How to Meditate Easily and Successfully: A Breathing Awareness Meditation

How to Meditate Easily and Successfully- Ten Tips for a Breathing Awareness Meditation

by Lisa Guyman

Taking time to meditate is one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself and in your life.

In theory, meditation is simple. It’s being, not doing, It’s surrender, not control. It’s lettting go, not holding on. It’s acceptance, not resistance. It’s being truly present, not reflecting on the past, and not anticipating the future.

In practice, it can also be simple. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not about controlling one’s thoughts or emptying the mind. It’s simply about gently shifting the awareness back to the center. Below are some tips for practicing meditation:

1. Free yourself from distractions (turn the phone off, the TV, radio, etc.) and let people around you know you are going to meditate for 20-30 minutes.
2. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
3. Let your awareness settle on your breath. For the next 20-30 minutes, just observe your breath. Don’t try to change it.  Just watch your breath.
4. You will notice your attention will get drawn or caught up in thoughts.  That is O.K. When you notice you are thinking about other things, just bring your attention gently back to your breath.
5. You will notice your attention gets drawn to noises in the environment or sensations in your body.  That is O.K.  Again, just gently come back to the awareness of your breath.
6. It doesn’t matter how many times you find yourself distracted from your breath as long as you return your attention to it once you notice that you have drifted.
7. Use a clock or watch to check the time, and when you finish meditating, you no longer have to pay attention to your breath.  Just take a few minutes before you open your eyes and move back into activity.
8. Even if you don’t think you are in a deep state, take a few minutes at the end of any meditation.
9. There are three correct experiences in meditation:  sleep, thoughts, and slipping into “the Gap.”  Lots of thoughts in meditation indicate the release of stress.
10. Do not judge the quality of your meditation by the experiences you have in meditation.  Instead, look for the effects and benefits of meditation in your daily life.

If you meditate consistently, you’ll get results!  But don’t expect them overnight.  Dedicate yourself to meditating regularly for at least a month or two.

If you don’t notice any difference, ask your friends & family if they notice a difference in you.

The tricky thing with meditation is that it’s so simple that we tend to complicate it. We aren’t used to being “effortless.” We are used to effort, focus, and concentration which has no place in meditation. If you find yourself struggling with the practice of meditation, then consider taking a Primordial Sound Meditation course.

FAQ on Primordial Sound Meditation

Primordial Sound Meditation – Get your personal meditation mantra

With Primordial Sound Meditation, you get a mantra calculated specifically by The Chopra Center.  This mantra is a special vehicle that helps you meditate.

My students have reported that meditation with a mantra feels deeper, easier, and faster. In the course, you’d get a thorough understanding of meditation and get all your questions about meditation answered.  The course includes a video by Deepak Chopra that highlights the higher states of consciousness that naturally unfold with regular meditation practice.

Contact Lisa Guyman, Certified Chopra Center instructor, at  (720) 683-0444 or by email with any questions.