All the secrets of the correct and comfortable posture for meditation. Is it possible to meditate: controversial issues

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.

What does meditation give? Meditation at home. Rules for meditation using mantras and runes.

Today, Eastern practices have become very popular in our country. A large number of young people, as well as mature people become acquainted with such teachings and, thanks to them, radically change their lives. Meditation is one of these miracle practices. But what do we know about her? How to learn to meditate? Why is meditation considered so beneficial for humanity?

Experts in Eastern practices call meditation a set of exercises, knowledge and skills that allow you to completely relax your body and mind.
With the help of meditation, a person is able to let go of everything earthly, renounce social, as well as financial problems and concentrate entirely on your spiritual state.
Meditation strengthens the body, spirit and mind of a person.
Only in moments of complete relaxation is a person able to relax as much as possible and draw new strength from himself, nature, and the cosmos.
Just a few minutes of meditation can equal hours of sleep.
At the same time, during the minutes of being in such a trance, the concentration of all vitality is at its limit, which allows the brain to work at an unnatural level and solve even the most complex tasks that are beyond anyone’s control.
During meditation, a person learns to clear his mind, put all pressing concerns into the background and concentrate entirely only on his spiritual component.

Meditation fans claim that their favorite ritual can do a lot:

Discipline.
Enlighten.
Bring to full awareness of yourself and everything around you.
Help you live in accordance with your own rhythm, and not chase the rhythm that society sets.
Get rid of the fuss.
Sharpen all your senses and teach them to separate theirs own desires from the desires of others.
Fill with a charge of vivacity and inspiration.
Form an inner core in accordance with your own moral concepts, and not with the concepts of society.
Unleash the creative potential inherent in nature.
Clear your mind and body of everything unnecessary, prepare a platform for something big.
Reclaim yourself.

There are several types of meditation:

Concentration meditation or Vipassana is a meditation practice based on peaceful contemplation of everything around you, as well as the perception of external sounds.
Breathing meditation is relaxation that occurs at the moment of absolute concentration of a person on his breathing.
Walking meditation is a complex type of meditation intended for professionals, based on focusing all attention on the body and sensations of the person walking.
Emptying meditation is a relaxation practice in which a person completely withdraws from his thoughts, experiences and feelings.
Transcendental meditation is a technique in which a person says special words and Sanskrit phrases (mantras).

How to meditate correctly: 5 steps

Certainly, ideal option is considered to be teaching from professionals, especially since today there is a school of meditation in almost every city in our country. True, teachers in such schools do not always have the proper level of knowledge and practice. But, nevertheless, even not very experienced theorists can teach the basics of meditation - the main thing is to start, and then you can practice on your own. For beginners in this area, 5 steps have been specially developed to help you learn how to meditate correctly:

Choosing a time to meditate.
Choosing a place for the procedure. The best option for beginners is a quiet, cozy place, without extraneous sounds. Over time, you will be able to relax even in the noisiest and most crowded place. The sound of flowing water has a very good effect on the procedure of entering a trance - it can be a home fountain, an aquarium, or just a quiet stream of water from a tap. You can also use monotonous, smooth, quiet music. Experts do not recommend that beginners meditate in the bedroom, since during the process of relaxation a person may fall asleep, feeling like he is in an environment intended for sleep.
Choice correct posture . Professionals often opt for the Lotus pose. Beginners should not take such a pose first, as if they are not used to it, their legs will become numb, and instead of relaxation, they will only experience discomfort. Optimal poses for beginners, the “half lotus” (legs folded in Turkish) is considered, sitting on a chair or lying on the floor with arms and legs outstretched. Whatever pose is chosen, its main task is to completely relax the body. The back should be straight, but not tense - this position will allow you to breathe calmly, evenly and with full lungs.
Absolute body relaxation. To enter a trance, you need to completely relax all your muscles. Complete relaxation is facilitated by a correctly chosen, comfortable posture. Don't forget about the face either - all its muscles should be at rest. Professionals most often use the “Buddha Smile” for meditation - a facial expression in which there is a barely noticeable half-smile, symbolizing happiness and repelling all negativity. Learning to smile slightly in a relaxed state requires a long journey.
Concentrating on breathing or reciting a mantra. The final stage of meditation is to close your eyes and concentrate all your thoughts on your breathing or mantras. During meditation, the mind may be distracted by foreign objects and reasoning - in such a situation it is necessary to simply return it to the point of concentration.

