All the secrets of the correct and comfortable posture for meditation. Shavasana meditation technique

Question: I attend meditation here at college once a week, but I feel like I need more spiritual nourishment. If I try to meditate individually, it happens differently. I feel like I'm missing something.

Sri Chinmoy: Actually, you have nothing to lose. If four people are doing the same thing together, they inspire each other. It's like a tug of war. When you meditate with a group, four or five people are meditating together against one - ignorance, whereas when meditating at home, you are alone and ignorance is one. You don't know who will win the tug of war. When four people are pulling a rope on the same side, and there is only one against them, you know that these four will win. This inner confidence will inspire you to come and pull the rope with others. By meditating at home, you fight ignorance one on one. Naturally, you will soon become tired and then feel sad and unhappy and may lose interest. But by meditating with others, you will have more confidence in what you are doing.

Question: I became your student recently. Does what you say about meditation apply to your students, or do they have a different standard?

Sri Chinmoy: I hope that all my disciples meditate in the morning until half past seven. From two o'clock until six-thirty I concentrate on all my students. At this time, my soul, my being, my consciousness is responsible for nourishing you. After six-thirty, my inner beings take responsibility. I am not saying that my inner beings are inferior to me, no, they are not. But if you want to give me joy in the physical mind, then please meditate until half past seven. If you meditate after half past six, you are taken care of by my inner beings. Also, if you meditate in the evening or at night, my inner beings and your inner being will communicate.

Question: Is it possible to meditate while lying down? Isn't this the best way to relax?

Sri Chinmoy: To meditate, you need to relax. For spiritual person, who has been meditating for many years and has self-control in meditation, meditating while lying down for hours is not a problem. But for a beginner who has not yet mastered meditation, it is difficult to meditate while lying down. This is not an active or dynamic type of meditation. Blood circulation will slow down and he will be attacked by some kind of slim look naps. But, in a sitting position, drowsiness will not attack him. The lying position itself plunges you into the world of the unconscious. And then what happens is that we feel that we are meditating very sincerely and dynamically, but we are mistaken. I had cousin about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. She liked to say that she meditated lying down every night for at least ten hours. But when my sisters came into her room, they found her snoring. They pulled her hair, nose, etc., but she did not wake up. The next morning she used to say that she had been meditating all night. She had no mindful meditation. Unconsciously she felt that she was meditating. Meditation is very good, but lying down meditation tends to mislead one about one's own spirituality. It is better to meditate while sitting or even standing. You can also meditate while walking up and down, back and forth. I often meditate for two to three hours or more in a very relaxed state, walking at a very fast pace, like a marching soldier.

Question: In my opinion, when meditating while sitting, you do not feel comfortable and relaxed.

Sri Chinmoy: You may not have a house or an apartment, but everyone definitely has a meditation room. In one corner of this room you can make an altar for meditation. When the body is uncomfortable, it changes its position, so it is up to you to decide what is most comfortable for it. If there is even impatience, relaxation will immediately disappear. If you are constantly jerking from side to side, how can you relax? To maintain relaxation, you need to keep your body calm and avoid worry at all costs.

Question: Is it true that the lotus position is the most comfortable for meditation?

Sri Chinmoy: According to some, the lotus pose is the most comfortable, but according to others, it is not. The main benefit of the lotus pose is that it helps keep the spine straight. On the other hand, the lotus position does not always keep the body relaxed. One can stay in the lotus position for two or three hours, but if someone wants to meditate for four, six or eight hours, I don’t think he can sit in the lotus position for that long, but one can relax the body in many other ways, such as walking or freely sit.

Question: The book on concentration and meditation says that for meditation it is important where the face is facing: East, West, North or South. If you strive for spirituality and a calm life, then when meditating, you should sit facing the North. If you want earthly things, should you sit facing the East?

Sri Chinmoy: It depends on the person. A sincere spiritual seeker who strives to realize God and God alone does not need any special direction. He must be infinitely superior to all such traditional Indian theories. What is really necessary for God-realization is aspiration, in the purest sense of the word.

Question: I'm interested in knowing something about internal discipline?

Sri Chinmoy: Discipline must come from within. External discipline is necessary, but if there is no internal discipline, then external discipline has no meaning. Outwardly I can be quiet and calm, but internally I can be overwhelmed by all sorts of bad thoughts.

If you need spiritual discipline, then you should learn to concentrate. In discipline, concentration is of paramount importance. Every day we eat, every day we go to school, and every day we must practice concentration. What to concentrate on? Focus on the life that fulfills, not the life that worries or destroys. What can build your life? Call to God. If you want to own the world, you will not be able to discipline yourself. Only if you want to be controlled by the Inner Pilot, the Supreme, can you discipline yourself.

