Step-by-step to learn to meditate alone

Meditation is a technique that allows to lead the mind to a state of calm and relaxation, through methods that involve posture and focus of attention to achieve tranquility and inner peace, bringing several benefits such as reducing stress, anxiety, insomnia, in addition to help to improve focus and productivity at work or studies.

Although it is more easily practiced in classes and places, with an instructor, meditation can also be done in other environments such as at home or at work, for example.

To learn to meditate alone, it is necessary to practice the techniques that will be taught daily, for 5 to 20 minutes, 1 or 2 times a day.

So, the step by step to meditate consists of:

1. Set aside time

You should reserve 1 or 2 moments during the day to switch off for a while. It may be when you wake up, to allow you to start the day with less anxiety and more focus, in the middle of the day, to rest a little from your tasks, or when you go to bed, to calm your mind before going to sleep.

Ideally, a period of 15 to 20 minutes is a great time to bring the maximum benefits of meditation, but 5 minutes is enough to allow a journey within, achieving tranquility and focus.

To avoid worrying about time, you can set an alarm clock on your phone for the time you want to keep meditating.

2. Find a quiet place

It is recommended to separate a space where you can sit with a little tranquility, such as a living room, a garden, a sofa, and it is also possible in the office chair itself, or even in the car, after parking before going to work, for example.

The important thing is that you can, preferably, be in a quiet environment with minimal distractions to facilitate concentration.

3. Adopt a comfortable posture

The ideal position for practicing meditation, according to oriental techniques, is the lotus posture, in which you remain seated, with your legs crossed and your feet on your thighs, just above your knees, and with your spine erect..

However, it is not mandatory, and it is possible to sit or lie in any position, including in a chair or bench, as long as you are comfortable, with an erect spine, relaxed shoulders and aligned neck.

You should also find a support for your hands, which can rest on your lap, with the back of one over the other, or stand one on each knee, with your palms down or up. Then, keep your eyes closed and allow your muscles to relax.

Meditation Position

4. Control breathing

It is important to learn to pay more special attention to breathing, using your lungs completely. A deep inhalation must be made, drawing air using the belly and chest, and a slow and pleasant exhalation.

Controlling your breathing may not be easy at first, which happens with practice, but it is important that it is comfortable and without straining, so that it does not become an unpleasant moment. An exercise that can be done is to count to 4 on the inhalation, and repeat this time for the exhalation.

5. Focus attention

In traditional meditation, it is necessary to find a focus to maintain attention, usually a mantra, which is any sound, syllable, word or phrase that must be repeated several times in order to exert a specific power over the mind, and to assist concentration to meditation.

It should be vocalized or thought out by the person doing the meditation and, preferably, if it is a mantra of Buddhism or yoga origin, it should be taught correctly by a teacher. The "om" is the best known mantra, and has the power to bring inner peace during meditation.

However, it is also possible to have other types of focus for attention, such as an image, melody, feeling of breeze on the skin, breathing itself, or even on some positive thought or goal that you want to achieve. The important thing is that, for this, the mind is calm and without other thoughts.

It is very common for various thoughts to arise during meditation, and in this case, one should not fight with them, but let them come and then leave. With time and practice, it becomes easier to focus better and avoid thoughts.

Main health benefits

With the daily practice of meditation, it is possible to perceive better control of thoughts and maintaining focus on activities, in addition to bringing other benefits, such as:

Aid in the treatment of depression and decreased chances of relapse; Control of stress and anxiety; Decreased insomnia; Improved focus and performance at work and studies; Help in controlling high blood pressure; Greater control of blood glucose in diabetes; Help in treatment of eating and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Thus, even though it is a technique of ancient oriental traditions, meditation is fully applicable in daily life to improve well-being and quality of life. See the benefits of other alternative health practices, such as Yoga and Ayurvedic Medicine.