How long should you meditate and how many times a day?

Time and duration of meditation

Teachers of Eastern practices recommend that beginners meditate twice a day - morning and evening.
Morning meditation will allow you to recharge your energy for the whole day, set the necessary goals, and also tune into a positive mood.
The optimal time for meditation in the morning is considered to be the moment the sun rises.
Of course, such a time can frighten many, especially in summer time, however, once practiced, a person is unlikely to be able to refuse it.
In the evening, meditation is extremely important in order to relax, relieve the stress of the day, analyze everything you have done and prepare for sleep.
Beginners should start meditating with just a couple of minutes - it is recommended to gradually increase this interval.
It is advisable to immerse yourself in a trance for 2 minutes throughout the first week, and after a week increase this time by another 2 minutes - and so on every week adding a few minutes.
Don’t despair if you can’t immediately stay in a state of complete relaxation for such a long time - professionalism comes with experience.
Over time, you will be able to learn to meditate for about half an hour anywhere, at any time of the day.

How to learn correctly and start meditating at home for beginners and women: tips

Here are a few rules and tips that can help in the early stages of learning the art of meditation:

We begin to meditate with short sessions lasting from two to five minutes. Over time, the duration of meditation can be increased up to one hour or more - everything will depend on the needs of the brain and body.
The best time to meditate in the morning is the first minutes after waking up. If immediately after sleep your mind is still asleep and simply forgets about meditation, you can make yourself a reminder that will remind you of the need to carry out a relaxing ritual.
You shouldn’t get hung up on how to start meditating - everything will go by itself - you just have to start.
During meditation, it is recommended to listen to your body - it will tell you how it feels and what new things are happening to it.
In order to enter a trance, you need to concentrate all your attention on inhaling and exhaling - you can, as it were, trace the entire path that the air takes from the mouth to the lungs and back.
Don't worry about extraneous thoughts. The fact is that we are all human, and in any case we will be visited by certain thoughts. Let them be - don’t just get hung up on them.
If you catch yourself thinking about something during meditation, it is advisable to return back to your breathing.
Don't get irritated by thoughts. Thoughts are good. The presence of thoughts in our head indicates that our brain lives and functions normally. Therefore, if you are distracted by a thought, you can simply smile at it and continue your path to purification.
Sometimes it’s worth being alone with your thoughts. If a thought has already surfaced in the subconscious, you should not immediately drive it away - you can watch it for a while, but not delve into it.
During meditation, you need to strive to know yourself and begin to love yourself limitlessly. You shouldn’t criticize yourself for something, be offended by yourself, blame yourself for something - it’s better to understand why this happened and forgive yourself.
Physical self-knowledge is very important. Over time, you can mentally explore your entire body, part by part. During one session, it is advisable to thoroughly feel only one organ - at the next session you can proceed to another organ.
It is necessary to practice meditation regularly. Single relaxation sessions will never give the desired result - you need to agree with yourself to do the exercises every day.
You can meditate not only within the walls of your own home - over time, you can learn to relax even among a crowd of people or while moving (walking).
Like-minded people to help. It is much easier to learn Eastern practices together with loved ones than on your own - mutual responsibility will be the key to avoiding missing classes.
Help from professionals. If the first sessions do not give the desired result, or meditating alone is simply boring, you can contact one of the many communities that practice meditation.
It is advisable to end the meditation process with silence and a smile.

How to meditate while lying down?

Lying meditation is no different from sitting meditation in any of the relaxing poses.
True, professionals do not advise starting to meditate in a lying position, as there are risks of falling asleep.
In addition, it is not advisable to choose a bedroom and a bed for meditation lying down - then sleep will definitely be ensured.
The lying meditation pose in Eastern practices is called Shavasana.
In order to correctly assume a lying position, you need to place your feet shoulder-width apart, and your hands along your body, palms up.

How to meditate with mantras correctly?