A yogi sitting in the lotus position, with his legs almost tied in a knot and a perfectly straight back - this is exactly the image that comes to mind for most people if you ask them about a meditation pose. Therefore, people who are starting to meditate for the first time immediately have a lot of questions about what position is best to do it in. After all, their legs don’t want to be tied in a knot, and it’s also hard for many to keep their back straight. In general, difficulties arise.

In today's article I want to cover two issues. First, we will look at the basic postures suitable for beginners in meditation. Secondly, we will talk about principles that will help you choose for yourself perfect pose, suitable for you. The fact is that we are all different, we all have different bodies and, accordingly, different possibilities and limitations.

If you are just starting to master the practice, then the meditation pose must be comfortable. It happens that people refuse to master meditation because they are not comfortable staying in the poses recommended for practice for a long time. And then it’s worth deviating from the recommended instructions and finding a pose taking into account individual characteristics. Knowing the principles of constructing a meditation pose, you will be able to find a body position in which you will be truly comfortable.

So let's start with the first question.

Basic poses for beginners to meditate

1. Sitting cross-legged

You can meditate while sitting on the floor with your legs crossed.
You can sit on the pillows. Then the pelvis is slightly higher than the legs, and this prevents them from numbing.

If you have poor stretching and your legs are suspended, you can also put pillows under your hips.

2. Sitting on a chair

In this case, your back should be straight, your feet should be firmly on the floor.

3. Meditation while lying on your back

In this case, the arms and legs are slightly removed from the body. You can meditate even while lying on the bed, but it is better to do it on the floor, since rigid support allows the spine to be positioned correctly. For comfort, you can place a small pillow under your lower back.

Many people wonder if it is possible to meditate while lying on your back. The answer is: yes, you can. However, it should be borne in mind that this position of the body often causes drowsiness and interferes with meditation. Therefore, if possible, you should choose other poses for practice.

There are times when the supine meditation pose is perfect choice. This applies to situations where a person experiences serious physical discomfort while sitting.

By the way, about how to choose a pose for meditation if during practice you experience discomfort related to body posture, there is a separate one on my blog.

Of course, there are other poses for meditation, but they are more complex, but I still suggest starting with a simple one. Moreover, in order to use meditation in your Everyday life and to get tangible results, in my opinion, the three poses I mentioned are quite enough. Personally, I most often meditate while sitting cross-legged and sometimes sitting on a chair, and I get results from the practice that I am completely satisfied with.

It would seem that what could be easier than, for example, sitting on a chair with a straight back? But even this simple instruction has its pitfalls. Therefore, now we will move on to the second question and analyze the principles of constructing a meditation pose.

Principles of constructing meditation postures

1. Feel the support

Feel how your body weight is relative to the ground and how you feel supported. If you are sitting on a chair or cross-legged, then the weight of the body should “drain” into the pelvis, and the pelvis should be a support. Feel the pelvic bones on which you are sitting. Feel how they rest on the surface of the chair or floor.

During meditation, distribute your body weight symmetrically so that both pelvic bones rest equally on the surface on which you are sitting.
If you are sitting on a chair, also feel the support in your legs.
If you are lying down, feel how your body weight is distributed on the floor. Make sure your body position is symmetrical.

2. Watch your back

When you meditate, your back should be straight and perpendicular to the floor (that is, you should not lean forward or backward).

Experiment and start slouching. Please note: what happens to the support? Does the weight continue to “drain” into the pelvis? When we slouch, our body weight shifts forward. These are the laws of physics.
Now lean back, for example, leaning on the back of a chair. Where has the body weight shifted from the pelvis? According to the laws of physics, it moves backward.

Let's figure out why it is so important that the weight of the body flows into the pelvis.
Take a thick book and place it vertically on the table. Like this:

Costs? Certainly. And you don’t need to make any effort for this. It does not need special support. Now tilt the book aside. Did you fall? Yes, if you didn't spend any extra effort to keep it in a tilted position. The book itself, without your help, will not stand like this. This is contrary to the laws of physics.

Now let's return to the meditation pose. When your back is straight and perpendicular to the floor, your posture is similar to a book that stands vertically on a table. Holding this position does not require any extra effort, and therefore it involves maximum relaxation.

As soon as you begin to deviate from this position, additional muscles begin to tense so that you, like a book, do not fall, but maintain a sitting position. Excess tension interferes with meditation.
If, for example, you didn’t just lean back, but leaned back in your chair, using not your muscles to hold the pose own body, and leaning on the back of the chair, in this case, too, oddly enough, you will most likely experience excessive tension in the muscles, which are supposed to be relaxed during meditation. If you lean back, then to maintain balance, your head changes its position, moves a little forward, while the neck muscles tense.

In addition, by leaning back in your chair, your body is likely to come into a position that will prevent you from freely and deep breathing. I will talk about this in more detail below.

