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gyan mudra

Whenever I see an article about meditation, which there are many lately, they always have a photo of a person holding a hand mudra (gesture).  
While mudras are very effective (more in a later post), probably the most effective part of meditation is our intention, see previous post, Intention is Everything. If our intention is clear, the next step is how to meditate.

Many people come to me seeking help with meditation. Of course, it's best to have a teacher to guide you in beginning a meditation practice, but it's okay to start on your own and see where it leads you. I suggest starting with a 5-minute commitment each morning as part of your morning routine, maybe right after you brush your teeth. How?

• Find a spot to sit upright--it can be in a chair or on the floor. Sit in the same spot each morning.
• Choose an intention.  It is good to stick with the same focus for a while. You might also find an inspirational daily meditation to work with until you figure out what you want to focus on.
• Get comfortable, yet remain upright.
• Set a timer so that you are not continuously looking at the time.
• Close your eyes.
• Focus on your breath. Notice the inhale and the exhale.
• If your mind wanders, return back to the breath.
• When the timer goes off, you are done.
• Continue this practice for a week then decide if you are ready to add 5 more minutes.

Discipline is a huge part of the practice as many of you already know. We can do almost anything for 5 minutes once or twice. 

The benefits of meditation have been proven by science over and over, increase clarity, focus, concentration, happiness, while decreasing heart rate, anxiety, depression, and violence, just to name a few.  

George Dvorsky writes, "Meditation yields a surprising number of health benefits, including stress reduction, improved attention, better memory, and even increased creativity and feelings of compassion," in his article, The science behind meditation, and why it makes you feel better.

After you try sitting for a week, let me know how it goes. I'd also love other tips from long-time meditators.