The word meditate comes from a Latin root word meditatum, which means to “think” or to “ponder”. Learning how to meditate deeply is a mental approach to relaxing both the body and mind. It is a discipline used to enhance body and mind connection in order to achieve healthy overall well-being. Different people choose to learn how to meditate deeply for different reasons. Whether it’s to reduce stress or to treat certain health issues, meditation involving deep breathing has proven to be a great experience for most people who try it.
An increasing number of people try the practice of how to meditate deeply at some point in their lives, unfortunately only a small percentage actually continue with it for the long-term. A possible reason is that beginners don’t usually practice deep breathing begins with the necessary mindset to make the practice maintainable. It is highly advised that individuals prepare themselves mentally prior to beginning any meditation method.
Before you start deep breathing, here are some things you can do in order to prepare yourself for this great experience:
- Read about meditation. Get yourself an instructional guide, one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states and explains the art of how to meditate deeply. This will undoubtedly get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are is great for beginners and its easy reading material. It is a good idea to have as much information on this practice as you can prior to beginning.
- Choose a specific area to meditate. Try not to choose an area that you work in. It is important that as a beginner you learn how to meditate deeply in a space where you feel at ease.
- Stretch prior to meditating. Stretching helps to loosen your muscles and tendons which allow you to sit or lie down comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to your body.
- Start with the breath. Deep breathing slows your heart rate, focuses your mind and relaxes your body.
- Feel your body parts. An important practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body once a meditative state begins to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention on your feet and then slowly move your way up focusing on each individual body part.
- Meditate with Purpose. It is important for beginners to understand that meditation is an active process. Focusing your attention on a single point is not as easy as it sounds, and you must be willing to engage.
- Meditate early in the morning. There is no doubt that early morning is the best time for deep breathing. Your mind should be clutter free and there is not too much noise around. So get into the habit of getting up 30 minutes earlier than usual to meditate.
- Make it routine. Do not let anything stop you from meditating daily even if you are delayed.
- Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.