In Far Eastern culture, people have been using meditation to increase self-awareness, find inner harmony, and cultivate a higher state of consciousness for thousands of years. I explored meditation two decades ago, reading various books, which made my meditation practice complicated as a beginner. Over the years, I developed my simple meditation technique that eases the chatter of the mind, increases self-awareness, cultivates mindfulness, and gives an instant gratification in ten minutes.
To begin to practice my simple meditation technique, at first, I ensure that nobody will interrupt me in next ten minutes. Second, I play soothing music on my iPad; then I always find a peaceful, quiet spot in my living room. Later, I take my comfortable cross-legged position on a couch or a cushion. Using a particular place for the meditation reminds my brain to associate it with relaxing feelings and stillness. Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Dan Gibson’s “Quiet Contemplation” are on my favorite music list for creating a tranquil atmosphere.
I usually sit on my big soft cushion on the floor with my legs folded under me, place my hands facing up on my knees, and make sure that my head and spine in the same alignment.
The next step prepares me to go into relaxation, which begins with closing my eyes, breathing normally, and scanning my body from head to toe. As my eyes shut, I place my attention on the sensation of breathing as it goes in and out of my nostrils. This one-minute exercise holds my awareness in the present moment and quiets my mind.
Next, I move my attention to the top of my head, forehead, little muscles around my eyes, and ears and scan these areas. If there is any tension, I just breathe through this part of my body and let it go. Then I unclench my jawbones and check where my tongue is. It is supposed to lie on the floor of the mouth in the state of relaxation. Later I bring my attention to my neck, shoulders, arms, and hands, release any discomfort, and let it go. After that, I focus on my chest, abdomen, and lower belly areas, scan, and relax each area as I go down. Finally, I move my attention to my legs and feet and let go of all the tension there; so, I am relaxed while completing my body scanning.
In the final step of my meditation, I keep focusing on my breath while going into a deep relaxation where the rejuvenation takes place in the body and the brain waves shift from beta to alpha effortlessly. I stay in my inner stillness by drifting into a higher state of awareness for about three to four minutes; then whenever I am ready, I come back to the room and open my eyes slowly.
At the end of the meditation, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated mentally and physically. The way I meditate helps me ease my mind and gives an instant gratification in just ten minutes. Since I have been practicing it for two decades, I know what works best for me: an entirely peaceful spot, a comfortable cushion, relaxing music, breathing, scanning my body from head to toe, and letting go of any tension in each exhalation. Moreover, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated with a deep relaxation is priceless for me.