3. Avoid bending and unnecessary tension in your back.

This point follows from the previous one. Often people are not used to keeping their back straight, and trying to do this either causes them unnecessary tension, or they quickly begin to slouch or tend to lean their elbows on the back of the chair. As a rule, this is due to the insufficient development of those back muscles that are responsible for keeping the spine in a straight position.

If you find it difficult to sit with a straight back for a long time, during meditation, use support on a wall or the back of a chair using a pillow. This way you can keep your back straight without unnecessary tension.

In addition, in this situation, you should regularly do simple physical exercise to strengthen the back muscles.

Trying to sit with a straight back, some people put their muscles under unnecessary tension. Most often, tension appears in the lower back or thoracic region. Outwardly, this looks like too much extension. That is, the back is not in a straight position, but curved into an arc.

In order to track excess tension, remember that the body weight should “drain” into the pelvis. If there is tension somewhere, then this prevents such drainage. Therefore, remember the support you are sitting on. Imagine how the weight of your body flows into the basin, and through the basin goes into the floor or into the seat of a chair. This will protect you from unnecessary tension in your back.

4. Body position should facilitate free deep breathing

If you have completed all three of the previous principles, you have most likely already adopted a body position that promotes proper breathing. However, I would like to once again draw your attention to some nuances, since they are very important.

Free and deep breathing is the basis of a state of relaxation and peace. Breathing is closely related to emotions. A person under stress instinctively holds his breath. Most people have shallow breathing. Many people tend to delay it often, preventing the rhythmic and calm passage of air flow through Airways. This type of breathing indicates that a person is in a state of chronic emotional stress. By the way, on my website there is a separate article about how, using simple breathing techniques achieve physical and emotional relaxation. Read it.

By freeing our breathing, making it deeper, smoother and calmer, we are freed from unnecessary emotional stress, returning to a state of deep calm. Therefore, during meditation it is advisable to maintain calm, deep, even breathing.

It is worth saying that if you are used to breathing shallowly, you may not be able to fully free your breath right away. Therefore, you should not strive to breathe the right way at any cost. If you practice meditation regularly, your breathing will gradually become more and more free. However, from the very beginning it is important to create conditions in order to free your breath. Required condition correct breathing is correct position bodies.

In order to understand which body position is correct, let’s remember the school biology course and look at how the breathing process occurs.

Inhalation occurs due to the fact that the space inside the chest increases and, following this, the volume of the lungs increases. As a result, air rushes into the respiratory tract. That is, our body works like a pump: by increasing the space of the chest, it draws air in, reducing this space, it pushes air out.

The space of the chest increases and decreases due to the ribs and diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that is located on the border of the thoracic and abdominal regions. This muscle has the shape of a dome, which is directed upward into the chest cavity. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and the dome flattens, therefore, the volume of the chest increases. As for the ribs, everything is clear. As you inhale, the ribs rise and the volume of the chest increases.

Now, with this information in mind, let's return to the analysis of body postures for meditation, which ensures deep and free breathing.

There are people who are used to slouching, and therefore their chest looks sunken. From this position it is very difficult to increase the volume of the chest. And, accordingly, if you are slouched, you will be able to free your breath only after you straighten your chest.
So, make sure that your rib cage was straightened.

Now about the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that is very sensitive to stress. It often spasms as a result of emotional stress. There is even an expression: “I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach.” In a situation of stress, many people experience discomfort in the area solar plexus(this is the area where the stomach is located, where the chest cavity ends and the abdominal cavity begins). Such sensations are often associated with excess tension in the diaphragmatic muscle. Excessive tension in the diaphragm causes breathing to become more shallow. Externally, this tension looks like a slight compression around this area.

If you are prone to contraction of the diaphragmatic region, you can begin to meditate with either the back of a chair or a wall behind you. Then you can place a pillow behind you at the level of this area and lean slightly on the pillow. This will help you straighten the area.

So, I hope that after reading this article you have an understanding of the correct posture to meditate in.

In everyone's life modern man a lot of stress and stressful situations, which take a lot of energy and strength.

Therefore, it is imperative to relax from time to time, and lying down meditation, shavasana, will help. This type of asana is called the queen of yoga.

What is savasana

Savasana or dead man's pose is quite simple, but at the same time the most difficult of those that can be found in yoga practice. A 20-minute stay in it can be equated to two to three hours of sleep, resulting in an excellent restorative effect.

The purpose of savasana is to imitate a corpse. The lifeless body is in one position, no movement is possible. It is by keeping the body still that a person learns to completely relax. Thanks to this, not only the body relaxes, but also the mind, tension goes away and new strength comes to both body and soul.

Execution technique

This meditation is performed while lying on your back. In this case, the hands are located on both sides of the body, palms up, with slightly bent fingers. The legs are slightly apart and relaxed with the toes pointing to the sides. The head and lower jaw should be in a relaxed state, the tongue should be raised to the front upper teeth, as if you were saying the sound “t”.

