What is meditation? Some of us may envision a sage or monk sitting on a snow-covered peak in the Himalayas clad in a saffron robe when we think about meditation. To others who have never practiced meditation or just heard about it in passing, the term may sound very daunting. But to me, meditation equates to just this — me time, in a quiet tranquil setting.
Meditation, translated to “Sadhana” in Hindi, an Indian language, is an integral part of yoga as it focuses on mental awareness and consciousness. It is the simplest form of practice — all you need is a few minutes of your time and a quiet place. The best part is that it can be done anywhere in the house — your exercise room, your patio, balcony or your bedroom. All you need to do is to sit in a relaxed straight posture on a floor mat or on a chair with your legs crossed and your eyes closed. Focus on your breath rising up and down your chest or on an image or visual that calms you. Make sure to sit with your spine straight in an erect position, and rest your hands on your knees with palms facing up. Then, touch the tips of your index fingers to the tips of your thumbs, with the rest of the fingers open and relaxed. This yoga hand gesture, called Gyan Mudra, really helps steady your mind and helps you focus better. Gyan means knowledge and Mudra means hand position or seal in Sanskrit — a heritage language of India from which Hindi originated, and in which all the ancient and sacred texts were written.
Meditation practice is very flexible in terms of timing. You can do it as long as 10 minutes, 40 minutes or even more. It can be done once, twice or more times during the day. You can start your day with meditation or end your day with meditation. It all depends on what length of practice time and hour of the day benefits you the most personally. But, initially, start with a minute or two and then increase the practice in increments till your desired duration.
When you sit down with your eyes closed to meditate, you will have a deluge of thoughts rush to your mind. This is an obvious reaction: we all have infinite things happening in our lives from which it is difficult to disconnect instantly. The trick is not to dwell on these thoughts or fight them, but rather to bring your attention to your breathing or to an image or visual that calms you — we just shift our focus to something better. Every time your mind wanders, just bring it back to the breath or the visual and stay there. No rocket science, right? Just plain and simple asana (posture) that does wonders for your mind, body and spirit.
Meditation enhances mental acuity. Practicing it every day is a great way to destress, calm your nerves, and just detach from the rushed world. It takes the weight off your shoulders and lifts the fog off your mind: you feel light, unburdened, and clear-headed. Thus, allowing you to concentrate clearly better on what’s good for your state of mind.
You get transported to a state of utter peace and relaxation. Every time I meditate, I feel like I am where I want to be — on a beach with my favorite drink, completely rejuvenated to the core.
As always, I cannot begin to emphasize the importance of mental health — the stronger you are mentally, the better your life will turn out to be. Charity starts at home. Be kind and charitable towards yourself by practicing meditation. So, come on, buckle up and join the bandwagon of yogis like me!