Breathing Meditation So, just spend ten minutes morning and evening at times which suit you best and begin by adopting an accepting, submissive, non-judgmental awareness, in which all thoughts are gentle reminders to return your focus once again to the moment, or, in the case of breath awareness, attention is returned to the breath.
The breath awareness technique simply involves sitting in a comfortable position with a straight spine with your eyes closed and with your focus upon your breath. Simply pay attention to the breath as it moves in and out of your body and consider that your body is being breathed, rather than you breathing your body. Feel the air moving in and out of your nose and notice how your body moves with the breath. Use thoughts as a reminder to return to the breath once again and certainly during the initial stages of meditation thoughts will rise and fall frequently. When you are paying attention to a thought you are not paying attention to your breath so simply and quietly return your attention to the breath. As the thoughts rise like bubbles through water let them go gently and use each thought as a reminder to return to your purpose of being aware of and following the breath. This awareness involves following and feeling the breath through your nostrils and being aware of the rise and fall of your chest and diaphragm. With practice you will be able to maintain focus longer, and your thoughts will not be so insistent and persistent, and the action of breathing will involve the rise and fall of the diaphragm, rather than the chest, as you follow the waves of your breathing, staying with the in-breath and remaining fully focussed for the out-breath.
Remember that one of the purposes of your mind is to create thoughts, and so in your awareness you acknowledge this and be grateful that you have an indication now and a reminder to return to your task, that of awareness and focus on breath. Practice breath awareness for ten to fifteen minutes daily for at least a week and you will notice a change within, which will then give you the motivation to pursue this further and deepen your awareness and additionally, you can practice breath awareness incidentally and opportunistically such as, when waiting in line, waiting in office areas, or in similar situations where nothing is demanded of you except to wait.
This article interviews practitioners and discovers their favourite ways to meditate
An excellent resource in relation to body scan meditation – it is important to realize that meditation is not one size fits all
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/channeln/2013/08/body-scan-mindfulness-meditation/
Very interesting article on how meditation calms the body and heals the mind.
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=7%2C3250%2C0%2C0%2C1%2C0
Discusses meditation as the intimate act of getting to know yourself and establishing relationships with yourself. http://beyondmeds.com/2013/08/15/meditation-intimate-act/
This is a highly informative article that focuses upon the three dimensional nature of meditation, in that the meditative act is a totally encompassing experience at the sensation level. http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/mindfulness-now-in-exciting-3d
Discusses three meditative procedures for the beginning meditators. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/meditation-for-beginners_n_3683131.html
This article was originally published in the Scientific American and looks at the neuroscience of meditation http://www.salon.com/2013/08/02/how_does_meditation_actually_work_partner/singleton/
Tips on how to train a wandering mind as the precondition to deep meditation. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_focus_a_wandering_mind
Here are five tips to encourage and motivate the beginning meditator. http://tinybuddha.com/blog/5-meditation-tips-for-people-who-dont-yet-like-to-meditate/
Discusses that meditation doesn’t have to be formal and structured, but can be successfully integrated into your everyday life. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/23/ways-to-meditate-mindfulness-tips_n_3605845.html
Some more simple tips to encourage the beginning meditator. http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/5-simple-tips-meditate-like-monk.html
If you need more evidence as to the benefits of meditation then here it is. http://www.realitysandwich.com/meditation_stimulates_longlasting_brain_changes
Still further motivation and inspiration. http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindfulness/2013/07/a-simple-practice-to-a-happier-balanced-brain/