1. Try to relax as much as possible and feel the surface of the floor where the body comes into contact with it, and in the curves of the spine - the feeling of the presence of air. Focus on your breathing. Relax your joints, so you can relieve tension from the muscles that surround them.
2. As soon as you feel complete relaxation of the body, a feeling of mental relaxation will come. The most difficult thing in this case is getting rid of all kinds of thoughts. For this purpose, concentrate all your attention on your breathing: breathe through your nose and observe exactly how you inhale a cold stream of air and exhale a warm one.
3. After some time time will come the feeling of “losing” your body - you will not feel it. But at the same time, you will be able to understand everything that is happening clearly and clearly. This condition can be called open door to meditation.
4. Imagine that there are fragrant flowers on your wrists, ankles and the top of your head. Inhale their healing fragrance and try to spread it throughout your limbs and whole body.
5. As you exhale, give the space a floral scent that is filled with the aroma of your body. Repeat this many times until you feel true pleasure.
6. After 15-20 minutes have passed after entering the dead man's pose, come out of it.

How to come out of shavasana correctly

The correct exit from the dead body pose is as important as the desire to relax itself. What is needed for this?

• Slowly put your head back outstretched arms, interlace your fingers, stretch your heels forward.
• Slowly turn onto one side, then stretch and do the same on the opposite side.
• Then sit down.

You can come out of the asana with your eyes closed.

Necessary conditions for meditation

During shavasana meditation, a number of conditions must be taken into account. They are:

• When starting to relax, a person should wear loose, non-restrictive clothing, preferably natural fabrics.
• During meditation, you need to remove metal, glass, plastic, glasses, chains, rings, necklaces, brooches, and watches from your body. You can leave only wooden decorations, but they should not interfere with the asana.
• Ensure complete silence in the room - turn off the phone, exclude the possibility of other sharp sounds.
• It is better to do this meditation while lying down before going to bed, but if you need to relax in daytime, then you need to put a scarf or blindfold over your eyes so that light does not get through your eyelids.
• You can't freeze while relaxing. The temperature in the room should not be lower than +20° C; you should absolutely not lie down on a cold surface. If you feel that you are cold, put on socks, cover yourself with a warm, light blanket, etc.
• A prerequisite is a straight back, so you can’t lie down on anything soft.

Result of meditation

The practice of shavasana helps relieve fatigue and stress, replenish energy, strengthen the immune system, get rid of nervousness, and give a feeling of freshness, vigor and complete rest. Lying shavasana meditation promotes rapid recovery after operations and during recovery from serious illnesses.

Studies show that staying in this asana every day for 5 minutes can significantly improve your well-being after just three weeks. Thanks to shavasana, you will gain freshness and new strength.

Hi all!

I am releasing a series of three articles that will make your introduction to meditation easy and enjoyable.

You will learn in detail how to meditate!

• Meditation poses
• When and how much to meditate
• Who can meditate
• Place for meditation
• When can you start meditating?
• Types of meditation and possible obstacles

The answers to these questions will save you from painful doubts during your first meditation. Your thoughts won't bother you to relax
“Am I doing everything right?”

“Am I ready to meditate?”

We begin preparations for the first mysterious meeting with meditation

Meditation poses.

It turns out that the positions of our body affect our state of mind, level of concentration and attentiveness. FAQ, how best to meditate , in what position, are really very important.

The most common pose, sitting with a straight spine, is ideal for meditation. Harmonious combination simultaneous tension and relaxation of muscles, a clear and serene mind are important components of meditation.

The meditation pose must be comfortable! Discomfort and tension will distract you and prevent you from completely relaxing. So it turns out that everyone has their own meditation posture, some in the center of the room on a hard rug, some sitting on a pillow or against a wall. And before going to bed, it is very good to meditate while lying down.

In order for the meditation pose to become better and more comfortable, special preparation is needed. If the body is not stable, the muscles get tired, and the knees do not sink to the floor, you need to perform special asanas.
Soon I will create a special lesson in which asanas will be analyzed in a similar way. You will learn what asanas are needed, in what order to perform them, their contraindications, as well as additional benefits. Subscribe to blog updates and receive this article in your inbox.

Those starting their path of meditation, do not be surprised, there is practice even in movement. There are countless poses in it. You are walking, sitting at your workplace, calming a child, or listening to criticism from your manager!

We are trying to master all these types of meditation with you. In the meantime, find a quiet, bright, comfortable place and find a comfortable position

When and how much to meditate

You will soon learn that you can meditate anytime and anywhere. About the fact that meditation is very useful during outbursts of anger, irritation and when you are overcome by severe anxiety and excitement. You will know exactly what meditation can do in every movement.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves and take a look best start meditation for beginners.

