Meditation is essentially a time of being quiet and still. Like all other things in creation, it is also a relative act, meaning that you can be “quieter and stiller” if being truly settled does not come easily.
The main idea is just to slow things down. So, while some might sit in a comfortable chair in a favored room, others may do better strolling around the neighborhood or the park.
The heart of meditation is shifting the dominant brain wave frequencies from those having to do with being focused and productive (beta), to those associated with leisure (alpha and theta).
This “downshift” is readily accomplished through diaphragmatic breathing, which involves the muscle just below the ribcage that controls breathing.
Diaphragmatic breathing aids meditation in two ways. First, it changes the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance in the brain, which has everything to do with how relaxed the body is. And second, it provides a place to focus attention when the mind gets distracted.
Start by placing your hands on your abdomen just below your ribcage. Inhale slowly, and as you do make sure your abdomen expands against your hands. Do this several times, then hold your breath for a couple of beats before exhaling. When you do exhale, let your whole body go limp like a rag doll. When your mind drifts, gently return your attention to your hands.
Do this for ten or fifteen minutes initially and increase the time as you wish. It’s that simple.
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