Welcome to Break the Norms with Meditation, DOYOU's meditation column by motivational Guru Chandresh Bhardwaj.
Meditation has the power to change your life and improve it vastly. If you have incorporated meditation into your daily life, you are most likely already aware of this. However, if you want a better meditation experience and improve what you get out of it, here are five simple tips.
1. Time
People often remark that they don't have the time for meditation. The more you chase after that perfect moment to meditate, the more it will become like a mirage. It's a good practice to set a fixed time everyday, but don't let this rule ruin your daily meditation.
If you have a busy schedule, simply sit for 5 to 10 minutes every day. This could be before you go to sleep or first thing in the morning, for example. You can meditate sitting on a long flight, in a waiting room, at lunch time, at the beach, or any other place, really.
It is not about finding the perfect time to meditate. The important thing is to connect with your inner awareness, which will take you from the realm of time to timelessness.
2. Place
When you sit in the same place everyday, this place creates its own special energy which helps you connect every time you meditate. Having a fixed place to meditate also increases your motivation.
Many people invest a lot of time and energy into creating a calming and decorative place to meditate. If you cannot be at the same place everyday, then choose any place which is clean and free of clutter. Choosing the right place is an important factor for a better meditation experience.
3. Mantra
A mantra is a sacred set of words created by the ancient sages to help you connect to the cosmic energies. A mantra gets more powerful with constant repetition. Chanting a mantra is almost like a shortcut to easily connect with the cosmic consciousness.
Just like we use baby talk to communicate with babies (it's just easily understood by the baby), we take the help of chanting a mantra to communicate with our higher self. For your meditation practices, you can chant simple mantras such as 'Om' or 'Soham'.
To chant higher mantras, an approval and guidance from a Guru or a qualified teacher is a must.
4. Guru
A Guru is very important in the path of meditation. The Guru accesses your strengths and weaknesses and guides you to the right direction.
Don’t confuse Adhyatam Guru (Spiritual Guru) with a teacher. There are many names for a teacher, such as master, mentor, or leader. But there’s no synonym for a Guru because the word holds a unique meaning. Guru is a Sanskrit word that literally means the one who spreads the light and removes the darkness.
A teacher teaches you and gives you knowledge from books or experience. A Guru helps you see the knowledge that’s already within you. He peels back the layers of ignorance and negligence, helping you to encounter the light within you.
5. Happiness
The perfect moment to meditate is when you are joyful. Happiness that comes from within raises your consciousness to be one with the cosmic universe. Whenever you are feeling happy, try to take some time out to meditate. This practice will further build the happiness within you.
It's not natural to become attracted to practices of yoga and meditation during the tough times in life. When you are sad, you will not be able to experience the deeper realms of meditation and bliss. In moments of sadness, simply accept it and understand the reasons behind it. The mere understanding will help you move beyond it.