• Regular practices. We begin to feel the benefits of meditation and notice changes in our actions when we practice every day. Starting with 5 minutes, you gradually lengthen the practice to 15, and then 30 minutes.
• It is very useful to practice twice a day in the morning and evening for 15-20 minutes. Morning meditation energizes the entire coming day, and evening meditation eliminates the consequences of the emotional storm to which we are still succumbing.

The main thing is to meditate and even once it will bring big changes into your life.

For some, 2 times a day will seem like a tough schedule; thoughts about meditation will cause some stress and may become a reason not to start practicing. Therefore, you should know that meditation has no schedules or rigid boundaries, it is a state of lightness, peace and inspiration. Meditation makes invitations to everyone, and only you know what time is best for you.

Just start meditating.

Who can meditate?

Meditation has no restrictions or contraindications. EVERYONE can meditate, schoolchildren, students, adults and the elderly. She greets everyone with a warm smile.

Meditation does not require any preliminary preparation. If anyone thinks, I smoke, I cheat, I break my diet, I'm not ready yet! Be aware of this misconception. Meditation is relaxation of the mind and body, it is health of the mind and body. It is a treatment for stress-weary mind and body.
Meditation treatment has no side effects. The exception is severe forms mental illness. And everyone else gets only the benefits of meditation.

A place for meditation.

Do you need a special place for meditation, you ask? I will answer yes!

It is very pleasant to meditate in silence. The atmosphere helps you relax. A warm, cozy room, sufficient space, a rug or pillow are important components meditation for beginners.

When do we switch to new stage cultivation, when meditation becomes an integral part of our lives, we will understand that there are countless places for meditation.

When we silently admire nature, enjoy music, be touched by a child's smile, WE ARE MEDITATING.

When we think about the meaning wise saying. When, in the midst of a quarrel, we suddenly realize that we are wrong and apologize. When nothing is more important to us than the present moment, WE MEDITATE.

I am sure everyone has unconsciously tried the mysterious power of meditation in their lives.

When to start meditating?

We often answer this question to ourselves. I'll start on Monday, I'll figure it out important matters and I’ll get started, the vacation will begin and then for sure! And the correct answer is right now!

Let it be 5, 10 or 15 seconds of meditation. You can spend a real moment relaxing. You can stop planning, estimating, and guessing for a moment.

Immerse yourself in this moment. Find yourself in the silence of your mind, even if there is someone talking or music playing nearby. Feel the relaxation of your mind and body. This state of freedom is MEDITATION.

Now you know, how to meditate! Try it!

If you experience this, you will not only remember to practice meditation on Monday, you will genuinely want to do it!!

Know that meditation awaits everyone!! If you have a busy life, a lot of unresolved matters, you are depressed and tired, start right now. Believe me, even 1 minute of meditation can change your condition! Try it!

Meditation for beginners. Meditation thoughts in pictures.

Thoughts arise spontaneously in the mind. This is a natural part of meditation. Don't try to get rid of thoughts in meditation. Thoughts are not an obstacle to relaxation.

The purpose of meditation is not to change reality, but to teach us to calmly perceive everything that happens in the world, including our thoughts. Be calm about the thoughts that come during practice.
Thoughts are not mistakes.

The mind can wander into the stories of life. Remember past incidents, events, imagine the future.

You can even guess the outcome of the meditation. I wonder if I will get rid of tension now? Will it work? Will you be able to be relaxed all the time? Whether or not confusing thoughts appear.

When you find yourself distracted, don't repress your thoughts. Just know that you can easily return your attention to meditation. And do it with a smile!

As soon as you look at your thoughts, the next moment they will disappear. They will arise again, don’t scold yourself for it, don’t get upset, just look at them again, tell yourself it’s just a thought and return to meditation.

Don't give thoughts of great importance, don't follow them.

Always know, thought comes and goes. Now you can think about something, and the next moment you can be completely relaxed and rest, listening to the silence of the mind.

Use this not only during meditation! This method good remedy restoring the mind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life
Allow thoughts to be meaningless activities of the mind.

Finishing Meditation for Beginners

When the meditation time is over, or you simply want to stop the practice, do not rush to get up, do not immediately begin active actions. Let your eyes be closed for another minute. Let thoughts slowly fill your mind. The mind gradually becomes active.

Get up slowly, don't play loud music, don't watch the news. Even if you need to go somewhere, take your time. Be calm, feel relaxed and have inner confidence.

Follow this instruction for a month or two. And at some point you will feel that meditation continues after practice.
The fuss will disappear. The aggression will disappear. You will become kinder and begin to understand others better. The critic's anger and rudeness will no longer take you out of your state of inner peace. You don't need to control this state, it will be inside you.

This is a success! This means that meditation has entered your life and has become a natural component of it!

Meditation for beginners can change your life!

In the meditation section you can find the first lesson.
I suggest you try meditation right now, choose a method convenient for your perception, audio or video.

In this FAQ I will answer the most popular questions about meditation, such as: how to avoid falling asleep during meditation, how to get out of meditation, etc. If you want to know about, then read the article at the link, here the story will be in a question-and-answer format.