Mantras are special words and expressions in Sanskrit.
What is remarkable about mantras during meditation for our people is that we do not understand their meaning, and while reading them, no associations or plots arise in our brain.
Mantras can be spiritual or material.
Material mantras must be uttered in order to achieve some material benefits.
Spiritual mantras are most often pronounced by people searching for themselves, or by old people in their twilight years.
In other words, spiritual mantras are recommended to be read only by those who are not interested in the material world.
Most often, you can hear the following words in Sanskrit from meditating people: “Om”, “So ham”, “Krishna”, etc.
The mantra "Om" is not suitable family people, since it is a mantra for renunciation of all material things.
The mantra “So Ham” has a charming effect on people who meditate. Translated from Sanskrit, it means “I am.” This statement applies to anyone. It allows you to get to know yourself and make friends with yourself.
The Krishna mantra is naturally associated with the name of one of the Indian deities. It is believed that pronouncing such a mantra creates a kind of protective halo around a person.
When reading mantras, you must pronounce the first syllable while inhaling, and the second - while exhaling.
If at the end of the session a person simply falls asleep, there is nothing wrong with that - sleep will be a continuation of the relaxation procedure.
Mantras must be pronounced a certain number of times or within a certain time period.
When reading mantras, you can use beads - each bead will correspond to one pronunciation. Thus, there is no need to count how many words were spoken - one circle of rosary is equal to 108 spoken words.
To meditate with mantras, you can choose any of the known poses.
In our country, there is a rather acute question about whether it is worth using mantras during meditation, because in fact they can be considered Hindu prayers.
When Christians turn to other gods in prayer, they often experience discomfort and rejection. Although in fact, this procedure It’s hard to call it some kind of ritual or rite. Therefore, the choice remains with the people themselves.

How to meditate on runes correctly?

Runes are a rather complex magical item.
The runes represent special signs, applied to stone or wood.
In ancient times, magicians and sorcerers performed witchcraft with the help of runes.
Many psychics to this day use these magic stones for their rites and rituals.
Runic meditation is a way of purifying human consciousness to learn the secrets of the runes.
It is necessary to carry out meditation on the runes in a quiet, secluded place.
The best pose for this type of meditation is sitting on a chair with a backrest.
Most often, in the process of runic meditation, a lit candle is used - fire, being the personification of one of the most powerful elements, will help you quickly enter a trance.
For one ceremony, it is advisable to use only one rune - it is worth starting with the knowledge of the Feu (Fehu) rune, the rune of good.
Lastly, you need to familiarize yourself with the Dagas rune or the Fate rune.
During meditation you may also need Blank sheet paper and a pen or pencil - with the help of them you can later write down all your thoughts and feelings.

How to meditate on runes?

Runic meditation algorithm:

We light a candle.
We concentrate all our attention on the flame of the fire.
We close our eyes and mentally find ourselves in favorite place, where you can be alone with your thoughts and relax.
When the mind calms down and the dance of thoughts in the head fades away, imagine a rune.
If a rune appears before our eyes, we pronounce its name and ask it to open up to us.
We try not to mix our own feelings and emotions into the image of the rune - all sensations should come from the rune itself.
We contemplate, listen and feel everything that the rune will reveal to us.
Feeling that the rune has already demonstrated everything, we open our eyes and return to the world around us.
We use a piece of paper and a pen to record everything that the rune showed - these can be words, sentences, events, sensations, sounds.

It is also worth noting that working with runes may not be possible right away - it takes a long time and persistence. It is also worth warning that not all runes are only an identification of something bright and good - there are very dangerous runes that can harm a person, therefore, before taking on such a complex task, it is necessary to prepare for it as much as possible.

Summing up the article, I would like to note that meditation is a very useful and necessary process. However, ignorance of all the subtleties, as well as the desire to try something new, can lead to irreversible processes ( misuse runes or mantras). That is why it is advisable to do everything under the guidance of knowledgeable, proven practitioners, and not charlatans.

What is meditation: Video

How to learn to meditate: Video

Meditation for Beginners: Video

Basic condition meditation poses– this is comfort. Ideally, the body should not be felt at all. In meditation, the spine, neck and head are held straight, perpendicular to the floor, as if you were suspended from the sky by the crown. The lower sacral and upper sternal regions protrude slightly backward, creating a deflection in the lower back. The posture is stable, otherwise the spine will bend, making it difficult to fill the lungs with air and free circulation of energy. If the back is straight, the energy rises to the upper centers. If the back is bent, the free flow of energy is hindered. There is an opinion that the word posture has common roots with the Sanskrit word asana (posture in yoga).

Perfect meditation pose- This lotus pose (padmasana), when the right leg, bent at the knee, rests on the left thigh, and the left leg on the right thigh. Lotus position good because it is easy to maintain balance and a straight spine. Lotus position, also, is energetically the most “closed”, which contributes to the conservation and accumulation of energy, as well as its concentration in the central energy channel(sushumne).

