How can I start a meditation practice?
After several years of Ashtanga Practice I started to feel a sense of emptiness in my practice. Like something was missing. It felt shallow. I had heard about meditation but I was frankly, afraid of it. To be still? No way...
But it was calling me. I started by reading books about it . I tryout some of the suggestions on the book but I failed. I understood that similar how in the Ashtanga method you need a teacher to take you from darkness to light. I need it a teacher for this too. So I embrace myself into a journey to find that teacher. In yoga tradition it has been said that is good karma to find a good teacher. So I guess I had a good karma because I found the must humble and dedicated Swamiji. More that I could had dreamed of. He was patience with me and taught me tolerance, unconditional love towards myself and others. To observe my mind at daily basis. Not only when I was trying to meditate, but during the whole day. To reflect upon my negative and positive thoughts. To observe how they could made me feel and react to situations.
So I highly recommend that before you sit to meditate. You must first create a sense of intimacy with your mind. Here are some ideas to start that process:
Wake up in the morning and after shower and getting ready for your day. Stop for two minutes and recognise the pattern of your mind before the days starts. So if you are already rushing and going nervous about your day . Set those two minutes to observe that, accept it and then change it!! Redirect your thoughts in a positive way then live your home.
As the day unfold try to squeeze time where you are not multitasking. Keeping one’s mind in a pointed direction, helps the mind to learn how to stay focus. For example: if you are eating your lunch. Don’t look at your phone or TV. Stay present in the moment and eat your food allowing to be an experience instead of a routine. Do that with other things like washing the dishes, taking a shower, driving.
The main goal here is to allow your mind to stay focus on one thing at a time. Before you go to bed make a ritual to unwind your mind. The same way you set up your intentions for the beginning of the day, now do it to be thankful for your day. Let positive and less positive things that happen during the time to have equal importance in your learning process any given day. Avoid using your phone or computers at least one hour before bed time. Allowing your mind to set for a good night to sleep.
A well rested mind will be more efficient to stay focus. If you apply all this simples exercises to your daily routine when we get to start into a meditation practice you will have a base to work with. Your mind will be less stress out about not been able to multitask and go in millions of directions, and it most likely will be more willing to cooperate with you . Since you are not your mind. But your mind can be control by you with time and training.