I answered many of these questions in the comments, but not all readers get to them, especially since there are a lot of comments and, sometimes, it is difficult to find the answer to questions of interest in them. Here are some questions that, in my opinion, may often arise in many people's minds after they have started meditating.

How to avoid falling asleep during meditation

Question: I can’t understand what I’m doing wrong: I sat up straight, relaxed, disconnected from surrounding stimuli, I started observing my breathing and... I fell asleep! It would be okay the first time, but all the time... Tell me what to fix!

- Sergey

Answer:

There are a few tips to help you stay awake while meditating.

1. You need to keep your back straight and not lean it on the back of a chair or any other surface. Firstly, it promotes deeper breathing: air begins to pass through the lungs better. Breathing is an important part of meditation. Secondly, it helps to stay conscious: it is very difficult to fall asleep in this position!

   This may not work out at first, and you may not be comfortable in this position. But over time, this position will become natural and comfortable for you.

2. Don't eat before meditation. After a heavy lunch, you often want to sleep, as the body spends energy on digesting food. In addition, such processes in the stomach distract from meditation and prevent you from relaxing.
3. Cheer up. Do light exercises before meditation (a little stretching will be very helpful), take a shower.

Do some exercise (diaphragmatic breathing).

4. Ventilate the room in which you meditate. The stuffiness makes me want to sleep.
5. Don't meditate in bed. The body gets used to the fact that you sleep there, so it can automatically “switch off”.
6. Try to get enough sleep. Maybe you don't get enough sleep and that's why you fall asleep? If so, go to bed earlier and sleep more.

In his lecture, the meditation teacher said that falling asleep during meditation is not so scary. After all, this will not be an ordinary dream, but a dream that you entered through meditation. Such sleep restores the body much better than regular sleep. Therefore, even if you fall asleep while meditating, this will not mean that the meditation is “lost.” You will still be able to feel some kind of meditative effect when you wake up.

How should you come out of meditation?

Question: If we relax as if autogenic training, then at the end there is an exit phase proposed. How should you end your meditation?

— Nikolay

Answer:

The main principle is you need to come out of meditation smoothly. At the end of the practice, without opening your eyes, move your toes and hands, calmly stretch (arms in the “lock” up above your head - quietly to the right to the left), smoothly lower your arms, open your eyes. To this you can also add a pleasant yoga exercise, which is done at the exit from “shavasana”, a relaxation pose after practice: after stretching and moving your fingers, without opening your eyes, rub your palms together so that they become warm, apply them to eyes closed, sit like this for ten seconds, feel the warmth, move your arms away and open your eyes.

After meditation, you need to avoid active and strenuous activities for some time.

My legs go numb during meditation, what should I do?

Question: Hello Nikolay. After 20 minutes of relaxation, my legs sometimes become so numb that when I get up, I walk for several minutes as if on crutches. Please tell me, maybe this is due to incomplete relaxation?

Answer: numbness in the legs is caused by the fact that the blood vessels in the legs are pinched and blood flows poorly to some areas. This is not scary, considering that you are sitting in this position for only 20 minutes, although it is unpleasant.

Try experimenting with meditation postures: sit on a softer or lower surface, try crossing your legs. Basically, change your position. Even during meditation, you can move carefully and change the position of your legs to a more comfortable one so that they do not become numb.

What to do if you have a headache after meditation?

Question: I've been doing this practice for about a week now, but Lately I began to have a constant headache. This is fine? Or do you need to stop immediately?

Answer:

This symptom occurs in some people, I was convinced by reading various sources. The question is quite popular on the Internet. The reason may be the following. You may be straining too hard to hold on. And your mind, accustomed to constant activity, encounters attempts to get rid of thoughts with resistance. This resistance is likely to cause headache. Of course, I cannot insist that you continue the practice if the body reacts this way. But perhaps this is only happening at the beginning...

If I were you, I would try to reduce tension during meditation, for this:

1. Don’t try to force your will to drive away thoughts, let them come. When you notice that you are thinking about something, simply gradually shift your attention to the mantra or breathing. But there is no need to focus on this. Concentration is not the goal of meditation. The goal is to relax. Let thoughts flow as usual, just calmly observe them. You should not constantly think about not thinking.
2. Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure your body is COMPLETELY relaxed!
3. Take a couple of deep breaths before you begin to meditate. (It’s better to breathe with your stomach, diaphragm)
4. Constantly monitor your body; if you feel that your muscles are tense (including your facial muscles), relax them.
5. If your head starts to hurt during meditation, stop the session.

This is what I would advise you to try before stopping the practice, since meditation is a very valuable thing, so as not to try to continue it even with such a reaction from the body.

PS. Perhaps it's all about body tension, so you can try before meditating for two minutes to relax each part of the body in turn, directing your attention from the top of your head to your toes. You can read about this relaxation technique in the article in the “Yoga Relaxation Techniques” section.