The main difficulty is that few people can afford to bend over backwards. lotus position, and if this happens, as a rule, only for short periods of time. If the lotus pose works, you can practice it daily, gradually increasing the time you spend in this asana. If pain or tension occurs in the lotus position, try a different body position. Do not under any circumstances allow pain in the area of the knee joints! This can lead to sprained knee ligaments.

Second most effective meditation pose– half lotus position ( sidhasana). In the half lotus, the left leg bends at the knee and rests the heel on the crotch, and the right leg is placed on top of the left.

In both positions (especially in the lotus position), the effect of blocking the leakage of energy is achieved, due to which it rushes to the upper centers. Which leg is on top is not important, although some schools focus on this aspect. In the half lotus, you should also not experience pain in the knee joints! If you do not have enough flexibility to perform these asanas, you can sit in a Turkish position (sukhasana).

In these poses, the hands are placed with the palms on the knees. To maintain a straight spine, you should place a pillow under the buttocks, or just under the tailbone.

Also, a good pose for meditation is the Christian pose, sitting on your knees. But most people experience ankle pain almost immediately.

If none of the above positions suits you, you can take any normal sitting position in which you feel most comfortable sitting for an extended period of time, being relaxed and motionless. Deep relaxation and stillness are important conditions, without which entering deep meditation is almost impossible.

Some practitioners use a special meditation bench. This bench is a small device consisting of a seat (length 20 cm, width 40 cm), located at an angle to the floor and two low legs (15-20 cm). On such a bench you sit in virtually the same way as in a kneeling position, with the difference that there is no pressure on the calves and ankles, which are freely located under the seat. The inclination of the bench allows you to keep your back straight. Meditation benches are especially suitable for people with insufficient joint mobility and spinal flexibility.

Reclining poses not recommended, because the horizontal position of the body puts the mind into a drowsy state. Positioning the body in a chair or on a sofa with support on the back is only allowed for a beginner, because... in this position, the back inevitably bends. It is necessary to catch a stable position of the spine, when it seems to be hanging on itself, then the tension goes away by itself.

During meditation you may experience: severe itching, twitching of the limbs, pain in the back and legs, which disappear as the channels are cleared. Pain itself means cleansing the body and in most cases it is recommended to endure the pain. Pain in the knee joints should be avoided. In general, it is recommended to master complex asanas under the supervision of an instructor.

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.

You need to keep your back straight and not lean it on the back of a chair or any other surface. Firstly, it contributes to more deep 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.
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.
Cheer up. Do light exercises before meditation (a little stretching will be very helpful), take a shower.

Do some exercise (diaphragmatic breathing).

Ventilate the room in which you meditate. The stuffiness makes me want to sleep.
Don't meditate in bed. The body gets used to the fact that you sleep there, so it can automatically “switch off”.
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:

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.
Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure your body is COMPLETELY relaxed!
Take a couple of deep breaths before you begin to meditate. (It’s better to breathe with your stomach, diaphragm)
Constantly monitor your body; if you feel that your muscles are tense (including your facial muscles), relax them.
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:

Gently press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and the front of it against your upper front teeth.
Keep your neck and head straight
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!

Evgeniya

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.

I am very glad that the first series of answers to your questions about meditation aroused such interest in our readers. Some of you asked us new questions and I hasten to answer them.

Is it possible to meditate while lying down?

You can also meditate while lying down if it is more convenient for you or if you are used to it. But better not worth it, especially if you are just learning to meditate.

The most suitable posture for meditation, it is sitting, with back support. You can sit on a chair. Please note that your entire feet are on the floor (preferably without shoes and definitely without heels). Do not hold anything in your hands and remove all unnecessary objects from your lap. Nothing should disturb you or distract you.

My favorite meditation pose is sitting cross-legged.(not quite in lotus position). I meditate on the bed, on the sofa, and just on the floor. I prefer to sit on something soft and make sure to lean my back against a wall or the edge of the bed. And I also like to put a soft pillow under my back.

How should I feel during meditation?

It is impossible to pinpoint exactly what you should feel physically during meditation. The fact is that yours physical sensations- completely individual. Some feel lightness and weightlessness, others feel heaviness, feel every muscle.

