Read this recent question-and-answer session with meditation master Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, discussing meditation dos and don’ts.
In this insightful video, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar answers common questions, clears up several misconceptions, and provides practical tips on what to do and avoid during meditation practice.
How to relax quickly?
Hurrying is counterproductive for meditation. You can’t quickly have a nap. What we need to do if we are restless is to include the following steps:
Take a few deep breaths.
Check your bowel movements: If you’re constipated, your mind won’t settle easily. People who have constipation find it very hard to meditate. Cleansing is very necessary.
Move your body: If you haven’t had enough circulation and have been sitting a lot, you’ll be very restless. Some stretches, a little dynamic exercise, and getting on the treadmill for 10 minutes, but not too much exercise, will help. When we exercise too much, our metabolism goes so high that it’s harder for the mind to calm down. At the same time, on the opposite side, if there isn’t proper circulation and there’s stagnation in the body, energy doesn’t move easily. Moderate activity will help.
Will meditation make us docile and less competitive?
The first step is not to see your day-to-day life in opposition to your spiritual practice. This is our basic flaw. We think, “Oh, this is a different world, and my professional and competitive world is very different.”
I tell you to remove the tag that you put on meditation. That’s number one.
Secondly, taking a shower keeps you fresh for many hours, allowing you to do other activities. Every day, you brush your teeth, go out to eat, do all kinds of things, and then come back and brush your teeth again.
Like that, meditation helps you recuperate. When you work in a competitive world, what do you need? You need inner strength, intuitive power, and a sharp intellect and mind.
You eat food only twice or thrice daily, which gives you enough energy to keep going. In the same way, meditation can help you to be calm, collected, and happy. It changes your vibration into a more positive one.
Otherwise, with the pressure of work, you can get stressed. People who work with you feel that they can’t work with you. They feel repulsion.
Meditation helps you get rid of all the repulsive energy caused by stress. It also gives you a wider perspective: What do I want? Who am I?
It leads you to that self-inquiry.
What is the best posture for meditation?
When you’re very tired and cannot sit, it’s better to lie down for Yoga Nidra. Take your attention to different parts of the body and then let go. That’s good.
But when you’ve finished your Yoga Nidra and feel less tired, sit comfortably and lean back.
But don’t lean your head back. If you rest your head while meditating, the chance of sleeping increases.
How long should one meditate?
I would say 20-25 minutes per sitting in the right pose, twice or thrice a day, not more than that. If you want to do longer meditations, you should do that under the supervision of a teacher.
How to get started with meditation?
Meditation has become very popular today. One-third of the world’s population practices meditation in some form.
You can begin in your own home. Many guided meditations are available on Apps, including the Journey App. You just put it on and start a guided meditation. That’s number one.
Second, also, breathing. A few deep breaths every now and then will help you to relax. We must take time for ourselves. You have dental hygiene. This is mental hygiene.
Every day, a few minutes of meditation can uplift our spirit and make us feel calm.
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Editor’s note:
To experience Gurudev’s ancient secret to modern well-being, SKY Breath Meditation (Sudarshan Kriya) for yourself, register for the Art of Living Part 1. SKY has helped millions of people worldwide improve all aspects of their lives.
