass any sort of judgment of it (e.g., "That breath was shorter than the last one."). Just attempt to know your breath and be aware of it.#Focus on mental images to guide your breathing. Imagine a coin sitting on the spot above your navel and rising and falling with each breath. Or picture a buoy floating in the ocean that's bobbing up and down with the swell and lull of your breathing. Alternatively, imagine a lotus flower sitting in your belly and unfurling its petals with every intake of breath. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid30513-v4-728px-Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class="mw-parser-output"><p>License: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/">Creative Commons<\/a><br>
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<\/p><\/div>"} Don't worry if your mind starts to wander. You are a beginner, and meditation takes practice. Just make an effort to refocus your mind on your breathing and try to think of nothing else. Mantra meditation is another common form of meditation that involves repeating a mantra (a sound, word, or phrase) over and over until you silence the mind and enter a deep, meditative state. The mantra can be anything you choose, so long as it's easy to remember. Some good mantras to start with include words like "one," "peace," "calm," "tranquil," and "silence." If you want to use more traditional mantras, you can use the word "Om," which symbolizes omnipresent consciousness. Or you can use the phrase "Sat, Chit, Ananda," which means "Existence, Consciousness, Bliss." Silently repeat the mantra over and over to yourself as you meditate, allowing the word or phrase to whisper through your mind. Don't worry if your mind wanders off. Just refocus your attention and refocus on the repetition of the word. As you enter a deeper level of awareness and consciousness, it may become unnecessary to continue repeating the mantra. In a similar way to using a mantra, you can use a simple visual object to focus your mind and allow you to reach a level of deeper consciousness. This is a form of open-eye meditation, which many meditators find helpful. The visual object can be anything you wish. The flame of a lit candle can be particularly pleasant. Other possible objects to consider include crystals, flowers, or pictures of divine beings, such as the Buddha. Place the object at eye level, so you don't need to strain your head and neck to view it. Gaze at it until your peripheral vision starts to dim and the object consumes your vision. Once you are focused entirely on the object, you should feel a sense of profound serenity. Visualization is another popular meditation technique. One common type of visualization involves creating a peaceful place in your mind and exploring it until you reach a state of complete calm. The place can be anywhere you like; however, it should not be entirely real. You want to imagine a unique place that's personalized for you. The place you visualize could be a warm, sandy beach, a flower-filled meadow, a quiet forest, or a comfortable sitting room with a roaring fire. Whatever place you choose, allow it to become your sanctuary. Once you have mentally entered your sanctuary, allow yourself to explore it. Don't work to "create" your surroundings. It's as if they are already there. Just relax and allow the details to come to the forefront of your mind. Take in the sights, sounds, and scents of your surroundings. Feel the fresh breeze against your face or the heat of the flames warming your body. Enjoy the space for as long as you wish, allowing it to naturally expand and become more tangible. When you are ready to leave, take a few deep breaths, then open your eyes. You can come back to this same place the next time you practice visualization, or you can simply create a new space. Doing a body scan involves focusing on each individual body part in turn and consciously relaxing it. To begin, sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and begin to focus on your breathing, then gradually move your attention from one part of your body to another. Notice the sensations you feel as you go. You may find it helpful to start at the bottom and work your way up. For example, concentrate on whatever sensations you can feel in your toes. Make a conscious effort to relax any contracted muscles and release any tension or tightness in your toes. When your toes are fully relaxed, move upwards to your feet and repeat the relaxation process. Continue along your body, moving from your feet to the top of your head. Spend as much time as you like focusing on each part of your body. Once you have completed the relaxation of each individual body part, focus on your body as a whole and enjoy the sensation of calmness and looseness you have achieved. Focus on your breathing for several minutes before coming out of your meditation practice. With regular practice, this technique can make you more aware of the various sensations in your body and help you deal with them appropriately. The heart chakra is one of 7 chakras, or energy centers, located within the body. The heart chakra is located in the center of the chest and is associated with love, compassion, peace, and acceptance. Heart chakra meditation involves getting in touch with these feelings and sending them out into the world. To begin, get into a comfortable position and focus on the sensations of your breathing. As you become more relaxed, imagine a green light radiating from your heart. Imagine the light filling you with a sensation of pure, radiant love. Picture the love and light radiating throughout your entire body. From there, allow it to radiate outward from your body and enter the universe around you. Take a few moments to simply sit and feel the positive energy within and around you. When you're done, gradually allow yourself to become aware of your body and your breath again. Gently wiggle your fingers, toes, and limbs, then open your eyes. to relax and exercise at the same time. Walking meditation is an alternate form of meditation that involves observing the movement of the feet and becoming aware of your body's connection to the earth. If you plan on performing long, seated meditation sessions, try breaking them up with some walking meditation. Choose a quiet location to practice your walking meditation with as few distractions as possible. Remove your shoes if it's safe to do so. Hold your head up with your gaze directed straight ahead and your hands clasped together in front of you. Take a slow, deliberate step with your right foot. After taking the first step, stop for a moment before taking the next. Only 1 foot should be moving at any given time. When you reach the end of your walking path, stop completely with your feet together. Then pivot on your right foot and turn around. Continue walking in the opposite direction using the same slow, deliberate movements as before. While practicing walking meditation, try to focus on the movement of the feet and nothing else. This intense focus is similar to the way that you focus on the rising and falling of your breath during breathing meditation. Try to clear your mind and become aware of the connection between your foot and the earth below it.
Follow your breathing. Repeat a mantra to help you focus. Try concentrating on a simple visual object to relieve stress. Practice visualization if you prefer to focus inward. Do a body scan to find and release tension. Try heart chakra meditation to tap into feelings of love and compassion. Try walking meditation