What you experience physically during meditation usually diminishes over time. This refers to any sensation other than a general feeling of relaxation, or relaxation. Your body is trained during meditation along with your mind. It's like going to the gym for the first time - at first you feel every muscle in your body.

Over time, your mental sensations will become stronger, and physically you will simply be very deeply relaxed

How do I know that I have “passed to another level of consciousness”?

Purely with medical point vision, you can accurately determine that your brain is slowing down (and you are entering deeper levels of consciousness) using an electroencephalograph. You can purchase an electroencephalograph for home use, but it is quite expensive.

On the other hand, the transition to new level consciousness during meditation can be considered purely subjectively. You just decided for yourself that you have moved to a new level of consciousness, and this is really so.

After all, the goal of active meditation is to gain control over the functioning of the brain and the state of consciousness. If you cannot trust yourself even in such a matter as the transition of consciousness to a deeper meditative level, then achieving complete control over your consciousness, or achieving goals with the power of consciousness alone - tasks that are much more difficult than simply immersing yourself in meditation - will be difficult for you. you have a very difficult task.

Just trust yourself. Most likely, you are doing everything right! Try not to control your every movement, breathing and sensation. Go with the flow and trust both yourself and the process. You will definitely succeed!

I feel tension and physical discomfort during meditation. Why? What to do?

If you feel tension or physical discomfort (pain, twitching, or muscle cramps) during meditation, this is because You are in constant voltage or stress. During meditation, you force your body to relax and as you relax, all the problem areas in your body begin to feel much clearer.

So if you're feeling stressed, then you should re-evaluate your daily life. You may be working too long, not getting enough rest, or taking on too many responsibilities. Find time for yourself, try to rest better, sleep more, go for walks fresh air. Be sure to meditate every day. It’s better even twice a day - in the morning to start your day without stress, and in the evening to relax after a hard day.

Most likely, your body is simply not yet accustomed to complete relaxation. Do not despair. Over time, your physical sensations will weaken and your mental sensations will become more acute.

Can meditation be dangerous for humans?

Absolutely not! Meditation is completely safe and there are no contraindications or diseases that would prevent you from practicing meditation.

On the contrary, meditation is very useful both from an emotional point of view and for your health. Moreover, you can use meditation to both heal and maintain your health.

However, if you are concerned about your health, or experience any discomfort during meditation, be sure to contact your doctor. Your discomfort may be caused by an illness (but not by meditation). You should not engage in self-diagnosis or self-treatment.

Meditation is a great way to stay healthy and good helper in the healing process, but in no way a replacement for modern advances in medicine. Best to combine traditional medicine with meditation.

Is there any benefit from meditation if I fall asleep?

If you fall asleep during meditation, the only benefit you get is relaxation and rest.

If you want to benefit from meditation, and even more so learn to control your brain function and state of consciousness, then you should strive to remain lucid while meditating.

I can't visualize. What to do?

Everyone knows how to visualize, you just need practice. Don't be too demanding of yourself.

If you have difficulty visualizing, use a technique called “continuous flow”. In this technique, you mentally describe what you see. Make the description as detailed as possible. For example, if you are trying to imagine yourself driving a new expensive car, mentally say to yourself: “I see the dashboard, there are beautiful silver scales on it, there is a barely noticeable pattern on the leather seats...”

As detailed description painting, you will find that the image acquires more and more details. This in turn gives you even more things to mentally describe. One feeds the other, and your perceived image becomes more and more vibrant.

Don't be fooled by the term "visualization." U different people different prevailing feelings. The most common predominant sense of perception is vision. This is why most people work well with the visualization process. However, For some people, the predominant senses may be touch, hearing, and smell. These people may have difficulty "visualizing" but may be able to accurately imagine sounds, smells, or sensations.

It is important for these people to include these feelings in their “mental images.” Those who, for example, were born blind are still capable of creative visualization, but instead of seeing images, they can gain inner experience through the use of mental feelings smell, hearing, taste and touch.

When will you come to our city with seminars?

All information about seminars on the Silva method in Russian you can find at the following link.

If there is no seminar in your city, then purchase the course for home study "Live to the rhythm Silva". He explains the Silva method very well, teaches all the key techniques of the method, and many people like it no less than participating in the seminar.

Yours,
Irina Khlimonenko
and the Silva Method team

P.S. As always, feel free to ask questions! Always happy to answer :)

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