How to read the mantra correctly?

Several people asked this question about meditation with, so I decided to answer it here.

Question: Tell me, should the mantra be repeated out loud during meditation or can it be done silently?

Answer: Of course you need to repeat it to yourself.

What should I do if I experience rapid/difficult breathing during meditation?

Question: Now before relaxing I also experience rapid breathing, what is the reason for this?

- Tatiana

Answer: Possibly due to the body position you are in ( incorrect position back), your lungs cannot open fully and you have to inhale air in smaller portions, but with increased frequency. Therefore, keep your back straight! This will allow your lungs to expand to their full potential.

What should I do if I experience discomfort or pain in my back when I try to meditate with my back straight?

Question: Hello, Nikolay)) I want to ask you for advice. I tried to meditate many times... but my back hurts!! and I can’t concentrate at all... I just can’t sit straight for a long time. I tried to lie down on the floor and it started working out for me!! Well at least it seems so to me. After such lying down meditations I feel better. But this is not right!! at least everyone teaches you to do it while sitting... I will be grateful for your answer!

— Oksana

Answer: Press your back against the back of a chair or other support and meditate.

Head rotation

Question: I started meditating. During meditation, my head rotates in different sides and in a circle...is this normal?

Answer: Elena, I read several sources. You are not the only one who experiences this. Some sources say that there is nothing wrong with this. In others, it's generally good. Some people associate this phenomenon with muscle relaxation, while others explain it by energy flows. In any case, there is nothing wrong with this.

Don't pay attention to these movements, let them take their course and not distract you. If they are too strong and prevent you from meditating, just open your eyes.

So far these are all the questions and answers that I managed to collect. Ask questions, I will answer and publish some answers here.

Strange feeling in the bridge of the nose

Question: I feel pressure (tingling, warmth) in the area of ​​the bridge of my nose during meditation and not only.

Answer: this is normal, perhaps even good. I myself began to experience this feeling immediately after I started meditating. It manifests itself not only during meditation, but also in ordinary life when, for example, I try to pull myself together, cope with emotional experiences. In my case, this is a kind of “awareness indicator” that turns on during moments of concentration.

Many people associate this feeling with energetic activity in the third eye area.

I salivate during meditation and often swallow

Question: Nikolay, during megitation, salivation begins, you have to swallow often, which is very distracting, maybe someone has experienced this situation. Thank you

Answer: Vitaly, salivation occurs constantly, it’s just that during meditation, it seems to me that you pay attention to it. So when swallowing saliva distracts you, smoothly shift your attention back to your breath or mantra. This is the main thing

But here are some more tips from various sources:

1. Gently press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and the front of it against your upper front teeth.
2. Keep your neck and head straight
3. Again, do not pay attention to what is happening in the mouth (tongue position, saliva, etc.)

Is it possible to listen to music while meditating?

Question: Nikolay, I meditate to special meditation music (Thai, Chinese, etc.) there seems to be an effect, I can’t even sit in silence for 5 minutes. You say it is better to meditate in silence. Please explain why?

Answer: Ekaterina, because meditation is introspection, and not concentration on listening to music. During meditation, you need to reduce incoming information to a minimum (so you close your eyes), and music is extra information. Yes, it helps you relax. But relaxation is not the only goal of meditation. Meditation is also awareness, control of the mind and conscious work on oneself.

If you cannot meditate in silence, then something is bothering you. But internal tension is stopping you. You need to get rid of it and learn to relax in silence. Therefore, you should all the more meditate without music. In short, if you cannot meditate in silence, then you need to meditate in silence.

Why should you meditate twice a day? Why is it so difficult to sit for 20 minutes?

Question: Hello, Nikolay!
Please explain why you so insistently recommend meditating 2 times a day?

You know, it’s very difficult to concentrate for 20 minutes. Although it gets better every time. But during meditation I keep waiting for these 20 minutes to run out (I set a timer and sometimes look at the remaining time)…

Answer: Anastasia, in the morning you need to meditate to mobilize strength and gain concentration, and in the evening to relieve stress and get rid of accumulated thoughts.

Anastasia

I know it's difficult, but what can I do? Such desires should be treated like any thoughts and emotions during meditation, just observe them, but not get involved in them. Do not identify yourself with the desire to be distracted. Convince yourself that you won’t be able to finish before 20 minutes anyway. And if you torment yourself with thoughts about how to stop as quickly as possible, you will not relax, and time will drag on even longer. Learn to be in the present moment without thinking about the future or the past. It's better not to look at the timer. This is a great workout for willpower, force yourself to sit for 20 minutes, if you do this every day, everything will be easier for you. But this effect does not exhaust meditation.

