This is why – meditation is not an exercise, task, or an activity where you apply your mind. It is a state of rest. So deep that it can be deeper than the deepest sleep you can ever have. In this state, your mind is obviously still and at peace – free from worry and agitation, and this is when meditation happens. Sounds easy, right? Actually, it isn’t. The reason is that we are so muddled up in life and our worries that we have trained our mind to think constantly. We get tangled in chains of thoughts, and it takes patience and practice to calm the mind and enter that state of meditation.
Why Can’t We Enter A State Of Deep Meditation Easily?
It takes effort to go deep into the state of meditation. When you attempt it, it is likely you will feel that it isn’t clear, or you are not moving further. This is because of lack of focus and intensity. You don’t understand the point of deep sleep meditation, and how to do it right. Our minds have two functions. The first one is ‘knowing’, and the second one is ‘doing.’ Meditation is all about calming the ‘doing’, and completing the tranquility while maintaining the ‘knowing.’ Most people start meditating without preparing themselves for it. You might not realize it, but preparing for the act not only allows you to quiet your mind with ease but also makes the whole routine more pleasant. So here are a few pointers that will help you calm your mind and get into a state of deeper meditation.
Techniques To Help You Get Into A State Of Deep Meditation
Preparation
Calm Your Breath And BodyMake Sure Your Mind Is HappySet Your Intentions And Affirmations
Practice
Accept The DistractionsRejoice The Concentration
Post The Practice
Come Out Of The Meditative State GentlyPen Down Your Thoughts
Preparation
As if meditating is not hard enough, preparing for it might seem like a mammoth task. But experts say that when you prepare your body and mind before you delve into the state of complete rest, you are sure to have a great session. So, these are a few deep meditation techniques that you can do as you gear up.
1. Calm Your Breath And Body
The breath, mind, and body are all interconnected. When you relax your body and calm your breathing, your mind automatically calms down. When this happens, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, and therefore, the response to stress is regulated. Sit in a meditative posture and breathe five times. You must make sure you breathe in from the nose, and breathe out from your mouth. Also, the breaths must be deep and long. When you breathe in, you must make yourself aware of the present. When you breathe out, relax all the muscles in your body, and just let go. Let go of your worries and pain. As you do this, pay special attention to your tongue, jaw, throat, and forehead. You must practice a few yoga asanas and lighten up your body. Take 10 minutes and do each post to its full expression. These are some asanas that will help relax your mind: Once you have practiced these asanas, you must do some breathing exercises. You must make sure that the duration of breathing out is longer than the breathing in. So, if you breathe in for four seconds, breathe out for eight. You can also try these time combinations: 3-6, 5-10, 6-12, and so on. Make sure you breathe gently. The key is to be comfortable, so listen to your body as you go on.
2. Make Sure Your Mind Is Happy
Our brain’s biggest agenda is to avoid pain and look for pleasure. So, as you prepare yourself for meditation, try and generate feelings of contentment, stability, and security. You must reassure your brain that all is well so that it is not restless. A happy mind is quiet and sorted, so your aim must be to make your mind happy. This is how you can do it: Look for a quiet place to meditate, away from your phone, pets, kids, etc. When you meditate, it is your time. Let everyone around you know that.
3. Set Your Intentions And Affirmations
You must focus on your intention before you delve into meditation. It will do wonders for you. You need to have a strong intention, though, to carry through with it. Your affirmation can be on these lines – “For the next X minutes, I will only focus on my meditation. There is nothing else for me to do, and nothing else for me to think about during this time. Mind, please don’t disturb me. I will start concentrating now.” Determination is the key to meditation. If you don’t have it, don’t worry. Practice makes you perfect.
Practice
Now, that you are ready to begin your meditative session, these are a few things you must keep in mind.
4. Accept The Distractions
As a beginner, you are bound to get distracted by negative thoughts when you meditate. Don’t push yourself to think positive. Accept those thoughts without criticizing yourself. Criticism is harmful, and not in line with the good spirit of the practice. Be gentle on yourself. It is you who taught yourself to get distracted, and so, you must give your mind some time to train to be focused. Be kind and patient with yourself.
5. Rejoice The Concentration
If you use an object to help you focus, there will come a time when your mind is a little too focused on that object. Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy how stable the mind gets as it concentrates on that object. The mind’s primary function is to seek happiness and drive away pain and suffering. When you teach your mind how to concentrate, you also train it to find happiness with focus. Buddhism preaches that happiness and joy are two of the five factors of meditative absorption. When you learn to enjoy your meditation, your mind is less restless. So, when your concentration is still developing, use a focal object. Once it becomes stable, do not disturb it. Just stay where you are.
Post The Practice
Meditation does not end when it ends. You need to make sure you practice the following points in order to complete the full meditative cycle.
6. Come Out Of The Meditative State Gently
When you finish with your meditation, make sure you come out of it gently. You cannot be in a rush when you are meditating. Let your mind rest. You can move your neck and fingers first, and then gently open your eyes. The gentle transition helps you carry forward and weave in that meditative feeling in your lives.
7. Pen Down Your Thoughts
After you finish with the practice, it is quite essential to make a note of how the routine was. This will imbibe the habit into your routine, and you will also understand how meditation and your mind work. Answer these simple questions after every session to help you better. The answer to the third question could be quite vague. So make sure you note down things like what thoughts came to your mind, or how you felt while you were meditating. Also, make sure you note down how many times you got distracted, and how long you could focus. How long does it take to get into a deep meditative state? The time taken to enter a meditative state may vary from person to person. If done after a proper meditation warm-up, it will only take a couple of minutes. Just make sure you are not distracted by anything. Can too much meditation be harmful? Yes. Excessive meditation may lead to increased emotional pain, anxiety, fear, and loss of orientation (1). However, further scientific research is required to back this statement up.
