Yoga and Meditation

Are you interested in trying out some meditation techniques to help you relax and relieve your stress? It may appear that meditation is a complicated procedure requiring lots of knowledge and skill, but at its core, meditation is just about focus and relaxation.

The following visualization exercise will help you realize just how simple it is to meditate. The instructions aren’t hard to follow, and this easy meditation exercise can be done easily in any comfortable location in your house.

Meditation exercises can be performed at any time during the day, but mornings are really the preferred choice. You’ll have fewer interruptions then, and since you’ve just started your day, you won’t have a multitude of distracting thoughts and emotions to get past.

The first step is to choose a peaceful, secluded room in which to meditate, away from other people and noisy distractions. Next, find a comfortable position in which to sit. You might think you have to sit cross-legged with a stiff spine like you’ve seen in pictures, but that’s not at all necessary. You can sit on the bed, the floor, in a chair or on a pillow, just as long as you’re comfortable. You might find it uncomfortable to cross your legs, or find that it hinders your blood flow, so keep your legs extended and relaxed if you want. Make sure your spine is upright but relaxed.

Now that you are seated, close your eyes and let your body relax. Stay like this for a couple of minutes in order to still your mind and loosen up your body.

Now comes the visualization part. Choose an object to think about. This can literally be anything - a flower, a pet, or even a kitchen appliance! Mentally focus on this object and think about its features. Think about its color, its shape and its texture. Then imagine what it would be like to be that object.

Let your thoughts come effortlessly. Be aware of the object you have chosen to focus on and feel it becoming part of you.

The key to your success in this visualization exercise is to not let your focus be sidetracked by obtrusive thoughts or noises. If you hear something that distracts you or if you start thinking about your schedule for the day, just let go of the distraction and concentrate once again on your object.

To achieve this kind of concentration and focus of the mind will take much practice. But in time, you will be able to visualize an object easily and naturally.

By adding visualization meditation to your daily routine, you’ll find it becomes less effort to concentrate fully and block out distractions. And you will find that you have learned to relax your body and focus your mind.