Preparing to meditate

 

Create your own space

This could be a room or a corner of a room that you declare as your meditation space so that people you live with will respect. You can decorate it as you feel fit. You can place some images or artefacts that remind you of your meditation practice.

When to meditate

The best time to meditate is anytime really. Even so, as soon as you wake up and before you get into your activities, set aside some time for meditation practice. The first thoughts of the day are the foundation of the day. Many people turn on the radio or check their mobile. The news these days is not so inspiring.
During the day you can also organise to pause from time to time. If you have one minute of meditation every hour, the other 59 minutes are fantastic.

Where to meditate

Besides in your personal meditation space, you can meditate walking, sitting, waiting in a queue. You can meditate in between things at work, in the middle of the rush going on around you. Just organise your thinking and you'll be okay anyplace.

What posture

The first thing to understand is that it is not the body that meditates. It is the thinking being that meditate. Even then, it's good to keep your back straight, neither rigid nor slack. Your hands on your knees or in your lap.

Your eyes

It is good to learn to meditate with the eyes open because our practical life happens with our eyes open. Meditation can then be a part of our normal day. So, you can keep your eyes half-open and unfocused, looking straight ahead, your face very relaxed.

So the first experience:

Sit comfortably with the back not too rigid or slack, your hands in your lap or on your knees, your face is relaxed. Your eyes slightly open, and follow these thoughts:
I am the inner being observing everything through the windows of my eyes. At this moment I am aware of the colours and forms, the sounds and sensations of 360° of things happening around me. I am very aware of each of my sense organs, my breathing. I am sitting here in the centre of things, feeling very, very relaxed, just observing. After some time enjoying the moment I gradually come back to my activities.

Text from the Live and Meditate Channel (https://www.youtube.com/liveandmeditate and https://www.facebook.com/liveandmeditate/) Video #4