PS. The fact that it is very difficult for you to sit for 20 minutes is just a strong argument in favor of the fact that you need to meditate. Because what prevents you from sitting still is internal tension that pulls you somewhere. Meditation relieves you of this tension.

What time should you meditate?

Question: Is it possible to meditate in the morning - immediately after waking up, and in the evening before going to bed?

Anatoly

Answer: Anatoly, in the morning you just need to wake up, do exercises, take a shower, for example. Before going to bed, it is undesirable, at least 3 hours before bedtime. It can be difficult to fall asleep after meditation. Therefore, some time must pass.

Is it possible to meditate while lying down? What to do if you can’t keep your back straight?

Question: I don’t understand how with complete relaxation of the body one can meditate while sitting, because with absolutely complete relaxation of the muscles the body and head cannot be held in place. vertical position, the body simply begins to collapse, and the head falls on the chest according to the law of physics. That. I start to get distracted by keeping my body upright. What can you say about meditation while lying down, because lying down can relax the body.

Natalia

Answer: Natalya, lying down runs the risk of falling asleep and it is more difficult to maintain concentration than if you meditate while sitting. Meditation is not only relaxation, but also awareness. When you sit with a straight back, your attention is better focused, you are in balance between complete relaxation and internal tone, you are resting, but you are not sleeping yet. Your consciousness and attention are working. To maintain this work, not to fall asleep, not to fall into complete prostration, a straight back helps to maintain awareness, sitting position. At first it causes tension, but then you get used to it.

If for some reason you can’t keep your back straight without support, lean your elbows on something.

And to relax while lying down, you can use shavasana from yoga, but this is no longer quite meditation, but more rest and relaxation. And meditation is far from just relaxation!

How to meditate when sick?

Question: Good afternoon! Please tell me how to meditate when severe cold? Some time ago I started mediating with success, but now I’m sick - my nose is constantly running, coughing and my throat hurts, I can’t relax and concentrate on meditation at all. Surely over the long time of your practice you have encountered such situations. Thanks in advance for your answer!

Evgenia

Answer: Evgeniya, earlier I answered this question in such a way that you can meditate less, surround yourself with pillows, and even meditate while lying down.

After my last illness with fever and severe chills, I began to answer differently, giving the opposite answer. Meditate the same way you meditated if you were healthy, maybe even a little more. Why? Because a sick person needs some kind of tone, good mood much more than healthy. And meditation will help him with this. It makes it much better to tolerate illness, plus it warms the body (not for all people, however) and relieves chills perfectly (tested on myself). Of course it will be more difficult to concentrate and relax. But this does not mean that meditation will be in vain. Try to take your attention away from your cold symptoms by focusing on your breathing or mantra.

Tingling in the limbs and yawning during meditation

Question:

I have been meditating for only 2 days. During meditation, I experience tingling and numbness in my fingers. There is also a desire to yawn continuously. This alarmed me. Is this normal?

Answer:

Valeria, tingling is normal. Don't focus on this feeling. (some meditation teachers say that this is how biological processes in certain places in your body are normalized)

Yawning can occur due to the following reasons: you change your breathing or it changes itself, you relax quickly and you begin to feel sleepy, which you did not feel before due to tension or because you do not keep your back straight or lean your back on something. Try to eliminate any of these factors. If it doesn't work, just stop paying attention to it.

Rocking the body back and forth during meditation

Question: Good evening. I’ve only been meditating for the second day, but I noticed that as soon as I sit in the lotus position and relax, for some reason I immediately begin to sway back and forth. I would like to know what this indicates and whether it is necessary to somehow combat it. Thank you.

Dmitriy

Answer:

Dmitry, this happens. But you can just stop it and not swing. Every time the body starts to swing, just stop it.

"I can't sit for long"

Question: I started meditating based on what is stated in your articles, thank you for that too, but there is a problem, which is that I can’t sit still for 15 minutes and I constantly want to lose my temper and thoughts like “Good for today” come into my head. ,

wifa

Answer:

This happened to me too. This is natural, this is an internal restlessness that “climbs” out. It is precisely to reduce such anxiety that meditation is aimed, among other things. Then it becomes easier to deal with it. This is the same emotion and thought as all other emotions and thoughts, therefore, you need to do the same: observe how you “want to break loose” and not get involved in these experiences. Do not try to stop them or somehow control them, but simply observe. And sit until the end. If observing doesn’t help, then simply accept what doesn’t help and do nothing about it, again sit until the end.

How to note time

Question:

Hello Nikolay,

I’m trying to start meditating according to your advice, but I can’t figure out how to control the time. Looking at the clock means getting distracted, setting an alarm means abruptly leaving the meditative state. Without reference to reality, it is impossible to keep track of time, what to do?

Thank you in advance!

Yuri

Answer:
Yuri, you can set a pleasant melody on your alarm clock, for example birdsong, or some slow music. So that it does not irritate you, but at the same time makes it clear that the time for meditation has expired.